Sparta Truck Accidents

Legal Representation for Big Rig Crashes in Sparta

Located on the Highland Rim near the Cumberland Plateau, Sparta is a small city in a rural area known for its bluegrass music. Lester Flatt, a performer with an international reputation, lived there. The city was named after an ancient Greek city-state and was once considered for the status of state capital in Tennessee. Sparta covers an area of 6.3 square miles and is located about 15 miles from Cookeville. It is traversed by the Calfkiller River, which merges with the Caney Fork south of the city. If you have been hurt in a big rig crash near Sparta, you should retain an attorney with experience in these types of accidents. Matt Hardin is a Sparta truck accident lawyer who has compiled a deep knowledge of the federal and state regulations that govern truckers and their employers. He is skilled in all areas of injury law, ranging from car, truck, and motorcycle wrecks to wrongful death, slip and falls, medical malpractice, and defective products.

File a Negligence Claim to Pursue Damages

If you establish that someone else’s negligence caused the crash in which you were harmed, you can potentially recover any damages that arose from the accident. Economic damages are designed to reimburse you for objectively calculated expenses. They may include past and future medical bills, past and future lost income, and the costs of obtaining help for necessary tasks you are no longer able to do because of your injuries.

You can recover the full extent of your economic damages if you successfully show a truck driver’s negligence, and an attorney with experience handling Sparta truck accidents can assist you. It is important to keep in mind that the damages you seek cannot be speculative. Accordingly, your attorney may retain expert witnesses to testify as to the extent of your harm. For example, if you lose the use of your hands in a truck accident, you may no longer be able to do your job. Your attorney might ask an economist to testify about how much money you were likely to earn in the future had you stayed at your position, taking into account your estimated working years before retirement, your skills, and any special talents you had.

Noneconomic damages require a jury to make a subjective assessment. They may include loss of consortium, loss of enjoyment, pain and suffering, and mental anguish. Since they are subjective, the compensation award is less predictable. While one jury might not believe you and your wife suffered greatly after a truck accident and award $100,000, another might believe you and your wife suffered greatly and award $1 million. Noneconomic damages in Tennessee are capped at $750,000 for ordinary injuries and $1 million for catastrophic injuries. Serious harm is common after a big rig or 18-wheeler accident due to the weight and size of these vehicles, which makes it important to seek out a Sparta truck accident attorney with experience handling this specific kind of injury lawsuit.

In some particularly egregious cases, such as when a trucking company knows of a driver’s prior DUIs or drug abuse problems, punitive damages may be appropriate. Under T.C.A. § 29-39-104, there is a cap on these types of damages. They cannot exceed the greater of two times the total amount of compensatory damages or $500,000. For example, you cannot get more than $600,000 in punitive damages if your compensatory damages award is $300,000.

Consult a Dedicated Sparta Lawyer for Your Truck Accident Case

If you are hurt in a truck wreck near Sparta, you may be anxious and stressed. This is not the time to try to negotiate your claim yourself. A trucking company’s insurers and lawyers are likely to be seasoned professionals familiar with the rules surrounding drivers and their employers. You should retain an attorney with significant experience in truck accident claims and knowledge equal to that of the opposing insurers and lawyers to develop and present a persuasive case. You may obtain better leverage for negotiations with a trucking company if you have a skilled advocate on your side. Contact Matt Hardin by calling 615-200-1111 or sending a message through our online form.