I hear personal injury attorneys advertise that they will work on a "contingent fee." What does that mean? A contingent fee is a fee that is payable only in the event the case is successful. No fee is owed if the case is not successful. In personal injury…
I am sure my case is going to settle soon. Can my attorney lend me money toward the settlement I know I am going to receive? No. In Tennessee it is unethical for an attorney to loan you money while he or she is representing you in a case. Rumor has…
I have a personal injury case. The at-fault driver’s insurance company has offered me $33,000 to settle the case. I don’t think it is enough and I want a trial. Will the jury know that the defendant offered me $33,000? Under Tennessee law, the answer is generally "no." Absent exceptional…
I was hurt in a car wreck in Sparta, TN. I lost six weeks from work but I am now back to work and think I will be able to work in the future. I hired a lawyer but we could not get the case settled. A lawsuit…
My mother was hurt in a nursing home in Chattanooga. What it the time limit for filing a lawsuit against a nursing home in Tennessee? You should assume that you must take appropriate legal action within one year of the date of the negligent act unless a lawyer aware of…
I won a personal injury trial in circuit court in Smith County, Tennessee? How long does the defendant have to appeal the jury verdict? First, the court has to enter a judgment on your verdict. The defendant then must file a notice of appeal to the Tennessee Court of…
I just discovered that my husband has been sexually abusing my 12-year old daughter. What do I do? I am scared and very angry. Here are my thoughts: Leave the house with your daughter and any of your other children and immediately report this matter to the police. If…
My husband was hurt in a car wreck in Tennessee on November 19, 2010 and died in the hospital on December 21, 2010. What is my deadline for filing a lawsuit against the driver who caused the wreck? Unless a lawyer familiar with all of the facts advises you to…
My wife was killed in a car wreck. She was not working at the time of her death but planned to go back to work when our daughter went to school. What damages am I entitled to receive from the person who caused the wreck? These are the types of…
My car was broad-sided in a high school parking lot by a student who was not paying attention. There are two witnesses and the student admitted it was his fault. However, the police would not come because they said that the wreck did not happen on a public street. Does…