“We Never Thought It Would Happen to Us”: What Knoxville Families Need to Know After Losing a Loved One in a Fatal Car Accident
Few Knoxville families ever expect to receive the devastating phone call that a loved one was killed in a car accident. Unfortunately, fatal car accidents happen throughout Knoxville every year, leaving surviving Knoxville families facing overwhelming grief, emotional trauma, financial hardship, and uncertainty about the future.
In many fatal car accident cases in Knoxville, surviving spouses, children, and family members are suddenly forced to deal with funeral expenses, lost financial support, medical bills, insurance companies, and complicated legal issues while still processing the loss of their loved one.
For many Knoxville families, understanding their legal rights after a fatal car accident is an important first step during an extremely difficult time. To help Knoxville families better understand their rights, here we explain the basics of wrongful death claims under Tennessee laws, and where to get legal help now.
Tennessee Law Allows Certain Family Members to Pursue Wrongful Death Claims
Under Tennessee laws, the legal rights connected to a fatal car accident injury do not automatically end when the injured car accident victim passes away. Tennessee laws provide that the injured car accident victim’s right of action ‘shall not abate or be extinguished by the person’s death’ and instead passes to certain surviving family members in a specific order of priority: first to a surviving spouse, then to the deceased’s children if there is no surviving spouse, and then to the next of kin if there are no surviving spouse or children. In some circumstances, a personal representative may bring the action on behalf of those entitled to recover.
Simply put, Tennessee wrongful death laws entitle certain surviving family members to pursue compensation when a loved one dies in a car accident because of another person’s negligence or wrongful conduct. Fatal Knoxville car accidents involving drunk driving, distracted driving, speeding, reckless driving, or other negligent behavior may potentially give rise to wrongful death claims under Tennessee laws.
Knoxville Wrongful Death Cases Often Involve Serious Financial and Emotional Losses
The loss of a loved one in a fatal Knoxville car accident often affects nearly every part of a Knoxville family’s life. In addition to emotional grief and trauma, Knoxville families may suddenly lose financial support, household income, parental guidance, companionship, and stability.
In many wrongful death cases in Knoxville, surviving family members are also left facing substantial medical expenses, funeral costs, and other financial burdens connected to the fatal accident. An experienced Knoxville wrongful death lawyer can help grieving families recover compensation for these losses, as well as other categories of compensation related to the loss of their loved one.
How a Knoxville Wrongful Death Lawyer Can Help
An experienced Knoxville wrongful death lawyer can help grieving families in Knoxville build strong wrongful death claims and fight for compensation under Tennessee laws.
An experienced Knoxville wrongful death lawyer can help investigate the fatal car accident, gather evidence, communicate with insurance companies, identify liable parties, and fight for compensation connected to the family’s losses. The reality is that insurance companies often attempt to minimize compensation after fatal accidents happen in Knoxville. Having experienced legal representation can help Knoxville families protect their rights during an extremely difficult time.
Finding a Lawyer to Fight for Your Rights to Compensation
The experienced Knoxville wrongful death lawyers at Fox Farley Willis & Burnette PLLC fight for Knoxville families who have lost loved ones in fatal car accidents. If your family lost a loved one in a fatal car accident in Knoxville and you need legal help pursuing compensation under Tennessee wrongful death laws, contact Fox Farley Willis & Burnette PLLC today and speak with a lawyer about your case now.