If a distracted driver hit you in Greeneville, you can pursue compensation as long as your share of fault stays below 50 percent. Tennessee law gives you only one year from the crash date to file your claim.
The Terry Law Firm has represented Greene County families in car accident cases for more than sixty years, and our attorneys understand how local roads, courts, and insurance adjusters handle distracted driving claims. If a driver’s phone use, texting, or inattention caused your accident-related injuries, a Greeneville distracted driving lawyer at our firm can review your case for free and explain your options.
Contact us today for your free, no-obligation consultation. Your case review is fully confidential, and you pay nothing unless we successfully resolve your matter.
What Counts as Distracted Driving Under Tennessee’s Hands-Free Law?
Since July 1, 2019, Tennessee’s Hands-Free Law (T.C.A. Section 55-8-199) has made it illegal to hold a phone with any part of your body while driving. The law also bans reading or sending texts, watching videos, and recording videos while behind the wheel, even when stopped at a red light. A driver may only tap or swipe a phone that sits mounted on the dashboard or windshield, and even then, the phone cannot show video or camera features.
A violation is a Class C misdemeanor. Those who disregard the law face fines between $50 and $200. Higher fines apply in work zones, school zones, or in crashes tied to the violation. Convicted drivers also receive points on their license, and under the Eddie Conrad Act, drivers under 18 face steeper point penalties for repeat violations.
However, not all distractions involve phones. Eating, grooming, reaching for an item, or talking with passengers can all pull a driver’s attention off the road and lead to a crash.
How Distracted Driving Causes Crashes in Greeneville and Greene County
Distraction plays a significant role in a large share of crashes on Greene County’s interstates and highways, as well as rural roads. A driver who glances at a phone for even a few seconds on Interstate 81 or U.S. 11E can miss a stopped vehicle or changing traffic patterns. Narrow two-lane roads and sharp curves throughout the county add extra danger when a distracted driver drifts out of a lane or reacts too late. Some of the county’s most dangerous intersections see repeat crashes for the same reason.
That delayed reaction is why many Greene County distraction claims start as a rear-end collision in slowed or stopped traffic.
According to the state’s Department of Safety and Homeland Security, a distracted driving crash occurs somewhere in Tennessee roughly every 45 minutes. Drivers between the ages of 20 and 34 make up the largest share of these crashes, but distraction affects drivers of every age on Greeneville’s roads.
Proving the Other Driver Was Distracted
Insurance companies rarely admit fault on their own. That is why you need a reputable distracted driving accident lawyer in Greeneville, TN, who can pursue compelling evidence of distraction early, before it disappears, such as the following:
- Cell Phone Records: A subpoena to the driver’s carrier can reveal call logs, text timestamps, and app activity from the moments before the crash.
- Police Reports: Officers who respond to the scene often note signs of distraction, such as a phone visible in the driver’s lap or an admission at the scene.
- Witness Statements: Other drivers, passengers, or pedestrians may have seen the at-fault driver looking down or holding a phone.
- Traffic and Dashcam Footage: Nearby businesses, doorbell cameras, and other drivers’ dashcams can capture the moment of impact and the driver’s behavior beforehand.
- Vehicle Data: Many newer vehicles store speed, braking, and phone connection data that can show what the driver was doing just before the crash.
Compensation You May Recover After a Greeneville Distracted Driving Crash
Tennessee follows a “modified comparative fault” rule, established in the case of McIntyre v. Balentine, that allows you to recover compensation as long as you were less than 50 percent responsible for the crash. Your recovery will decrease by your percentage of fault, so a driver found 20 percent at fault would still recover 80 percent of the total award.
Depending on your injuries, you might be eligible to recover compensation for the following:
- Medical bills
- Lost income
- Reduced earning capacity for lasting injuries
- Pain and suffering
- Vehicle repairs
Serious cases involving reckless behavior (such as recording video while driving) may also support a claim for additional compensation meant to punish the at-fault driver. A distracted driving car accident lawyer in Greene County at The Terry Law Firm can walk you through which types of compensation apply to your specific situation, including claims involving catastrophic injuries.
Why Hire The Terry Law Firm for a Greeneville Distracted Driving Case
When you are looking for legal representation after suffering injuries due to a distracted driver, you need an attorney who understands the situation on the ground. The Terry Law Firm has served Greeneville and Greene County since 1960, and our attorneys know the local courts, hospitals, and insurance adjusters our clients deal with after a crash. We have secured significant results for East Tennessee crash victims, including a $15 million verdict for a client who suffered catastrophic injuries in a vehicle crash. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case, but they show what our team can do when we build a strong claim.
We handle the full range of Greene County crash claims out of our Greeneville office, from rear-end and lane-departure collisions to drunk driving crashes. When you hire a Greeneville TN cell phone accident lawyer from our firm, we can do the following:
- Investigate the crash and gather cell phone records, witness statements, and other proof of distraction
- Handle all communication with the insurance company so you can focus on recovering
- Fight to secure fair compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering
- Charge you nothing unless we recover compensation for you
Talk to a Greeneville Distracted Driving Lawyer at The Terry Law Firm
If a distracted driver caused your crash, do not wait to get help. Tennessee’s one-year filing deadline moves quickly, and evidence such as cell phone records and dashcam footage can disappear within weeks. A Greeneville texting while driving accident attorney at The Terry Law Firm can start protecting your case right away. Call us today or reach out online for a free, no-obligation, fully confidential consultation, and let our team fight for the compensation you deserve.