Kentucky Resident Hurt in Wreck in Tennessee - Do I Need a Tennessee Lawyer?
I live in Kentucky but was injured in a wreck with a big truck on Interstate 40 right outside of Nashville. Do I need a Tennessee lawyer?
You will almost certainly need a Tennessee lawyer. A Kentucky lawyer will probably not be familiar with Tennessee law and will not be able to file a lawsuit here. Quite candidly, an experienced personal injury lawyer from Kentucky would probably be able to negotiate a settlement for you, but once again may be hampered by a lack of knowledge of Tennessee law and procedure that could impact the value received at settlement.
If your hire a Kentucky lawyer he or she will probably ask the assistance of a Tennessee lawyer to help him or her with the case. I have helped lawyers from dozens of states in this situation, and it works quite well if the out-of-state lawyer calls us early enough to protect your rights. Tennessee law requires that such cases be filed within one year of the date of accident and, unfortunately, several times a year I get a call from an out-of-state lawyer who missed the one year deadline.
So, you can hire a lawyer back home or you can hire a Tennessee lawyer from the outset. We recommend that you read our Legal Guide "Understanding How to Hire a Lawyer in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Cases" before you hire a lawyer in either state.
