What should I do if I am in an accident?

If you were in an accident that was the fault of someone else, then you have reason to consider filing a case against them. A lawyer for personal injury Memphis TN residents trust at Patterson Bray, PLLC believe that victims should not have to suffer because someone else chose to act recklessly that day. Victims must seek medical attention, gather evidence, notify their insurance company, and then contact a lawyer for guidance from there on out. It is imperative to the outcome of your case that you do not accept a settlement offer quite yet, and that you learn more about your options and the true value of your case.

Who are the best witnesses for my case?

As your Memphis personal injury team can review, there are many witnesses that you may want to use for your personal injury case. Let’s say you were involved in a car accident and a bystander rushed over to help. This person may have seen the accident unfold and the aftermath of it too. Their statement can be incredibly influential in proving that you were the victim and how the other party had been at-fault. Other examples of witnesses that can be useful in your case include those who were with you during the accident, loved ones who saw the severity of your injuries, expert or medical professional testimonies, and more.

How do I know if I have grounds for a lawsuit?

Many people don’t even realize that they are victims in a serious accident and that their circumstances make them eligible for compensation. For instance, someone may slip and fall while shopping at a store and get seriously hurt, but are too embarrassed to report it to the store manager. However, it was a leaky ceiling that caused a puddle to accumulate on the floor. The store owner may have been privy to the leak, but didn’t properly attend to the hazard. So the person who fell may leave without filing a report and end up with medical bills and other losses that they wouldn’t have accrued if someone had attended to that leak sooner.

How do I know if someone else was at-fault?

Figuring out whether someone was responsible for an accident or not will depend on the type of incident. It is possible that more than one individual or party was at-fault. As a real life scenario, a truck accident that appears to have been the fault of a truck driver may have entailed other influencing factors that are not readily apparent yet. The trucker may have been speeding, but was he speeding because his employer was pressuring him to drive excessive hours and meet a strict deadline? Was there a truck part that was defective and caused the truck to become out of control? Your lawyer can investigate the situation to uncover all the possible parties who should be included in your lawsuit.

Do I need a lawyer to get compensation?

After reporting the accident to your insurance company, you will probably be contacted by an insurance adjuster and offered a settlement amount. While accepting these funds may sound immediately appealing, it’s important to recognize that this amount is likely only a small fraction of what your claim is worth. Insurance companies are still for-profit, which means they are for the money they can make and not the money they have to spend on victim’s claims. Your Memphis injury personal lawyer team can protect you from being tricked by settlements and fight for an amount that is fair.

Law Blog by Patterson Bray | Memphis Probate & Injury Attorneys

Runners Hit by Cars: Advice from a Personal Injury Lawyer and Certified Running Coach

It's not uncommon for runners and other pedestrians to be hit by cars. We've seen it in our personal injury practice, and we’ve seen it on the news. For example,...

Read This Blog

Texting and Walking? Advice from a Personal Injury Lawyer

Do you walk and text? If you are like most people, you probably do. This personal injury lawyer advises you to stop! While we know that texting and driving is dangerous and has...

Read This Blog

Ask the Probate Lawyer: What to do if you’re named as Executor in a Will.

If you’ve been designated to serve as the Personal Representative (sometimes also called Executor or Executrix) in a Will, you will need to hire a Probate Lawyer to handle the...

Read This Blog

Can my Fitbit be used as evidence against me?

By: Erin Shea As I was driving to work yesterday, I heard an advertisement for a Local News Story on Fox 13 about potential unintended consequences of using...

Read This Blog

Justice Antonin Scalia: Quotes from Erin Shea

Our Thoughts on Justice Antonin Scalia No doubt your news feed is filled with posts about the passing of United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. We at Patterson Bray are...

Read This Blog

Ask the Probate Lawyer: Does a Will Have to Go to Probate Court?

A family member died with a Will. You are a beneficiary. Do you have to go to Probate Court in Tennessee? Many people think that if a person dies with...

Read This Blog

Insurance Claim Deadlines May be Shorter Than You Think

Suppose your insurance company denies your claim – whether for a fire loss, water damage, theft, or storm damage. How long do you have to file a lawsuit against the...

Read This Blog

Lawsuit Deadlines: How long do I have to file a lawsuit in Tennessee?

Why are there statutes of limitation or lawsuit deadlines? In Tennessee, there are lawsuit deadlines called “statutes of limitations,” so it is important to speak to a lawyer as soon...

Read This Blog

I No Longer Want to Own Property with a Partner – How Do I Break Up?

Imagine you and a partner purchase a rental property in the hopes of generating additional income. Or perhaps you jointly inherit some property. You own the property as tenants in...

Read This Blog