A car accident on Highway 153 or Hixson Pike can change your life in seconds. One moment you are driving home, and the next you are facing an emergency room visit, a totaled car, and an adjuster already looking for reasons to pay you less. A Hixson car accident lawyer can take that fight off your plate.
At Gary Massey Injury Lawyers, we understand how insurance companies think, because our founder once worked for them. If you were hurt in a crash, contact us for a free consultation.
Why Injured Hixson Drivers Turn to Gary Massey
Most car accident lawyers have spent their careers on one side of the table. Gary Massey has worked both. He began his career defending insurance companies, learning how adjusters review, value, and fight injury claims. Then he switched sides, and today he uses that insider knowledge against the people insurers once paid him to defend.
That background matters. When the other driver’s insurer makes a lowball offer or drags out your claim, we recognize the tactics and know how to respond.
We are also a local firm. Our office sits on Lee Highway, minutes from Hixson, and we know Hamilton County roads, courts, and treatment providers. Several of our attorneys have tried cases and won verdicts, which strengthens our footing in negotiations.
We are honest about the cases we take, focusing on the ones we believe in. The Massey Promise and a 30-day satisfaction guarantee back every client. If you are not satisfied in your first 30 days, you can walk away owing us nothing, even for expenses already spent.
When Should You Call a Car Accident Lawyer?
The best time to call a car accident lawyer is early, before you give a recorded statement or accept any offer. Evidence disappears fast. Skid marks fade, vehicles get repaired, and witnesses forget what they saw, so the sooner an attorney starts preserving it, the stronger your claim.
There is also a hard deadline. In Tennessee, you generally have one year from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit, one of the shortest filing deadlines in the country. Once it passes, you usually lose the right to recover anything.
Early representation also shields you from the insurance company. Once we are involved, we can handle the adjuster so you do not accidentally say anything that could be used against you later. If you are not sure whether you need a lawyer, a free case review costs you nothing.
The Car Accident Cases We Handle in Hixson
Crashes in the Hixson area happen for all kinds of reasons, and each one calls for a different approach.
Our team handles the full range of car accident cases, including:
- Rear-End Collisions: Common in stop-and-go traffic on Highway 153 and around Northgate.
- Intersection and Failure-to-Yield Crashes: Often caused by a driver running a light or turning across oncoming traffic.
- Head-On Collisions: Among the most severe, and frequently tied to distracted or impaired driving.
- Hit-and-Run Wrecks: When the at-fault driver flees, we can help you pursue coverage through your own policy.
- Drunk and Distracted Driving Crashes: Where another driver’s clear negligence caused your injuries.
- Uninsured and Underinsured Driver Accidents: When the other driver cannot cover the harm they caused.
Common Injuries in Hixson Car Accidents
Even a moderate collision can cause injuries that take months or years to heal. Some of the most common include:
- Whiplash and Neck Injuries: Soft-tissue damage that can linger long after the crash.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries: Concussions and more serious head trauma that affect memory, mood, and daily function.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: Damage that can lead to lasting nerve pain or partial paralysis.
- Broken Bones: Fractures that may require surgery and long rehabilitation.
- Internal Injuries: Organ damage and internal bleeding that are not always obvious at the scene.
Serious and catastrophic injuries in the area are often treated at Erlanger Baroness Hospital, the region’s only Level I Trauma Center. Other injured people may be treated locally at CommonSpirit – Memorial Hospital – Hixson. Getting medical attention right away protects your health and creates the record your claim depends on.
Compensation You May Recover After a Crash
Tennessee law allows two main types of compensation after a car accident. Economic damages cover your measurable financial losses, with no cap in Tennessee.
You may be eligible to receive compensation for your:
- Medical Bills: Both your current treatment and the care you will need going forward.
- Lost Wages: Income you missed while recovering, plus reduced earning capacity if your injuries last.
- Property Damage: The cost to repair or replace your vehicle.
Non-economic damages cover the personal toll of the crash, such as pain, suffering, and a reduced quality of life. Tennessee caps non-economic damages at $750,000 per action, and that cap rises to $1,000,000 for catastrophic losses under Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-39-102.
In rare cases involving especially reckless conduct, punitive damages may also be available. What you can recover depends on the facts, so it helps to talk with a lawyer about the specifics.
Tennessee Car Accident Laws That Affect Your Claim
A few Tennessee rules shape almost every car accident claim, and knowing them helps you understand where your case stands.
The Filing Deadline: You generally have one year from the date of the crash to file an injury lawsuit. Claims for vehicle damage run on a separate three-year clock.
Modified Comparative Fault: Tennessee follows a modified comparative fault rule with a 50% bar. You can recover compensation only if you are less than 50% at fault for the crash, and your recovery drops by your percentage of fault. If your damages total $100,000 and you are found 20% at fault, you would recover $80,000. At 50% or more, you recover nothing.
At-fault State: Tennessee is an at-fault, or tort, state. The driver who caused the crash, and their insurer, is responsible for the resulting damages. That is why an insurer’s push to shift blame onto you matters: every percentage point of fault they can pin on you lowers what they pay.
What If the Other Driver Had No Insurance?
Not every driver on the road carries enough insurance, or any at all. If an uninsured or underinsured driver hit you, you are not necessarily out of options. Your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage may step in to cover your injuries when the at-fault driver cannot.
These claims can be tricky, because you are now dealing with your own insurance company, whose goals are not always aligned with yours. This is another place our founder’s background helps. We understand how insurers evaluate these claims from the inside, and we can push back when an offer falls short of what you lost.
Losing a Loved One in a Fatal Hixson Crash
Some crashes take more than they can ever give back. If you lost a family member in a car accident, no claim can undo that loss, but a wrongful death claim can hold the responsible driver accountable and help provide for the family left behind.
In Tennessee, a wrongful death claim generally must be filed within one year of the date of death. Close family members, such as a spouse, children, or parents, are usually the ones who can bring it. We handle these cases with care, and we can take on the legal work so your family has room to grieve.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim in Tennessee?
You generally have one year from the date of the crash to file a car accident lawsuit in Tennessee under Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104, one of the shortest deadlines in the country. Vehicle-damage claims have a longer three-year window, but it is best not to wait.
What Happens If I Was Partly at Fault for the Crash?
You can still recover as long as you were less than 50% at fault. Under Tennessee’s modified comparative fault rule, your award is reduced by your share of the blame, and if you are 50% or more at fault, you recover nothing. That is one reason insurers work so hard to shift blame onto you.
How Much Is My Hixson Car Accident Case Worth?
There is no single answer. Value depends on the severity of your injuries, your medical costs, your lost income, and how the crash has affected your life. Economic damages are not capped in Tennessee, while non-economic damages are generally capped at $750,000.
What Does It Cost to Hire Gary Massey Injury Lawyers?
Nothing upfront. We handle car accident cases on a contingency fee basis, so you pay us nothing unless we recover money for you. We also front many case expenses along the way.
What Should I Do Right After a Car Accident in Hixson?
Call 911 and get medical attention, even if you feel fine, because some injuries surface later. If you can, photograph the scene, collect the other driver’s information, and get witness contacts. Avoid giving the insurer a recorded statement until you have spoken with a lawyer.
Do I Still Have a Case If the At-Fault Driver Had No Insurance?
Often, yes. If you carry uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, it can pay for your injuries when the at-fault driver cannot. We can review your policy and help you pursue that coverage.
Can I File a Claim If a Family Member Died in the Crash?
Yes. Wrongful death claims generally have a one-year filing deadline in Tennessee. Because the date that starts that period can depend on the circumstances, speak with a lawyer promptly. A claim can cover medical and funeral costs, lost financial support, and the loss of your loved one’s companionship.
Should I Talk to the Insurance Company Before Calling a Lawyer?
It is better to speak with a lawyer first. The other driver’s insurer may sound friendly, but its goal is to pay as little as possible, and an early recorded statement can be used to reduce or deny your claim.
