Chattanooga Car Accident Lawyer

We Fight for Victims of All Kinds of Auto Accidents

Personal injury claims can arise from any auto accident involving negligence. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were over 6 million car crashes in 2022. Over 3,700 car accident victims lost their lives in Tennessee car crashes alone. Auto accidents are unfortunately very common, and it’s important to know what to do if you’ve been involved in an accident. A car accident lawyer in Chattanooga can help evaluate your damages and aid in your financial recovery.

Chattanooga Car Accident Lawyers

Whether caused by another driver’s negligence, dangerous driving conditions, or a malfunctioning vehicle part, one truth remains: car accidents can be devastating. At Montlick, we take on all kinds of vehicle accident cases. We put our 40 years of experience to work to help ensure victims receive full and fair compensation for their injuries. Our car accident claims include:

Chattanooga Rear End Crash Lawyer

Rear-end accidents account for 29% of all car accidents resulting in serious injury. If you have been injured in a rear-end accident, our car accident lawyers at Montlick can help, starting with a free consultation. These collisions are typically the result of negligent driving. Generally, any driver who rear-ends another car is considered the responsible party. However, there can be exceptions, including:

• The forward driver brakes suddenly and unexpectedly, without good cause
• The brakes on the rear driver’s vehicle are defective
• The tail lights/brake lights on the forward vehicle are broken
• The forward driver causes the accident by turning directly in front of the rear driver in a negligent manner or lane-changing in front of the rear driver
• The forward driver backs into the rear driver’s vehicle

Chattanooga Defective Vehicle Component Lawyer

In 2022, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued 932 vehicle safety recalls affecting more than 30.8 million vehicles in the United States. Still, millions of vehicle recalls still go unrepaired or unaddressed every year. When you purchase a car, you trust that the car is designed with consumer’s safety as a top priority. However, thousands of people are still injured and killed in car accidents every year as a result of defective auto products. If you’ve been injured due to a defective vehicle, it’s essential to call a car accident attorney as soon as possible to begin your financial recovery and even raise awareness of the defect for other car owners.

The top 5 most recalled car brands from the past 10 years over a projected 30-year lifespan are:

• Tesla Model Y
• Porsche Panamera
• Tesla Model 3
• Tesla Model X
• Tesla Model S

Chattanooga Drunk Driving Victim Lawyers

One of the most traumatic types of car accidents involves drunk drivers. Drunk driving accidents are especially dangerous and can result in severe injuries or even death. Our attorneys have extensive experience with drunk driving cases. We understand what it takes to establish liability and maximize compensation for victims. We will fight fiercely to ensure that those responsible are held accountable for their actions and that victims receive the justice they deserve.

Chattanooga Bus Accident Lawyers

Bus accidents usually involve multiple parties and can be complex. Our Chattanooga bus accident attorneys are fully equipped to handle bus accident cases involving personal injury claims against private companies, public agencies, governmental entities and others on behalf of injured drivers, passengers or pedestrians who were hurt as a result of negligent bus accidents.
The most common types of bus accidents are:

• Driver error accounts for as many as 85% of all bus accidents. Fatigue is unfortunately one of the most common forms of driver error. Overworked drivers, poor sleeping habits, navigating heavy traffic, meeting tight scheduling deadlines, making unanticipated route changes, and dealing with stressful customers can all contribute to driver error, resulting in a potentially deadly accident.
• Driver negligence such as changing lanes improperly, veering off the road, failure to yield the right of way and exceeding the speed limit with failure to yield the right-of-way cause accidents on Tennessee roads
• Mechanical failures occur in buses and large commercial trucks. Defective tires or brakes or poor maintenance can cause a dangerous situation that directly causes a bus accident.
• Roof failure. In 15-passenger vans especially, roof crush results in 41 percent of deaths during a rollover. Bus roofs must meet all federal regulations including that the roof must sustain no more than five inches of roof crush while supporting one and a half times the weight of the vehicle.
• Road conditions such as weather, animals or road construction compromise the safety of the roadways. When poor road maintenance is responsible for a bus accident then a governmental entity may be held responsible. In the same way, if the road is poorly designed (sharp curves, dangerous merging lanes, etc.) negligence on the part of a governmental agency could be claimed.
• Unsafe seatbelts. Studies show that the addition of lap belts in large buses would be unlikely to reduce injuries in a head-on crash. The same studies indicate that adding lap belts might even cause additional injures such as abdominal or neck injuries, particularly in children.

Chattanooga Rideshare Accident Lawyers

What do you do if you’re a rider in a rideshare vehicle that gets into an accident? Or if you’re a rideshare or delivery driver on the clock and your car gets hit by another driver? Rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft have become increasingly popular over the past few years and our attorneys at Montlick understand how to navigate the evolving landscape of rideshare accident laws and protocol. Whether you’re a driver or passenger, we can navigate insurance coverage issues and fight to get you the compensation you deserve.

Steps to Take After Being Injured in a Car Accident in Chattanooga

The first moments after a car accident are crucial. If you are safely able, remember to:

Seek Medical Attention
Even if you don’t feel injured, receiving a medical evaluation as soon as possible is critical because some injuries may not manifest until hours or days later.

Document the Scene
Make sure to document the scene of the accident and take pictures of your car and any other cars involved in the incident. Take note of road conditions, traffic signals, weather conditions, and anything else that might help prove who was at fault in the accident.

Collect Evidence
Collect information from all parties involved in the accident, including insurance details, contact information of witnesses, and any other relevant information. In the coming weeks, document everything related to the accident, such as receipts for medical expenses, repair costs, rental cars or taxis taken due to injury or damage caused by the accident, etc. Keep detailed records of communication with insurance companies and lawyers so that you have proof of when certain steps were taken in filing a lawsuit or negotiating a settlement offer.

If this sounds like a lot to keep track of while trying to heal, that’s because it is. And that’s why Montlick is here, to handle all the complicated aspects of your case so you can focus on healing.

Actions to Avoid After A Car Accident in Chattanooga

In the aftermath of an accident, emotions can run high from both parties but it’s important to remain level-headed. Actions to especially avoid after a car accident include:

• Do not argue with other drivers and passengers.
• Save your story for the police and your insurance company.
• Do not sign statements regarding fault or promise to pay for the other party’s damages.
• If the other party offers to pay your deductible, don’t sign anything.
• You must show your driver’s license, vehicle registration card, evidence of financial responsibility, and current address to the other driver or persons involved, or to a peace officer.

Contact Montlick Injury Attorneys
When clients come to us after a car accident that has resulted in injury, we sympathize with the physical, financial, and emotional stress they’re dealing with. While nothing can truly compensate for how a car accident injury changes your life, in cases of negligence, the law can provide financial recourse for lost wages, medical care, pain and suffering, and more. The sooner you contact us for a free case evaluation, the better off your case will be.

The Best Evidence to Strengthen Your Car Crash Claim

In a car crash claim, it’s important to have records that back up your claims. Certain items that insurance companies, the separate party, and potentially courts will be looking for include:

• Police report. The report will often include evidence that shows who was involved in the crash and dictate the actions the at-fault party performed, which caused the crash. (However, even if you were cited in the police report, that does not necessarily mean you don’t have a legitimate case).
• Proof of negligence. Whether from a witness testimony or dash camera, proving the at-fault party’s negligence will be vital in your claim. Some examples of negligent driving include driving while intoxicated, being on a mobile device, or not having both hands free while driving.
• Proof that the driver’s negligence caused your injuries.
• Proof that you were hurt. Medical records from emergency services and/or doctor’s visits help prove all the damages that you sustained.

What Could My Car Accident Settlement Pay For?

Montlick Injury Attorneys can help you understand what types of compensation you may be entitled to receive after an injury-causing crash. Our team is dedicated to helping personal injury victims recover maximum compensation so they can move forward with their lives following an unexpected tragedy.

Damages that could be available include:

• Economic Damages: These damages are intended to reimburse a victim for money lost due to their injuries. This includes medical bills, property damage, lost wages, and any other monetary loss caused by the accident.
• Non-economic Damages: These damages are designed to compensate victims for intangible losses such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, and more.
• Punitive Damages: In some cases, punitive damages may also be awarded if the responsible party is found to have been particularly negligent or reckless in causing the accident. Punitive damages are intended to punish wrongdoers and discourage others from similar behavior in the future.
• Wrongful Death: If a loved one has died due to a car accident caused by another party’s negligence or recklessness, their family may be able to pursue wrongful death damages from the responsible parties. These damages include medical expenses incurred before death, funeral costs, loss of companionship and support provided by the deceased person, and more.

These are just a few of the potential damages that Montlick may be able to recover on your behalf. If you have been injured in an auto accident involving negligence, contact us to learn about your rights and what steps are necessary to protect those rights.

We Win Big for Car Accident Victims

We believe comprehensive legal representation is a right, not a privilege. That’s why we provide our services on a contingency fee basis. You only pay when we win, and winning is what we do best. Past results include: