Chattanooga Car Accident Claim Filing Process

While filing a car accident claim can seem overwhelming, know that a dedicated Chattanooga injury attorney can help to guide you through the procedure while preparing you for what to expect in court or negotiations. Read on to learn more about the Chattanooga car accident claim filing process, as well as the ways a professional lawyer can make a difference in your case.

What Does it Mean to File a Claim?

If someone in an accident has a reliable injury attorney on their side, the lawyer can file the entire claim for that individual. That individual will be involved in the filing process only to the extent of giving their attorney information about what happened, what their treatment was, and how they are progressing health-wise. Once someone files an action, they can dismiss that action any time they want. They are never required to continue to pursue the case. Even after filing a lawsuit, that individual can still continue to negotiate outside of court without going to trial. In fact, most lawsuits settle outside of courts without a trial. A very small percentage even goes to trial.

Courts Where Chattanooga Car Accident Claims are Filed

The main court where car accident cases are filed in Chattanooga is in the circuit court, which is a state court. Some cases can also be filed in the general sessions court, but those are small cases. The general sessions court has a limited jurisdiction, and there is an automatic right of appeal to get another trial afterward in the circuit court. Sometimes individuals can also file in federal court, but that is fairly uncommon.

Cases Filed in Circuit Court

Circuit Court in Tennessee is a court of general jurisdiction. Almost any type of case can be filed in Circuit Court except cases that are equitable in nature. Thus, Circuit Court hears all kinds of cases from divorce to breach of contract, to nuisance. Any personal injury claim, car wreck claim, claim where another person negligently causes their injury, physical or otherwise, can be filed in circuit court in Tennessee.

Federal District Court

There are two main types of situations in which a car wreck case can be filed in federal district court. The first is if a federal government agency or employee is involved in the wreck. If a representative of a federal agency is driving a car in the line of duty and causes a wreck, then any individuals injured as a result of that action can sue the representative in federal district court.

The second situation is if the parties in the car wreck live in different states and the injured individual has damages that allow them to claim more than $75,000 in compensation. This circumstance is also known as diversity jurisdiction.

The Role of a Professional Car Accident Attorney

A reliable lawyer can help an injured individual feel confident enough to stop worrying about whether or not they are going to be able to receive help after the difficulties that they have been thrust into. Assistance from a compassionate attorney can allow individuals to relax and focus on getting better without having to worry about all of the things that might go wrong if they make a mistake following a Chattanooga car accident. If you have been injured due to the negligence of another and require legal help in the Chattanooga car accident claim filing process, reach out to a determined injury lawyer today to receive an aggressive advocate for your compensation.