Auto accident liability insurance companies, including those in Tennessee, have been in business for over a century. Over time the insurance companies have accumulated knowledge, experience, and resources giving the insurance company a significant advantage over those injured in auto accidents. While state-level insurance laws prohibit the insurance company from engaging in unlawful settlement practices, you may legally accept a “lowball” offer by accepting a single payment from the insurance company.

This advantage reduces the insurance company’s bottom line but unfairly places you between a “rock and a hard place.” For example: you may have additional medical bills, future lost wages, and other needs for which the insurance company did not consider when making your settlement offer. You can protect yourself against an unfavorable injury settlement by taking proactive steps, such as preserving evidence, understanding and applying the law correctly, following internal insurance policy rules, and following legal advice.

Here, Tennessee car accident attorney, Courtney Cotter, shares three steps for dealing with an insurance company after an injury that will ensure you receive adequate compensation for your injury claim.

Have you suffered injuries due to someone else's negligence? After a serious accident, you have the right to pursue compensation for any damages you have incurred. However, it is important to act quickly because the state's statute of limitations only gives you a short window of time to pursue legal action. We explain the Tennessee personal injury statute of limitations here.

Imagine it is a Friday night, you are out of work for the day, just picked up your children from daycare, excited to finally relax when you are hit by another vehicle. This can be extremely stressful for most people - let alone a parent with children in the car.

Unfortunately, this exact situation could happen to you as over 6 million automobile accidents happen every year. As such it is important to know what you should do following an accident as well as things that you should not do.

What To Do Immediately Following An Accident

• Call the Police 🚓

• Take Photos of All Vehicles Involved 📸

• Obtain Witness Information 📝

• Seek Medical Attention 🚑

• Call an Attorney 👩🏼‍⚖️

What NOT To Do Immediately Following An Accident:

• Not Calling the Police but Exchanging Auto Insurance Information Instead 🚫

• Not Seeking Medical Treatment 🚫

• Calling the Insurance Company and Providing a Recorded Statement 🚫

Imagine you are sound asleep dreaming that you are on the beach drinking your favorite cocktail when BOOM, you hear a loud crash noise coming from the other side of your home. You discover a large tree has fallen on your residence. Who is responsible to pay for the damage your house sustained?

Typically, when a tree has fallen on a home the cause was either:

👉🏼 contractor negligence;

👉🏼 an act of God; or

👉🏼 negligence by the tree owner

Have you ever had a close call with a semi truck? You most likely are not alone.

People are injured in truck accidents on a daily basis throughout the country. In 2019, over 180,000 people were injured in auto accidents involving a tractor-trailer truck. From 2000 through 2020, the rate of injuries from trucking accidents stayed relatively the same, according to data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This suggests that roadway safety, specifically related to tractor trailers, is not improving.

Most Common Causes of Semi Truck Accidents

🚛 Drowsy Driving

🚛 Distracted Driving

🚛 Improper Driving

🚛 Cargo Loads Not Properly Being Loaded

🚛 Failure to Maintain Equipment

Hiring an attorney can ensure you receive the full and fair compensation you deserve. Cotter Law is here for you if you want a personal injury attorney specializing in truck accidents.

At Cotter Law it is our priority to take on the fight with the insurance company while you focus on recovering from your motorcycle accident. Contact Cotter Law today to schedule your FREE consultation at (865) 888-7155 or attorney@cotter-law.com to speak with an experienced attorney.  

Are you being sued? Have you been served with discovery? Being served with a lawsuit can be an extremely stressful situation. Lucky for you I am here to help navigate how to proceed!

If you have previously been or are currently involved in civil litigation in some capacity you have likely heard the term “discovery.” If you have been asked to respond to discovery in a case, you may feel overwhelmed and confused about the process of responding. Here we will discuss the process you should go through when responding to discovery as well as some tips that will help you respond to the discovery requests effectively and accurately.

Deciding on whether or not to hire an attorney to represent you for a motor vehicle accident claim/case can be stressful. Ultimately, hiring an attorney can ensure that you receive full and fair compensation for the injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident and that you are protected. One way hiring an attorney can be beneficial is if you need medical treatment but you do not have health insurance or you cannot afford treatment for your injuries. Another way hiring an attorney can be beneficial is when it comes to dealing with your health insurance company and its subrogation interest. An attorney can also negotiate with the medical providers on your behalf to lower any outstanding bills.

As you are grocery shopping you suddenly feel your legs come out from underneath you, and the next thing you know you are on the ground. You notice there is a large amount of water on the floor that is coming from one of the freezers. What you do next is crucial to ensure your recovery for your personal injury case. Premises liability imposes a duty on a property owner and/or tenant to maintain a safe environment for those that visit his/her property.

You are anxiously waiting to cross the street. The signal turns from stop to walk, you proceed through the crosswalk when you are struck by a motor vehicle - this could be a life or death situation. The insurance company, specifically the adjuster handling your claim, is going to do everything in his/her power to make sure you get the least amount of compensation if he/she offers anything at all.

Hiring an attorney can ensure you receive the full and fair compensation you deserve. At Cotter Law it is our priority to take on the fight with the insurance company while you focus on recovering from your auto accident.

Research shows that the number of bicyclists in the United States has grown from approximately 43 million in 2015 to approximately 52 million in 2022. With an increased number of bicyclists on the roadway comes an increased risk of injury as a result of a motor vehicle accident. Have you or a loved one been injured in a bicycle accident? If so, you will want to make sure you are protected. At Cotter Law it is our priority to take on the fight with the insurance company while you focus on recovering from your auto accident.

Imagine it is your day off and you plan to finally catch up on all of your dirty laundry. You hear an alert coming from the washing machine notifying you that it is now time to place the freshly washed clothes in the dryer - you proceed to do so. Moments later your dryer is engulfed in flames - sheer panic overcomes you. If you find yourself in this situation or a similar situation you may have a product liability case.

A prenuptial agreement (hereinafter referred to as “prenup”) is a legally binding contract that is entered into prior to marriage to protect the marrying parties in the event of a divorce. Prenups are enforceable in Tennessee. A prenuptial agreement typically addresses things like: property division, alimony, and other situations that might arise in the event of a divorce.

In Tennessee, the law treats pets as personal property. Currently, there are not laws in Tennessee that permit custody fights over the household pet(s). In a divorce proceeding pets are essentially divided in the same manner as other personal property. When dividing personal property in a divorce proceeding, the courts will make an equitable distribution of marital property.

The process of filing for divorce can be a very stressful time in your life, from knowing what exactly you need to file, to actually agreeing with your spouse on how martial property and child custody will be divided.

It is important to not only consider your wishes upon death, but also consider your wishes in the event that you become unable to make decision for yourself while living. For example: if you were in an automobile accident and you are now in a coma (therefore incapacitated) you will need to ensure you have someone you trust to make decisions on your behalf, whether that be financially or medically.

Not every legal matter will require you to hire an attorney. The truth is hiring a lawyer can prevent common mistakes that can occur in self-representation. You could be a well-educated individual and still need to hire an attorney. In fact, most attorneys often hire another attorney to represent him/her in a legal matter.

Imagine you just had an amazing night out with friends. You think you are okay to get behind the wheel and drive yourself home. In reality you might have had too much to drink. All of the sudden you see those blue lights flashing behind you and panic sets in. It important to know your rights in case you find yourself in this situation. If you or someone you know has been arrested for a DUI related matter then it is important to hire an attorney that will fight for you and protect your rights.

Imagine you're driving down the road and then you notice those blue lights in your rearview mirror. Slight panic sets in even though you haven’t done anything wrong. We've all been there. What you do and say can have a significant impact on any legal proceedings that may follow. Your choices are critical regardless if the stop ends in minor traffic violations or an arrest for a more serious crime.

Do you have a child? Do you own a home? Then you need an estate plan. A successful estate plan should provide for the management of your financial and personal affairs, as well as management of your health care directives should you be unable to make decisions for yourself in the future. Your estate plan should also provide your wishes for the disposition of your estate after death.