Did you recently lose a loved one in an accident in Brentwood, Tennessee? If so, an experienced Brentwood wrongful death lawyer at Meyers Personal Injury Law can help you fight for the compensation you and your family deserve.
You may deserve to be compensated for loss of financial support, medical expenses, and loss of your loved one’s company and support. To learn more about how we can help, call our Brentwood wrongful death lawyers at (615) 258-9000 to schedule a free consultation.
How Meyers Personal Injury Law Can Help With a Wrongful Death Claim in Brentwood, TN
At Meyers Personal Injury Law, our Brentwood personal injury attorneys are here to stand by your side and fight for justice. Recognized by Super Lawyers and holding a perfect 10.0 Avvo rating, our team is committed to delivering results with compassion and dedication.
Choosing us means you’ll gain full-service legal representation, including:
- A careful investigation into your loved one’s death
- Access to respected experts who can strengthen your case
- Close analysis of all the evidence that can be used to prove your case
- Help identifying and valuing your losses
- A skilled negotiator who will fight for every dollar you deserve
Losing a loved one due to someone else’s negligence is devastating. You’re probably dealing with grief, and you shouldn’t have to worry about money, too. Call our Brentwood personal injury lawyers and let us fight to hold the at-fault parties accountable.
Overview of Tennessee’s Laws on Wrongful Death
While every state has its own set of laws on wrongful death, the basic premise is the same: If someone causes another person’s death, they should be held financially responsible.
Specifically, in Tennessee, wrongful death laws give survivors the right to pursue compensation when their loved one dies:
- From injuries received from another person, or
- Because of another person’s wrongful act, omission, or killing
Wrongful death cases are handled entirely by civil courts. Even if a crime was involved, you maintain your right to seek compensation. Any right that the victim had to pursue compensation transfers to your family.
Only Certain Parties Can File Wrongful Death Lawsuits in Tennessee
Wrongful death cases are complicated by the fact that the victim cannot take legal action on their own. The law gives that right to certain close family members.
Typically, the victim’s personal representative, or executor of their estate, files the wrongful death lawsuit.
Additional parties who have the right to sue for damages include:
- The victim’s surviving spouse
- The victim’s children, if there is no surviving spouse
- The victim’s next of kin
- The victim’s parents, depending on the facts
When the case is successful, any compensation is distributed to the victim’s heirs even if the personal representative formally filed the lawsuit.
What Is My Brentwood Wrongful Death Case Worth?
The value of your wrongful death case will depend on a variety of factors, including:
- Your loved one’s age and life expectancy when they died
- The victim’s financial and personal contributions to your household
- Your loved one’s earning potential at the time of death
- The identities of the victim’s surviving dependents
- How your family has suffered due to the loss
- The victim’s medical costs and expenses incurred prior to death
When you hire our Brentwood wrongful death attorneys, we’ll work closely with your family. The better we understand how your life has changed due to the loss of a loved one, the stronger your case for compensation will become.
What Types of Damages Are Available in a Wrongful Death Case?
The damages awarded in a wrongful death case are designed to help survivors cope with their tragic and preventable loss. Your damages will depend on the nature of your losses.
Both economic damages and non-economic damages are available, including:
- Medical expenses incurred by the victim prior to death
- Loss of the victim’s financial support and job benefits
- Loss of consortium, or loss of a spouse’s support and companionship
- The victim’s physical pain and suffering prior to death
- Your family’s emotional distress and mental trauma
- Funeral expenses and burial costs
Putting a dollar value on some of these damages can be difficult. Most of your damages will represent future financial losses and intangible personal losses. Expert testimony is often critical to arriving at a fair value and convincing the insurance company to pay everything that you deserve.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Wrongful Death Lawyer in Tennessee?
Our firm represents grieving families on a contingency fee basis. Your attorneys’ fees are directly based on the results we achieve. You’ll never pay our fees unless we recover compensation for your family. When we do, you pay only a percentage of the amount we recover.
Can Tennessee Comparative Fault Laws Impact the Value of My Family’s Wrongful Death Claim?
Yes. Tennessee’s modified comparative negligence law, which imposes a 50% bar to recovery, will apply in your case. As long as your loved one’s share of blame did not exceed 50%, you can recover damages.
However, the value of your compensation will be limited. For example, if 20% of the blame is assigned to the victim, you can still take home 80% of your settlement or verdict. If the other side can prove your loved one was more than 50% responsible, your family cannot recover compensation.
Insurance companies frequently try to minimize their financial responsibility by invoking Tennessee’s shared fault laws. They may attempt to shift blame onto your loved one—who tragically is no longer here to defend themselves. We’re committed to standing up for your family and preserving your loved one’s reputation. If anyone tries to place undue blame, you can count on us to fight back and hold the responsible parties accountable.
We Handle All Types of Wrongful Death Cases in Brentwood
Our lawyers in Brentwood are prepared to handle any type of wrongful death case, including those involving fatal:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Uber and Lyft accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Mass transit accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Bus accidents
- Aviation accidents
- Recreational vehicle accidents
- Swimming pool accidents
- Electric scooter accidents
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Nursing home abuse
- Premises liability claims
- Product liability claims
- Dog bites
- Assault
- Negligent security
When someone else’s negligence leads to a tragic and preventable death, our team is here to fight for the compensation your family deserves. We are deeply committed to holding reckless and careless individuals accountable for the harm they cause.
What Is Negligence and How Do I Prove It After a Deadly Accident in Tennessee?
Negligence is the most common legal foundation for wrongful death claims. Simply put, negligence occurs when someone fails to exercise reasonable care—essentially, when they act carelessly and cause harm as a result.
To succeed in a wrongful death case based on negligence, you must establish four key elements:
- Duty of Care: The defendant had a legal obligation to act with care toward your loved one.
- Breach of Duty: They failed to meet that obligation through action or inaction.
- Causation: That breach directly and proximately caused your loved one’s death.
- Damages: Your family suffered measurable harm as a result.
In some cases, other legal theories may also apply. For example, certain claims may be based on strict liability, such as those involving defective products. Others may involve intentional misconduct, known as intentional torts, where the defendant’s deliberate actions led to the loss.
How Long Do I Have to File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit After a Fatal Accident in Tennessee?
In Tennessee, the statute of limitations for filing a wrongful death lawsuit is just one year from the date of your loved one’s death, not necessarily the date of the accident or injury that caused it. This deadline is strictly enforced and leaves a very limited window to take legal action.
Failing to file within this one-year period can have serious consequences. If the deadline passes, the court will almost certainly dismiss your case, and you will lose your legal right to pursue compensation, no matter how strong the evidence or how severe your loss may be.
Wrongful death cases often require extensive investigation, collection of evidence, and coordination with medical experts, accident reconstructionists, or other specialists. The sooner you begin the legal process, the better your chances of building a strong case before key evidence is lost or witnesses become unavailable.
Contact a Brentwood Wrongful Death Attorney for a Free Consultation
Losing a loved one in a preventable accident is one of the most painful experiences a family can endure. Along with overwhelming grief, you may be facing frustration, anger, and confusion about what steps to take next. During this difficult time, you shouldn’t have to navigate the legal system alone.
At Meyers Injury Law, our Brentwood wrongful death attorneys are here to offer compassionate support and relentless legal advocacy. We understand the emotional and financial toll a wrongful death can take, and we are committed to helping you pursue justice and financial accountability for your loss. Contact us today for a free consultation.
