Car accident
Car Accident Attorneys in Memphis, Tennessee
The firms in this guide
- Greer Injury Lawyers, PLLC Call Greer Injury Lawyers, PLLC: (901) 680-9777
- Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi, PLC Call Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi, PLC: (901) 526-2126
- Reaves Law Firm, PLLC Call Reaves Law Firm, PLLC: (901) 209-9500
- The Law Offices of David E. Gordon Call The Law Offices of David E. Gordon: (901) 526-2006
- Alders & Lewellyn Call Alders & Lewellyn: (901) 620-4882
1. Greer Injury Lawyers, PLLC
Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, medical malpractice, birth injuries, nursing home abuse, wrongful death, catastrophic injuries
Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, T-bone accidents, multi-vehicle pileups, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, commercial trucking accidents, Uber and Lyft accidents, mass transit accidents
Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical lien resolution, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims, medical malpractice claims
Background: Firm reports recovering over $300 million for clients. Attorney Thomas R. Greer leads the firm’s personal injury practice. Licensed to practice in Tennessee. Office locations in Memphis, Jackson, and Nashville, serving West Tennessee and surrounding areas including parts of Arkansas and Mississippi.
Location: Memphis, TN (also Jackson and Nashville offices)
Contact: (901) 680-9777 | (877) 819-4414 (toll free) | https://www.greerinjurylawyers.com
Consultation: Free initial consultation, contingency fee basis (no fee unless case is won)
2. Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi, PLC
Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, nursing home abuse, medical malpractice, product liability, workers’ compensation, Social Security disability
Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, T-bone accidents, multi-vehicle accidents, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, 18-wheeler accidents, defective product accidents
Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims, workers’ compensation claims
Background: Firm has served Memphis and West Tennessee for over 40 years. Reports helping over 35,000 injured people and recovering over $500 million collectively. Attorney Michael Montesi authored the book “Show Me the Money” about car accident claims. Licensed to practice in Tennessee. Serves West Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi.
Location: Memphis, TN
Contact: (901) 526-2126 | https://www.gkbm.com
Consultation: Free initial consultation, contingency fee arrangement
3. Reaves Law Firm, PLLC
Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, slip and fall injuries, wrongful death, personal injury
Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, T-bone accidents, multi-vehicle accidents, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents
Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims
Background: Memphis-based personal injury law firm. Licensed to practice in Tennessee. Attorneys handle cases throughout Shelby County and West Tennessee. Firm mission emphasizes client advocacy against insurance companies and corporations.
Location: Memphis, TN
Contact: (901) 209-9500 | https://beyourvoice.com
Consultation: Free initial consultation, contingency fee basis
4. The Law Offices of David E. Gordon
Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, wrongful death, catastrophic injuries, premises liability
Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, T-bone accidents, multi-vehicle accidents, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, commercial trucking accidents
Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims, medical expense recovery
Background: Attorney David E. Gordon has practiced personal injury law in Memphis for decades. Licensed to practice in Tennessee. Serves clients in Shelby County and throughout West Tennessee. Experience with both settlement negotiations and trial litigation.
Location: Memphis, TN
Contact: (901) 526-2006 | https://www.davidgordonlaw.com
Consultation: Free initial consultation available
5. Alders & Lewellyn
Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, rideshare accidents, train accidents, wrongful death, personal injury
Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, T-bone accidents, multi-vehicle accidents, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, Uber and Lyft accidents, commercial vehicle accidents
Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims, medical expense recovery
Background: Memphis personal injury law firm. Licensed to practice in Tennessee. Attorneys provide direct communication with clients throughout the case process, including personal cell phone access. Handles cases in Shelby County and throughout Tennessee.
Location: Memphis, TN
Contact: (901) 620-4882 | https://aldersandlewellyn.com
Consultation: Free initial consultation, contingency fee arrangement
Filing Deadlines, Noneconomic Damage Limits and Government Claims for Memphis Car Crashes
A Memphis car crash claim runs on Tennessee’s one-year filing period, which becomes two years only under listed criminal-prosecution conditions. Tennessee law also limits noneconomic damages, sets a separate 12-month period and court rules for claims against a governmental entity, and decides who can bring a wrongful death claim.
The One-Year Period and Its Exception
Under Tennessee Code 28-3-104(a)(1), an action for injuries to the person must be commenced within one year after the cause of action accrues. Under (a)(2), the period is two years if criminal charges are brought against any person alleged to have caused or contributed to the injury, the conduct is the subject of a criminal prosecution commenced within one year by a law enforcement officer, district attorney general or grand jury, and the injured person sues the party prosecuted; under (a)(3), the subsection is strictly construed.
Limits on Noneconomic Damages
Under Tennessee Code 29-39-102(a) and (e), economic damages are not limited, and all noneconomic damages for each injured plaintiff, including consortium claims, may not exceed $750,000 in the aggregate. Under (c) and (d), the limit is $1,000,000 for a catastrophic loss such as a spinal cord injury resulting in paraplegia or quadriplegia, listed amputations or burns, or the wrongful death of a parent leaving a minor child. Under (h), no limit applies in listed cases, including specific intent to inflict serious physical injury and substantially impaired judgment under the influence of alcohol, drugs or another intoxicant, other than lawfully prescribed or over-the-counter drugs taken as directed.
Claims Against a Governmental Entity
Under Tennessee Code 29-20-305, if a claim is denied, the claimant may sue the governmental entity in circuit court where immunity has been removed, and in counties with more than 850,000 people under the federal census the action may also be filed in general sessions court. Under (b), the action must be commenced within 12 months after the cause of action arises. The award is limited too: under 29-20-311 it may not exceed the minimum insurance amounts in 29-20-403, or the entity’s higher policy limits if it bought more, and for actions arising on or after July 1, 2007 those minimums are $300,000 per person, $700,000 for all persons and $100,000 for property damage under 29-20-403(b)(4).
Who Brings a Wrongful Death Claim
Under Tennessee Code 20-5-107(a), the action may be brought by the personal representative or by the surviving spouse in the spouse’s own name, or, if there is no surviving spouse, by the children or next of kin. Under 20-5-107(b), a parent may not recover until all child support arrearages, with interest, have been paid in full.
Memphis Car Accident Questions
Can I recover if I was partly at fault?
Yes, if your negligence is less than the other driver’s. In McIntyre v. Balentine (1992), the Tennessee Supreme Court held that “so long as a plaintiff’s negligence remains less than the defendant’s negligence the plaintiff may recover”, with damages reduced in proportion to the plaintiff’s share of the total negligence. For example, imagine $120,000 in damages and 25 percent of the fault on the injured driver: the recovery would be $90,000. In apportioning noneconomic damages among defendants, Tennessee Code 29-39-102(b) also bars recovery if the plaintiff’s comparative fault, or in a wrongful death action the decedent’s fault, is equal to or greater than 50 percent.
Does my policy include uninsured motorist coverage?
Yes, unless rejected in writing. Under Tennessee Code 56-7-1201(a), an automobile liability policy issued in Tennessee must include uninsured motorist coverage equal to the bodily injury limits, but any named insured may reject it in writing or select lower limits not below the 55-12-107 minimums.
What must the other driver do at the scene?
Under Tennessee Code 55-10-101(a), the driver in a crash causing injury or death must stop and remain at the scene until meeting the duties in 55-10-103. Under (b), a violation is a Class A misdemeanor, and a Class E felony when the driver knew or should reasonably have known that death resulted.