Centerville Car Accidents

Legal Guidance for Auto Crash Victims in Centerville

Centerville is a small city of about 11 square miles that serves as the county seat of Hickman County, Tennessee. It is also the only incorporated municipality in the county. Notable people who are former or current residents of Centerville include Minnie Pearl, Dan Griner, and Mike Smithson. Tennessee State Route 100 and State Route 50 run through the town. Established in 1807, Hickman County was named for explorer and surveyor Edwin Hickman and is the subject of the song “Saturday Night in Hickman County” by Johnny Cash. During the 19th century, the area’s industry revolved around iron furnaces. People who have been harmed in an auto crash in Centerville or elsewhere in Hickman County should consult skillful attorney Matt Hardin for advice. As a Centerville car accident lawyer, he has obtained favorable outcomes for countless victims of accidents, including car, truck, and motorcycle wrecks, as well as other injury matters including slip and falls, defective products, medical malpractice, wrongful death, and more.

Seek Compensation from a Negligent Motorist

If you take legal action against another driver whose careless actions caused a crash, you probably will need to establish his or her duty, his or her breach of duty, actual and proximate causation, and damages. All drivers owe a duty of care to avoid foreseeable risks of harm to other people on the road. This is usually defined as taking the same precautions as the ordinary, prudent individual would take in similar circumstances.

A breach of duty can be any lapse in which a person fails to pay attention to highway or weather conditions, or breaks a traffic rule. For example, drivers who are texting while behind the wheel, running a red light, or speeding may be breaching the duty of care. A Centerville lawyer who helps car accident victims seek compensation can assess the facts of your case to determine whether such a breach may have occurred.

Proximate cause means that the accident was a reasonably foreseeable result of the defendant’s breach, while actual cause means that you would not have been hurt if the defendant had used the appropriate level of care. If another event was an intervening cause of the accident, the jury may need to evaluate whether the defendant’s actions were so far removed in time and space from the victim’s injuries that the chain of causation has been broken.

Tennessee follows the doctrine of modified comparative negligence, and a Centerville car accident attorney can evaluate whether it may apply in your case. If your own breach of duty is partially responsible for the accident, you can only recover from the other responsible party if you are 49% or less responsible for your own harm. You can recover up to your proportion of fault. For example, if you are 25% responsible, and the total damages are set at $100,000, you may be able to receive $75,000 of your costs from the other driver. Victims who are at least as much at fault as all of the defendants combined cannot receive compensation through a negligence claim.

Knowledgeable Car Accident Attorney for Centerville Residents

Experiencing a car accident in Centerville or other Hickman County communities can change your life permanently. People who are hurt in a serious crash will probably endure financial, physical, and emotional harm. Consult dedicated injury lawyer Matt Hardin to find out how you can seek compensation for the full spectrum of your damages, including past and future medical bills, past and future lost wages, cost of household services, mental anguish, and pain and suffering. Start a conversation with us by calling filling out our online form.