Car Accident Attorneys in Knoxville, Tennessee

1. Garza Law Firm

Practice Focus: Car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, rideshare accidents, wrongful death claims, DUI defense

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, T-bone accidents, multi-vehicle pileups, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, catastrophic injury cases

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, accident investigation, evidence collection, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims

Background: Garza Law has served East Tennessee for over 20 years with more than 200 years of combined legal experience among its attorneys. Founding attorney Marcos Garza is a veteran who served in the armed forces for over a decade before establishing his private law practice. The firm maintains three East Tennessee locations in Knoxville, Johnson City, and Jacksboro. Their attorneys include Lieutenant Colonel Dave Beck (retired), a former pilot, battalion commander, judge advocate and military judge in the Marine Corps. The firm has earned hundreds of five-star client reviews and has recovered millions of dollars for personal injury clients across Tennessee.

Location: Knoxville, TN (also Johnson City and Jacksboro locations)

Contact: (865) 351-3135 | (865) 540-8300 | https://garzalaw.com

Consultation: Free case review available 24/7. Contingency fee basis with no fees unless recovery is obtained.

2. Nichol & Associates (H. Douglas Nichol P.C.)

Practice Focus: Car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, personal injury, asbestos and mesothelioma claims

Case Types Handled: Car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, other personal injury cases, asbestos exposure and mesothelioma claims

Legal Services: Personal injury claims across a range of case types, with attorneys who each have a specific practice focus

Background: Nichol & Associates is a Knoxville personal injury firm founded by attorney H. Douglas Nichol, and its homepage cites more than 60 years of experience.

Location: 109 S. Northshore Dr., Suite 404, Knoxville, TN

Contact: (865) 588-7465 | https://www.nicholassociates.com/

Consultation: Contact the firm for a case review

3. Wettermark Keith, LLC

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, slip and fall accidents, workplace injuries, medical malpractice, social security disability, wrongful death claims

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, multi-vehicle accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents, catastrophic injury cases, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, burn injuries

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, evidence gathering, medical expert coordination, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims

Background: Wettermark Keith has been handling legal needs of Tennessee residents since 2003. James Wettermark, one of the founding partners, has over four decades of experience practicing law and has tried more than 200 jury trials in federal and state courts across twelve states. The firm has deep local knowledge of the Knoxville legal landscape and can accurately value cases based on understanding of regional juries and insurance companies. The firm is recognized for trial readiness and willingness to take cases to trial when necessary for maximum compensation.

Location: 625 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Knoxville, TN 37902

Contact: (877) 715-9300 | https://wkfirm.com/locations/knoxville/

Consultation: Free consultation available. Contingency fee basis.

4. Burks & Ogle, Attorneys at Law

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, wrongful death claims, personal injury cases

Case Types Handled: Head-on collisions, rear-end accidents, side-impact collisions, rollover accidents, sideswipe accidents, blind spot accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, catastrophic injury cases

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, accident investigation, evidence gathering, property damage claims, medical expense recovery, lost wage claims

Background: Mr. Ogle is a seasoned, aggressive trial lawyer and advocate rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Burks is also AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. The firm has extensive experience handling car accident cases throughout Tennessee and understands how insurance companies operate to minimize payouts. Mr. Feuer joined Burks & Ogle in 2024, bringing additional litigation experience to the team.

Location: Knoxville, TN

Contact: (865) 522-4964 | https://www.knoxlegalteam.com

Consultation: Free consultation available. Contingency fee basis with no payment unless recovery is obtained.

5. Dennis Injury Law

Practice Focus: Car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, traumatic brain injuries, wrongful death claims

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, intersection accidents, multi-vehicle accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, catastrophic injury cases, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical record documentation, evidence collection, property damage claims, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims

Background: Garrett Dennis is a skilled Knoxville personal injury lawyer with a proven track record of success. The firm has recovered more than $22.5 million for clients. Dennis Injury Law provides personalized guidance and works to ensure clients are not pressured by insurance companies into settling for less than they deserve. The firm handles cases throughout East Tennessee and has extensive experience with Tennessee car accident laws and the one-year statute of limitations.

Location: Knoxville, TN

Contact: (865) 910-0104 | https://dennisinjurylaw.com

Consultation: Free case evaluation available. Contingency fee arrangement with no fees unless recovery is obtained.

Punitive Damages, Government Claims and Wrongful Death Recovery for Knoxville Car Crashes

A Knoxville car crash claim against an impaired or reckless driver can raise when Tennessee allows punitive damages and when their limit does not apply. Tennessee law also makes each defendant liable only for its own share of fault, sets a 12-month filing period for claims against a governmental entity, and lists what a wrongful death recovery includes.

Punitive Damages

Under Tennessee Code 29-39-104(a)(1) and (a)(2), punitive damages require clear and convincing evidence of malicious, intentional, fraudulent or reckless conduct and are decided in a bifurcated proceeding. Under (a)(5) and (a)(6), they may not exceed the greater of two times compensatory damages or $500,000, a limit not disclosed to the jury, and under (a)(7)(C) the limit does not apply when the defendant was under the influence of alcohol, drugs or another intoxicant, substantially impairing judgment and causing the injuries, other than lawfully prescribed or over-the-counter drugs taken as directed.

Under Tennessee Code 29-11-107(a), when multiple defendants are found liable under comparative fault, each is severally liable only for the percentage of damages attributed to it, with joint and several liability kept under (b) for civil conspiracy and for manufacturers in strict liability or warranty product actions. Under (d), fault may be allocated to a nonparty, including an immune third party or a settling party.

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 under (b) the action must be commenced within 12 months after the cause of action arises. Under 29-20-311, no judgment against the entity may exceed the minimum coverage set in 29-20-403 unless it carries more insurance; for actions arising on or after July 1, 2007, 29-20-403(b)(4) sets $300,000 for one person’s bodily injury or death, $700,000 for all persons and $100,000 for property damage.

When a Crash Is Fatal

Under Tennessee Code 20-5-106(a), the right of action passes to the surviving spouse and, if there is none, to the children or next of kin, with the recovery free from creditors’ claims. Under 20-5-113, the recovery includes the deceased’s mental and physical suffering, loss of time and necessary expenses, and the damages to the beneficiaries resulting from the death.

Knoxville Car Accident Questions

How long do I have to sue the other driver?

One year after the cause of action accrues for injuries to the person under Tennessee Code 28-3-104(a)(1), or two years when criminal charges are brought against the person who caused the injury and the other conditions in (a)(2) are met.

Can I recover if I was partly at fault?

Yes, if your negligence is less than the defendant’s. McIntyre v. Balentine (1992) replaced contributory negligence in Tennessee and 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. For example, imagine $60,000 in damages and 40 percent of the fault on the injured driver: the recovery would be $36,000. Under Tennessee Code 29-39-102(b), which apportions noneconomic damages among defendants, recovery for any damages is barred 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.