by Staff Blogger | April 17th, 2019
Getting compensation after an auto accident is a big priority for most victims. Medical bills can be financially devastating, especially when you’re too hurt to work. But it’s important to understand that the upfront costs you see don’t always tell the entire story when it comes to how the crash will affect you financially.
Hidden costs after accidents include things like:
- Physical rehabilitation costs—Auto accidents often involve bone, muscle, and nerve injuries. Those injuries often require immediate medical attention, but they can be slow to heal. Fully recovering often involves physical rehabilitation, an expensive process that can take months or even years to complete.
- Career opportunity costs—Car accident injuries can be disabling, putting victims out of work for long periods of time. But even if victims are able to return to work, they may be limited in what they can do. That can hurt their ability to grow in their careers, putting their advancement on hold.
- Life satisfaction costs—Many victims deal with the aftermath of serious car accidents for the rest of their lives. They may experience chronic pain and disability, making it difficult to enjoy physical activities. They also may develop psychological issues, including depression, anxiety, and even post-traumatic stress disorder after accidents.
At Ponce Law, our Nashville car accident attorneys believe that victims should be compensated for all the ways that crashes affect their lives. If you or someone you love was hurt in a crash that wasn’t your fault, we want to help. Contact us today for a free consultation.
by Staff Blogger | April 10th, 2019
At Ponce Law, we’ve helped many people throughout Middle Tennessee who were seriously injured in car accidents that were caused by other’s negligence. Over the years, we’ve found that many victims are unsure of how to proceed with their claims and what steps to take—and that’s often due to myths and misconceptions about the legal system and filing a claim.
Clearing up the following myths can help us better serve our clients and give victims peace of mind when it comes to pursuing the compensation they deserve:
- The insurance company will offer a fair settlement—While it’s true that insurance companies occasionally reach out to victims with settlement offers soon after crashes, their offers are rarely sufficient to cover all of their expenses. Instead, insurance companies offer victims “lowball” settlements to protect their own profits.
- Filing a compensation claim is stressful and difficult—Building a strong auto accident claim isn’t easy, but that’s your attorney’s job. You’re already dealing with injuries and time away from work, and the last thing you need to worry about is talking to the insurance company and filling out paperwork. Let a lawyer handle that for you while you focus on getting better.
- You have plenty of time to contact a lawyer—Evidence is key to most successful auto accident claims, and it can quickly disappear after a crash. In addition, Tennessee’s statute of limitations is only one year. Once it expires, you may lose your chance to pursue compensation.
Our Nashville car accident attorneys are here to separate facts from fiction and myths from reality. Call us today for a free consultation.
by Staff Blogger | April 8th, 2019
Your phone is one of the most powerful and important tools at your disposal after an auto accident. Using it to contact the right parties can help you protect your health and your rights to compensation.
The three numbers you should dial right away after a crash include:
- 911—Calling 911 is the most important step you can take after a car accident. When you call 911 to report a crash, emergency responders will be dispatched to the accident scene to treat you and other victims. In addition, police officers will arrive to evaluate the scene and create an official record of what happened, including determining who was at fault.
- Your auto insurance provider—Even though filing a compensation claim often involves getting money from the at-fault driver’s insurance plan, you’re still required to report the crash to your own insurance company. In fact, you may have only a matter of days to do so, so call as soon as possible.
- An experienced Nashville auto accident lawyer—The other driver’s insurance company may begin building its claim against you as soon as it finds out about the crash. The best way to level the playing field is to get a lawyer right away. The sooner you call, the easier it will be for an attorney to collect evidence and build a strong claim on your behalf.
Don’t be afraid to call for help after a crash. You don’t have to deal with the aftermath of an accident on your own. Contact Ponce Law today for a free consultation.
by Staff Blogger | April 3rd, 2019
If you were recently injured in an auto accident, you have a lot on your mind. Your biggest priority is making sure you and your loved ones get the medical treatment you need, but you also need money to cover your accident-related expenses. Insurance companies know that victims like you often face financial difficulties after crashes, and that’s why they sometimes offer settlements right away.
And while accepting a settlement can help you begin paying your medical bills and living expenses, it can also lead to serious financial difficulties in the months or years ahead depending on the severity of your injuries. That’s because insurance companies are in business to make big profits—not to pay victims the money they deserve. That means most settlements are “lowball” offers that sound promising on paper, but ultimately come up well short of taking care of your accident-related expenses.
At Ponce Law, our Nashville auto accident attorneys are dedicated to helping victims like you get maximum compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. When you choose us, we’ll calculate how the crash affected your life and your finances, and we’ll fight to help you get every penny you deserve for both current and future expenses.
Don’t trust the insurance company to have your best interests in mind. Get an experienced legal team on your side today to get the peace of mind you and your loved ones deserve. Call today for a free consultation.
by Staff Blogger | March 27th, 2019
Most people are familiar with the most common factors associated with car accidents, including speeding, driving under the influence, and driving while distracted. But there are many other behaviors that can contribute to or directly cause crashes.
They include:
- Drowsy driving—A significant percentage of Americans are sleep deprived. Driving while exhausted poses many of the same risks as driving while intoxicated, including delayed reaction times, poor judgment, and impaired focus.
- Driving too fast for weather conditions—Driving at or below the speed limit doesn’t always mean safe driving. That’s because weather conditions, including snow, heavy rain, fog, and ice can necessitate reducing speed far below posted speed limits.
- Rubbernecking—It’s common for drivers to look at accident scenes or to check out what’s going on when they see flashing blue lights on the side of the road. But rubbernecking is a form of distracted driving that can lead to serious accidents, as it results in drivers taking their eyes and minds off the road ahead.
At Ponce Law, our Nashville car accident lawyers have helped victims who were injured in crashes that were caused by a variety of circumstances. We know that no two crashes are the same or have the same causes, but they can all have devastating impacts on victims’ lives.
If you or someone you love was hurt in a crash that wasn’t your fault, we want to help you get the compensation you deserve. Call us today for a free consultation.
by Staff Blogger | March 25th, 2019
When people are injured in auto accidents that were caused by strangers, they’re rarely hesitant to file compensation claims if it means getting money for their medical bills and lost wages. But when the responsible parties are people they know, including family members and friends, they may be less likely to take the same actions.
It’s important to remember that filing a compensation claim after an auto accident isn’t the same as suing someone personally. Most auto accident claims are paid through liable drivers’ insurance policies—not out of their own pockets.
At Ponce Law, our Nashville car accident lawyers believe that victims should always seek the compensation they deserve after injury-causing crashes, regardless of who was at fault. Insurance policies are designed to cover injury-related expenses and to protect both liable parties and victims from experiencing severe financial hardship.
If you were hurt in a crash caused by someone you know, we’re here to help. We know that these types of claims are often sensitive matters, and we’re ready to handle yours with the utmost respect for everyone involved. Contact us today for a free consultation to find out how we may be able to put our years of experience to work for you.
by Staff Blogger | March 13th, 2019
Modern vehicles are loaded with safety features and equipment, including seat belts, multiple airbags, and crumple zones that redirect impact-related energy away from drivers and passengers. But no safety features can eliminate the risk of injuries during crashes, and that’s why the National Safety Council estimates that around 4.5 million people were seriously injured in auto accidents in 2018.
At Ponce Law, our Nashville car accident lawyers know that serious injuries can occur during all types of crashes and at all speeds. Common injuries that leave victims disabled or in need of immediate medical attention include:
- Head and neck injuries—Auto accidents generate a lot of force. That energy can cause victims’ necks to move rapidly back and forth, putting them at risk of suffering both head injuries and injuries to the delicate muscles, tendons, nerves, and even vertebrae in their necks.
- Soft tissue injuries—Muscles, nerves, and tendons throughout the body are also at risk of being seriously injured during crashes. Victims who suffer soft tissue injuries may experience extreme pain and disability.
- Broken bones—Victims can suffer broken bones by coming into contact with hard surfaces during crashes or due to the forces generated by crashes. Compound fractures are considered life-threatening medical emergencies, and they often require surgical intervention to heal.
We believe that victims of all types of auto accident injuries deserve maximum compensation for what they’ve gone through. If you or someone you love was recently injured in a crash, contact us today for a free consultation to find out how we may be able to help.
by Staff Blogger | March 6th, 2019
Car accidents aren’t just painful and traumatic—they can also be expensive. That’s because victims often need extensive medical care, and they may be too hurt to work for long periods of time. That means big medical bills and no paychecks.
Many victims take solace knowing that they can file compensation claims against other drivers’ insurance providers, but they’re often surprised when their claims are reduced or denied. Here are a few reasons why that happens:
- The statute of limitations expired—Tennessee’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is just one year after the date they occur. That’s among the shortest in the nation. When victims wait too long to file their claims, they lose their chance to pursue compensation.
- There’s a lack of evidence—Insurance companies want to see plenty of evidence that indicates victims weren’t at fault for their own crashes. When victims wait too long to file their claims, evidence may disappear or be more difficult to track down. In addition, insurance companies may view their injuries with more skepticism.
- The insurance companies didn’t want to pay—In some cases, victims with otherwise valid and timely claims get rejected by insurance companies for seemingly no reason. Insurance companies are known to take advantage of victims who don’t have legal representation on their sides.
At Ponce Law, our Nashville auto accident lawyers know that victims often face uphill battles when it comes to getting the money they deserve—especially when they don’t have a law firm on their side. Don’t leave the outcome of your claim up to chance. Call us today for a free consultation.
by Staff Blogger | March 4th, 2019
Troops serving in combat roles experience many dangers during their service—including the risk of hearing loss and ear damage. To help protect them from those dangers, the U.S. military issued 3M’s dual-ended Combat Arms Earplugs, Version 2, to thousands of troops between 2003 and 2015.
Because the earplugs were dual-ended, they could be inserted into users’ ears in both directions. The yellow-colored ends of the earplugs were designed to block most sounds while allowing users to still hear commands from friendly soldiers and the movements of enemy combatants, while the olive-colored ends were designed to block all sounds.
However, the earplugs were defective and failed to properly protect users from combat noises, putting them at risk of experiencing hearing loss, tinnitus, balance problems, and other ear-related damage. 3M Company knew about the earplugs’ defects as early as 2000 but continued to sell them to the U.S. military until 2015.
In response to 3M’s negligence, the U.S. government filed a lawsuit against the company under the False Claims Act. 3M was required to pay the Department of Justice $9.1 million for knowingly selling defective earplugs, opening the door for new lawsuits. As of March 2019, 3M is facing hundreds of lawsuits from veterans who were injured by the defective earplugs.
If you or someone you love was hurt by 3M’s defective dual-ended Combat Arms Earplugs, Version 2, our Nashville defective product lawyers want to help you get the compensation you deserve for your injury-related expenses. Contact us today for a free consultation.
by Staff Blogger | February 27th, 2019
One of the key factors in all personal injury claims is negligence. When a person or party has acted negligently, they may be held liable for any and all accident-related expenses incurred by victims.
At Ponce Law, our Nashville auto accident lawyers are tasked with determining how drivers’ negligence contributes to crashes every day throughout Middle Tennessee. But what does negligence mean when referring to car accidents?
There are a few common types of negligence that are strongly associated with crashes, and they include:
- Speeding—Driving faster than the posted speed limit is still one of the most common causes of auto accidents in Tennessee. When drivers speed, they break the law and engage in negligent behavior.
- Driving while impaired—Getting behind the wheel while legally intoxicated—having a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher—is a significant risk factor for accidents. In addition to being at risk for DUI arrests, impaired drivers can also be held responsible for damages they cause.
- Driving while distracted—Texting while driving is a growing epidemic in Tennessee and nationwide. State laws forbid it, and drivers who are caught face fines and tickets. When text messages result in accidents, negligent drivers can be considered liable for victims’ injuries.
If you were hurt in a crash through no fault of your own, there’s a good chance it was caused by negligence. Our legal team is ready to investigate the accident and determine its cause to help you get maximum compensation. Call us today for a free consultation.
