| Home |
| About Us |
| Recent Cases |
| Attorney Profiles |
| FAQ |
| Areas of Practice |
| Find Us |
| Contact Us |
Automobile accidents can be a major disruption in your life. If you are involved in an automobile accident, try to remember these important points. If you can remember these few simple things, your claim can be resolved more quickly:
- Call the police. They will come and make a report, except in certain circumstances.
- Get the names, addresses and phone numbers of all witnesses to the accident.
- Get the names, addresses, phone numbers, and insurance information of all parties involved in the accident.
- If you are injured, be sure to go to the hospital and/or see your doctor as soon as possible.
- Do not talk to anyone about your accident except the police. Call the Daniel Law Firm the same day your accident happens – twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The sooner we can investigate, the better your case will be.
2. What do I do if I’m not sure I have a case?
As always, the first consultation is free. Call us and set up an appointment to discuss your matter and we can help you decide if filing a claim is right for you. If we cannot help you for some reason, we can find someone who will.
3. Should I consider hiring an attorney that advertises on television?
No. The personal relationship we have with our clients is what has kept us succesful for over thirty years. You will not receive personal, professional attention from most of the firms that have to advertise on television. We at Daniel Law Firm believe that insurance companies fear professional attorneys that are familar with the courthouse rather than those that prefer to settle a case instead of going to court.
4. What if I don’t have the money to pay a lawyer?
If we represent you for a case for personal injuries, the attorney fee is contingent based upon recovery, subject to expenses. That means that you do not owe us any money unless we make a recovery for you on your claim. For most personal injury/wrongful death cases, our fee is 1/3 of the recovery. In all cases, however, the client is responsible for the expenses incurred in resolving the claim. In most cases the expenses are deducted at the end of the case if it is settled or we obtain a judgment in court. In worker’s compensation cases, the fee is usually 1/5 of the total recovery. For all other types of cases we will quote a fee up front before we are hired during the initial free consultation.
5. How will I know what is going on with my case?
You will be kept informed on the status of the case regularly. We encourage our clients to keep in touch with us, and have a qualified legal staff ready to assist you with your claim. It is necessary that you stay involved in the case to help us prepare it for trial and/or settlement.
6. What if the insurance company offers to settle the case before trial?
It is our goal to prepare your case in such a way as to encourage the insurance company to settle the claim prior to a trial date. Most of our cases settle without having a trial at all. But we are always ready to go to court to fight for your rights and get you what you deserve. Often times, insurance companies will make settlement offers prior to a trial date in order to save the expense of going to court. Most often we are able to negotiate a settlement that is fair to all parties. But sometimes the insurance company refuses to offer what the case is worth. You are always in control of whether to accept or reject any offer to settle your claim. You will be kept informed of any settlement offers. We will review your claim with you and advise you as to what range your case is worth. But you are the boss. Any ultimate decision to settle a claim or go to court is up to you.
7. Can you lend me money until my case is resolved?
No. The Rules of Professional Responsibility and the Tennessee Supreme Court strictly forbid attorneys from lending money to clients for personal use, or “advancing funds”. Attorneys are only allowed to advance the expenses related to resolving a claim.