Let's Make Sure You're Not Left Holding the Bill.
Whether you were injured in a car accident, a slip and fall, or another situation caused by someone else's negligence — you deserve representation from someone who is actually in your corner. Not a billboard lawyer. Not a case manager. A real attorney who picks up the phone.
Injured? Don't wait — evidence disappears and deadlines matter.
Personal injury law covers a wide range of situations. What they all have in common: someone owed you a duty of care, they failed to meet it, and you were hurt as a result.
Car accidents, truck collisions, motorcycle crashes, and pedestrian accidents caused by another driver's negligence. Includes uninsured and underinsured motorist claims.
Injuries on someone else's property — a wet floor in a store, a broken step, inadequate lighting, or a hazard the property owner knew about and failed to fix. Businesses and property owners have a legal duty to maintain safe conditions.
Accidents involving semi-trucks, delivery vehicles, or company cars involve layers of liability — the driver, the employer, and the insurer. These cases require careful attention to federal regulations and commercial insurance policies.
Tennessee law holds animal owners responsible for injuries caused by their animals. If you or a family member was attacked, you may have a claim regardless of whether the animal had a prior history of aggression.
When a workplace injury involves negligence by a party other than your employer — a contractor, equipment manufacturer, or property owner — you may have a third-party personal injury claim in addition to a workers' compensation claim.
Not every situation fits a neat category. If you were hurt because of someone else's carelessness — in any setting — tell us what happened. There is no charge to find out whether you have a case worth pursuing.
Most people assume a personal injury attorney's job is to win the case and collect a check. That is part of it. But there is another part of the job that often matters just as much — and that most people do not find out about until it is almost too late.
When you are injured, your health insurance company, Medicare, Medicaid, or any other provider that paid your medical bills has what is called a subrogation right — a legal claim to be repaid out of your settlement or judgment before you see a dollar. Medical liens work the same way. Hospitals, doctors, and treatment providers can file liens against your recovery.
In some cases, these liens and subrogation claims can consume the majority of a settlement — leaving an injured person with little or nothing after the bills are paid. An experienced attorney does not just pursue the claim. They negotiate those liens down, challenge subrogation claims where the law allows, and work to make sure the money you recover actually reaches you.
That negotiation — happening quietly, out of sight — can be worth more to your family than the difference between winning and losing.
“Winning a judgment is step one. Step two is making sure the insurance companies, hospitals, and lienholders don't walk away with most of it. That's where a good attorney earns their fee — not just at the verdict, but at the negotiating table afterward.”
What We Fight to Protect
I will be honest with you. When a large insurance company or a major corporation is on the other side of your case, they have defense firms with deep resources — firms that can outspend, out-staff, and out-maneuver a solo attorney in a prolonged litigation battle. That is the truth, and I am not going to pretend otherwise.
But here is what is also true: that is not always what happens. Many personal injury cases — even those involving significant injuries — settle before trial. Many insurers, when faced with a well-documented claim and an attorney who knows what they are doing, negotiate in good faith. I handle those cases well, and I handle them personally.
And when a case does require the firepower of a larger firm — when it becomes clear that David needs a sling — I am not ashamed to call one in. I have relationships with experienced plaintiff firms that can level the playing field against even the largest defense operations.
What that means for you: you get access to that firepower without paying a dime more. And you keep me — someone you can actually reach, who knows your name, who will answer your call and give you a straight answer — in your corner through the entire process.
When a case requires resources beyond what a solo practice can provide, I bring in trusted plaintiff firms with the staff, experts, and litigation experience to compete with the biggest defense operations in the state. This arrangement costs you nothing — attorney fees are shared between counsel, not added to your bill.
One of the most common complaints injured people have about large personal injury firms is that they can never reach anyone. When you work with Shaffer Law, you have a local attorney who is reachable, knows your file, and can explain exactly where things stand at any point in the process.
Personal injury representation is handled on a contingency basis. You pay nothing upfront and nothing out of pocket. We are only paid if we recover for you — and our fee is a percentage of that recovery. Your financial situation never prevents you from having representation.
A serious injury does not just affect the person who was hurt. It affects the whole family — financially, emotionally, and practically. Bills pile up while income stops. The insurance company calls, asking questions that feel friendly but aren't. Decisions have to be made quickly, under pressure, by people who have never navigated this before.
That is exactly the wrong environment for making permanent decisions about a legal claim that may be the most significant financial event of your life.
Part of what we do is slow that process down. We deal with the insurance company so you don't have to. We tell you what to say and what not to say. We make sure nothing you do in the weeks after an accident inadvertently damages your claim. And we give your family a single person to call when they have questions — not a call center, not a rotating roster of case managers. A lawyer who knows you.
Don't Give a Recorded Statement Without an Attorney
Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions that generate answers they can use against your claim later. A recorded statement given without legal guidance can permanently damage the value of your case. Call us before you call them back.
Don't Accept the First Settlement Offer
Initial settlement offers from insurance companies are almost never the best offer available. They are designed to close the claim quickly — before you fully understand the extent of your injuries or your legal rights. Once you accept, there is no going back.
Tennessee Has a Statute of Limitations
In most personal injury cases, Tennessee law gives you one year from the date of the injury to file suit. Miss that deadline and your claim is permanently barred — regardless of how strong it is. Do not wait to find out where you stand.
Evidence Disappears Quickly
Surveillance footage gets overwritten. Skid marks fade. Witnesses move on and memories fade. The sooner an attorney is involved, the better the chance of preserving the evidence that makes your case.
The steps you take in the hours and days after an injury can significantly affect the outcome of your claim.
Your health comes first. Get examined even if you feel okay — many injuries, including soft tissue injuries and concussions, do not present symptoms immediately. A gap in medical treatment is also one of the first things an insurance company will use to minimize your claim.
Photos of the scene, your injuries, the other vehicle, the hazard that caused your fall — whatever you can safely capture. Get names and contact information from witnesses. Keep every medical bill, prescription receipt, and record of missed work.
Insurance companies and defense attorneys monitor social media. A photo of you at a family cookout, a check-in at a restaurant, or a comment about how you are doing can be taken out of context and used to undermine your claim. Keep your case off social media entirely.
You are not required to give a statement to the other driver's insurer. Politely decline and tell them your attorney will be in touch. Then call us.
The sooner we are involved, the better positioned your claim is. We will evaluate your situation, explain your rights, and tell you honestly whether and how we can help. There is no obligation and no charge for that conversation.
We will tell you where you stand. No charge. No obligation.
Prefer a conversational talk over the phone right now? Reach our office line direct.
931-231-0017We handle injury cases strictly on a contingency fee timeline basis. You don't pay a single penny out of pocket unless we successfully secure an operational settlement or award on your behalf.