PRACTICE AREAS

Attorneys are responsible for making any legal decisions, as well as overseeing the progress and details of each case. Our attorneys and other legal professionals strive to thoroughly explain your rights to you and to answer any questions you may have. They work hard to try to protect your rights. If a lawsuit is necessary, an attorney will represent you and advise you throughout the litigation process.

In addition to the attorneys who supervise your case, we have a solid team of professionals who provide support to both you and your attorney throughout the settlement or litigation process. This team includes paralegals and legal secretaries.

Their duties include contacting and working with insurance carriers, doctors, and other people vital to your case; drafting and organizing documents for trial or settlement; and preparing trial exhibits and expert testimony. Any of the members of your team will be able to assist you in better understanding what is happening during your case and/or what to expect during the litigation process.

Automobile Accidents/Personal Injury

No one likes to think about the possibility of having an auto accident, but it's smart to be prepared if the unthinkable should occur. Along with any physical injuries you may have to attend to, people get caught up in the emotional turmoil and confusion of the situation. There are so many things to deal with--the other people involved, the police, and the insurance companies. If you're concerned about your legal rights, contact an attorney before you talk with the insurance company of the person at fault. Signing the wrong papers could mean you've settled for less than you deserve.

If you, or someone you love, have been injured in an automobile accident, you can call our law firm at (865) 544-0550 or 866-LAW-KNOX for a free consultation.

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Worker's Compensation

Even if your employer's gross negligence caused your on the job injuries, you are barred from making any claim other than a worker's compensation claim. You would be entitled to three types of benefits:

• Medical benefits;
• Temporary disability while your doctor has you off duty; and
• If you have a permanent medical condition or restrictions, permanent disability benefits.

Temporary and permanent disability are based to a large degree on what your average weekly wage is, so it's difficult to figure benefits except on a case by case basis.

If you are injured on the job and wish to make a worker's compensation claim, you should take the following steps:

• Immediately notify your supervisor of your work-related injury;
• Insist that an Employer's First Report of Injury be completed;
• Insist that you be provided with a panel of three doctors and a chiropractor, from which you have the privilege of choosing your authorized treating physician;
• Give no statements to anyone, recorded or otherwise, until speaking with an attorney;
• Contact an attorney who handles worker's compensation cases -- hopefully us!
  

Often, worker's compensation cases can be settled prior to even filing a lawsuit. If litigation becomes necessary, however, the lawyers and staff at Slovis, Rutherford & Weinstein, P.L.L.C. are ready with decades of experience and success to fight employers and insurance companies to give you the recovery you deserve.

The Tennessee General Assembly has recently passed a worker's compensation "reform" bill, supported by Governor Bredesen. These devastating amendments to the Worker's Compensation Law are discussed in greater detail here.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident arising out of and in the course of employment, you can call our law firm at (865) 544-0550 or 866-LAW-KNOX for a free consultation.

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Defective Products

Tragedies occur every day when people suffer injuries because of products that are defectively designed or manufactured, or products that are unreasonably dangerous. For instance, if you were injured because of a defectively designed or manufactured motorcycle helmet, or smoke detector, or water heater, or any product, you may have a case against the manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer of that product.

If you or someone you love has been injured as a result of a defective or unreasonably dangerous product, you can call our law firm at (865) 544-0550 or 866-LAW-KNOX for a free consultation.

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Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice, or medical negligence as it is also known, holds doctors, dentists, nurses, hospitals and other medical professionals responsible for injuries as a result of their negligence. These cases are usually very complex, expensive, and time-consuming.

To prove a medical negligence case, a claimant must first prove that the medical provider deviated from the medical standard of care that applies in the particular case. Then it must be proven that the claimant suffered damages or injuries. Finally, it must be shown that the damages or injuries were caused as a direct result of the deviation from standard of care.

Because these cases can often involve tens of thousands of dollars in expenses, just to get to the courthouse steps, we can only consider the most serious and catastrophic cases, where the medical negligence is clear.

If you or someone you know has such a profoundly serious injury as a result of medical malpractice, you can call us at (865) 544-0550 or 866-LAW-KNOX for a free consultation.

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Nursing Home Abuse/Neglect

As we enter the 21st Century, more and more people are growing older. We are seeing a tremendous amount of litigation involving nursing homes and their failure to properly treat their residents.

Even if seniors in nursing homes are not in good shape physically or mentally, they still have every right to appropriate care. There are extensive federal and state regulations intended to protect the residents of nursing homes from abuse and neglect. These regulations are all too often ignored by nursing homes.

If you or someone you love has been injured or has died as a result of the abuse or neglect of a nursing home or its staff, you can call our law firm at (865) 544-0550 or 866-LAW-KNOX for a free consultation.

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Social Security Disability

People under age 65, who have worked for a certain number of years, and who have become physically or mentally disable, may be entitled to receive Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

The process is both simple and complicated. First, you must apply with your local Social Security office for disability and/or SSI. When and if you are turned down, you must request Reconsideration within 60 days of the first denial. When and if you are turned down on Reconsideration, you must then request a hearing, before a Social Security Administrative Law Judge, within 60 days. At this point a lawyer to represent you and prepare for the hearing becomes essential.

If you or someone you love is unable to perform any work whatsoever, and is having problems obtaining Social Security Disability benefits, you can call our law firm at (865) 544-0550 or 866-LAW-KNOX for a free consultation.

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Family Law

Mary Evars-Goan, Norbert J. Slovis, and Glen Rutherford have, collectively, decades of experience representing people in family law matters, including divorce, custody and child support matters.

If you need a lawyer on a family law matter, please give us a call at (865) 544-0550 or 866-LAW-KNOX for a free consultation.

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