Kingsport, Tennessee Car Accident Lawyer for Crashes
Every year, dozens of Kingsport residents are involved in car crashes, often along Stone Drive, as well as the intersections along Fort Henry Drive, Wilcox Drive, and East Center Street.[1] Many of these accidents are caused by negligent drivers who were speeding, driving drunk, or distracted by their cell phone. Pain, stress, property damage, and financial devastation are just a few consequences that victims may experience when they are involved in serious accidents caused by careless drivers.
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a car accident because of someone else’s negligent decisions, you deserve to be compensated for the costs, damages, and pain and suffering you may be facing. As an experienced car accident lawyer serving Kingsport and the surrounding area, attorney Mark Hurt can help hold careless drivers and their insurance companies accountable and fight to get you the money you deserve.
About Our Firm
At the Law Firm of Mark T. Hurt, we recognize the devastating effects that a serious automobile accident can have on you and your family. Mark Hurt has over 30 years of experience successfully representing car accident victims, and has recovered millions of dollars to help clients move forward from these types of accidents. He has represented clients in state courts in a number of counties, in the United States federal district court, and before the United States Supreme Court.
When you choose the Law Office of Mark T. Hurt, you will not be passed off to junior associates; you will be working directly with Mark If you have been injured, or if a family member has been killed, Mark can explain the types of damages that can be recovered, and how he will work tenaciously on your behalf.
No Fees Unless Compensation is Recovered
We represent clients on a contingency fee basis, meaning we will only be entitled to a fee if we are successful in recovering compensation.
We believe that you shouldn’t have to worry about court costs while your case is ongoing. That is why we also advance all litigation costs, which are usually subtracted from a settlement or jury award (if a case is successful).
Timing is Important – Do Not Hesitate in Seeking Help
After a car accident, many people are so fixated on their injuries and mounting bills that they neglect to timely contact an attorney. Time is off the essence when it comes to car accidents and not reaching out to an attorney can be costly.
Statute of Limitations
Under Tennessee law, you have only one year from the date of an accident to file a personal injury claim.[2] If you fail to meet this deadline, in most cases, you will be barred from being able to file a claim seeking compensation. As a result, we urge you to contact our firm at your earliest convenience so that we can timely file a claim on your behalf and protect your rights.
Under very limited circumstances, Tennessee makes exceptions to the one-year statute of limitations (i.e., the time that you have to file a claim).
Discovery Rule
At times, accident injuries will not be readily apparent, leaving victims unaware of their injuries until a later date. Under an exception called the “discovery rule”, the statute of limitations may be delayed until the date at which a victim first becomes aware of being injured (or should have reasonably known of injury). With nearly all car accidents and crashes, this date will be the date of the accident.
Competence and Age
If someone is mentally incompetent or underage and unable to legally or competently represent himself or herself, Tennessee will “toll” the one-year statute of limitations until a later date.
In the case of a victim who is under the age of 18, the statute of limitations will be delayed until their 18th birthday. At that time, they will have one year to bring a claim against the other party.
For individuals who are unable to make competent decisions due to an injury or disability, Tennessee courts will toll the statute of limitations until the court determines the person has sufficiently recovered to make sound legal decisions. Then, the victim will have one year from that date to bring a claim.
We Can Help You File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
If you have lost a loved one in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, we offer our sincerest condolences. When accidents turn fatal, we understand how difficult and overwhelming it can be for the victim’s family, both emotionally and financially. At the Law Firm of Mark T. Hurt, we want to help shoulder this burden and hold those who are at-fault accountable.
When a family member is killed in a car crash due to the negligence of another driver, not only will the family be forever be deprived of their loved one, they may also be deprived of the financial contributions made by the loved in supporting the family. In a wrongful death case, in addition to recovering for damages and the emotional loss, it is critical to seek full compensation for the present value of all future income that would have been earned by the decedent. As there will be only one opportunity to seek full compensation, it is often important to retain wage or other experts to fully prove the amount of lost wages.
A wrongful death claim can be filed after an accident victim dies from their injuries, but only if the decedent would have been able to file a personal injury claim based upon the circumstances of the accident, had they survived. In most cases, only a representative of the deceased’s estate or the deceased’s next of kin can bring a lawsuit.
To prove a wrongful death case, Tennessee requires that you show:
- A human being has been killed prematurely;
- There was negligence or intent to cause harm; and
- The negligence or wrongful act was the cause of the person’s death.
If you can successfully prove your case, you may be awarded damages for the following:
- Lost wages (including future earnings)
- Medical costs
- Lost benefits
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Lost companionship or support
- Funeral expenses
- General damages
- Punitive damages (in some cases)
Wrongful death cases can be very complicated; but, as an experienced Kingsport car accident wrongful death attorney, Mark Hurt can help navigate through the complex legal process and fight for every dollar that your family deserves.
We Can Help You in Seeking Full Compensation
At the Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt, we have successfully recovered millions of dollars for clients, both through settlement and at trial. We will put our over 30 years of experience to work in seeking to and to learn how we can help.
[1] What are the worst intersections in town?, Times News (Jul. 28, 2019), https://www.timesnews.net/Local/2019/07/28/Where-are-the-worst-intersections-in-town.
[2] Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104
