Compensatory damages in Tennessee are just as the name implies; they are damages designed to compensate the victim for his or her losses caused by another person or company. Compensatory damages can include pain and suffering, lost wages, loss of earning potential, incurred medical bills, future medical treatment, loss of consortium, funeral expenses, etc. In contrast, punitive damages are designed to punish the offender instead of compensating the victim. The amount of compensatory damages you actually receive in your case depends upon the facts of your case, subrogation issues, tort reform and may others variables.
For compensatory damages, the burden of proof is a preponderance of the evidence. To win, you must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant was negligent and the negligent conduct caused your injuries. To illustrate this burden of proof, imagine the scales of justice. At the beginning of the trial, the scales are perfectly even; each side is at 50%. As the proof is presented, the scales tip in one party's favor. For a preponderance of the evidence, the scales must be in your favor ever so slightly -- at least 51%.
In most cases, Tennessee injury victims will benefit from hiring an attorney. To be sure, there are minor cases when an injury victim is capable of handling themselves. We are very candid with these individuals when they call and tell them they should try to do it on their own. But, in the vast majority of cases, injury victims need the help of an experienced lawyer to help them navigate the process and to recover the maximum compensation possible. Before hiring any attorney, including us, we encourage you to read some of the below information so you are better prepared:
How To Select a Tennessee Personal Injury Attorney?
How Do I Represent Myself in a Tennessee Injury Case?
What Happens After I Hire You As My Lawyer?
What Is My Tennessee Injury or Death Case Worth?
You have nothing to lose by consulting our office as the initial evaluation will not cost you anything. If we think we can help and you decide to hire us, we represent all Tennessee accident victims on a contingency basis so we only get paid if we recover money for you. After an accident, we understand you may be out of work and you now have medical bills (or at a minimum co-pays and deductibles) to pay, so we advance all case expenses. If we recover money for you, we are paid for our services and we are reimbursed the case expenses. But if we do not recover money for you, you do not pay us anything not even the expenses.
In Middle Tennessee, we have three locations. Give us a call at one of the numbers below:
Nashville: 615-669-3993
Murfreesboro: 615-867-9900
Brentwood: 615-742-4880
Toll-free: 866-812-8787
Or you can contact us online and we will call you promptly to discuss your case. But, please act quickly. Tennessee only allows injury victims a limited time to pursue their rights or they are lost forever.
More Compensatory Damages Information: