Reckless Driving Accident Lawyer in Sevierville TN

aggressive driver on the road

Reckless drivers pose one of the most significant hazards to other motorists in Sevierville and throughout East Tennessee. Reckless driving behaviors can make a motorist dangerous and unpredictable and may potentially lead to a devastating auto accident. In addition to criminal penalties, a reckless driver may face financial liability to victims of a traffic accident the reckless driver causes.

After you’ve gotten hurt in a reckless driving accident in Sevierville, turn to The Terry Law Firm for help. Contact us now for a free initial claim evaluation to discuss your legal options for financial recovery with our experienced reckless driving attorneys. Let our firm go to work for you and demand accountability and justice from the driver at fault for the accident and your injuries.

Why You Need Our Lawyers After a Reckless Driving Crash in Sevierville

When you’ve been injured in a motor vehicle accident caused by a reckless driver, you need dedicated legal representation to help you seek accountability and financial compensation. Since 1960, reckless driving accident victims in Sevierville and throughout East Tennessee have turned to the lawyers of The Terry Law Firm because:

  • We are a small-town firm with big-city know-how. While our small size allows us to provide you with the personal attention you and your case deserve, we have the knowledge and resources to take on the most complex injury cases.
  • We take the time to get to know you and understand your needs and goals to devise a plan and legal strategy to get the desired results.
  • We make it a priority to offer a friendly, welcoming atmosphere in our offices so you feel comfortable opening up to us about your legal issues and the concerns you have.
  • Our attorneys have an established track record of success in personal injury cases.
  • We respond quickly to inquiries and your phone calls or emails, knowing the answers you need cannot wait.

What Is Considered Reckless Driving in Sevierville, TN?

Examples of driver conduct that may constitute reckless driving include:

  • Excessive speeding, including driving 20- or 30-plus mph over the speed limit
  • Street racing
  • Weaving through heavy traffic to get ahead of other vehicles
  • Crossing a solid yellow line to pass traffic
  • Purposefully disregarding a red light or stop sign
  • Tailgating 
  • Passing a stopped school bus loading or unloading children
  • Deciding to drive while impaired by alcohol or drugs
  • Road rage or attempting to intimidate other drivers

Tennessee Reckless Driving Laws

The Tennessee criminal statute on reckless driving defines the offense as driving a vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of people or property. The law also criminalizes knowingly ignoring a visible flood warning sign or barricade and driving into a flooded road area.

Tennessee law grades reckless driving as a Class B misdemeanor. The penalty for a conviction on a Class B misdemeanor includes up to six months in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both. In addition, courts must impose an additional $50 for a reckless driving conviction that goes to fund county alcohol and drug treatment programs.

It is important to note that civil liability for a reckless driving crash is a separate matter. In other words, you might still be able to recover compensation from a reckless driver’s insurance company in a civil case, even if the driver is acquitted on reckless driving charges or never charged in the first place.

How Reckless Driving Causes Crashes

Aggressive or reckless driving accidents typically occur because reckless drivers’ excessive speed gives them less time to brake or maneuver to avoid a collision with another vehicle. Reckless driving also increases the chances that the driver may lose control of their vehicle. An aggressive driver may intimidate other motorists, causing those drivers to panic and make a mistake that leads to a crash.

Injuries Caused by Reckless or Aggressive Drivers

An auto accident caused by an aggressive or reckless driver can lead to a wide range of injuries for accident victims, including:

  • Lacerations and abrasions
  • Dislocated joints
  • Ligament sprains and tears
  • Muscle and tendon strains and tears
  • Broken bones
  • Bulging or herniated spinal discs
  • Nerve damage
  • Whiplash
  • Internal injuries and bleeding
  • Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
  • Facial injuries
  • Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
  • Amputation or limb loss

Filing a Claim After a Reckless Driving Accident in Sevierville

In addition to pursuing a claim against a reckless driver at fault for a traffic accident, you might have claims against other parties. For example, you may have a claim against the at-fault driver’s employer if the accident occurred while the driver was working. Or you may have a negligent entrustment claim against the owner of the reckless driver’s vehicle if the owner lent it to the driver despite knowing that the driver regularly engaged in reckless driving behaviors.

Evidence you might need to support a reckless driving accident claim includes:

  • Police accident reports
  • Traffic citation or arrest records and conviction records
  • Eyewitness testimony
  • Surveillance, traffic camera, or dashcam videos
  • Vehicle event data recorder (black box) logs

Tennessee’s statute of limitations on injury claims gives you only one year to file a lawsuit against a reckless driver at fault for the motor vehicle accident that injured you. Because you have limited time to file your reckless driving accident lawsuit, you should talk to a lawyer from The Terry Law Firm as soon as possible to start preparing your case.

How Our Lawyers Help People Hurt by Reckless Drivers

At The Terry Law Firm, our Sevierville reckless driving car accident lawyers can help you with the details of preparing and pursuing your legal case, including:

  • Investigating the accident to recover evidence we need to build your case
  • Identifying other potentially liable parties and all applicable sources of compensation, including insurance coverage
  • Documenting your injuries and losses to determine what fair compensation looks like in your case
  • Filing your insurance claims, sending demand letters, and communicating with investigators and insurance adjusters on your behalf
  • Vigorously negotiating for a settlement that pays you fair compensation for your injuries and losses
  • Going to court and trial, if necessary, to demand financial recovery and justice from the reckless driver

Contact Our Sevierville Reckless Driver Car Accident Lawyers Today

Speak with our Sevierville reckless driving lawyers about starting a legal case to seek compensation after a reckless driver injured you. Let our legal team help you through the claims process. We’ll fight for your rights to financial recovery.

Contact us online or contact The Terry Law Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Car Accidents

How Do I Pay for My Car Accident Injuries?

If you have been involved in a car wreck case, there are generally three (3) avenues for payment of medical expenses. 

  1. The first and most common method of payment is for persons who have been injured to pay for their medical care with their own health insurance. This does not create any problems and, in fact, most of the time this is what we recommend at The Terry Law Firm.
  2. Persons involved in car wreck cases can use something referred to as “med pay” to pay for some of their medical bills associated with their car wreck case. “Med pay” coverage is coverage afforded by your automobile insurance to pay for injuries sustained in the car wreck. 
  3. Occasionally, persons will be on the job working when they are injured in a car wreck. In these circumstances, sometimes it is best to use workers’ compensation to pay for your injuries sustained in a car wreck.  

If one of these methods is not available to you, contact The Terry Law Firm at our Morristown, Greeneville, or Sevierville office.

Will My Insurance Rates Go Up If I Use Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Under Tennessee law, insurance carriers cannot raise your insurance as a result of a person utilizing their uninsured motorist coverage. Tennessee law states explicitly that if you are in an accident that is no fault of your own, your insurance carrier cannot raise your insurance rates due to your use of uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage that you purchased.