By mid-July of 2024, 22 motorcyclists had already been involved in serious or fatal motorcycle accidents in Tennessee, according to the state’s Department of Safety & Homeland Security. Many more motorcyclists have been hurt on the state’s roads.
Motorcyclists have limited protection from the impact of a collision and drivers often fail to share the road safely with them. This can lead to serious and sometimes fatal injuries when a motorcycle and another vehicle collide. Victims have legal rights when this happens, and the Lawyers of Brown and Roberto can help you enforce those rights.
Our firm has recovered more than $50 million for clients and we’ve been representing accident victims since 1979. With our 10 out of 10 rating from Justia and our place among America’s Top 100 Attorneys, our firm has proven time and again that our legal skills are unparalleled. Most importantly, the trust we have earned from past clients shows why you should choose our legal team as your advocates.
To learn more about the help we can offer, give us a call at (865) 691-2777 today to speak with a Knoxville motorcycle accident attorney and find out how we can help you.
How Do Motorcycle Accidents Happen?
Knoxville motorcycle accidents often occur because of:
- Driver inattention
- Impaired driving
- Unsafe left turns
- Drivers who misjudge how fast motorcycles are traveling
- Drivers who don’t see motorcyclists
- Drowsy driving
It’s important to determine who was to blame because a driver who is even partly responsible for a motorcycle crash can be held liable for their percentage of losses.
As McIntyre v. Balentine explains, if “a plaintiff’s negligence remains less than the defendant’s negligence the plaintiff may recover; in such a case, plaintiff’s damages are to be reduced in proportion to the percentage of the total negligence attributable to the plaintiff.”
This rule is called comparative fault and it means that if the other driver was 51% or more to blame for the incident, the motorcycle rider can hold them accountable — they’ll just see their damages reduced based on their own share of the blame.
What are Your Rights After a Motorcycle Accident in Knoxville?
Contacting a Knoxville personal injury attorney as soon as possible after a motorcycle crash is key if you want to preserve and protect your rights.
You have just one year to make an injury claim under the statute of limitations set forth in Tennessee Code Section 28-3-104 so you don’t have time to wait when you or someone you love has been hurt or killed while riding.
If you can successfully prove your case, you should be entitled to compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
Tennessee Code Section 29-39-102 does impose a $750,000 cap on non-economic damages, which are those like pain and suffering that don’t compensate for actual financial loss. However, this cap is raised to $1 million for catastrophic injuries which, sadly, many motorcyclists suffer because of the lack of protection the motorcycle offers.
Call The Lawyers of Brown and Roberto Today to Get Help for Your Knoxville Motorcycle Accident Claim
A Knoxville motorcycle accident lawyer will provide legal help in getting the compensation you deserve after an accident. Contact the Lawyers of Brown and Roberto at (865) 691-2777 today to learn more.