Legal Question in Criminal Law in Tennessee

Around 5 years ago, I was sitting at a rooftop bar and an ex-friend walked up and sucker-punched me in the face and then ran. I didnt instigate it or fight back. He split my upper lip and half requiring 7 stitches and shattered my medically needed porceilin veneers that costed around $6500 to fix. I talked to a detective and had a warrant issued for his arrest for aggravated assault but its been almost 5 years and nothing has been done about the situation. Now I am expected to pay my $6500 and have debt collecters asking for payments that i should not be paying. What should I do? I was completely debt free before this guy assualted me and I cannot afford to pay this bill because im a full time student taking out loans and my daughter was born in November. Please help.


Asked on 1/11/11, 10:57 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Charles Bloodworth

You are very late to ask this question from five years ago. Had you asked earlier, I would advise you to file a civil suit against your assailant, and to file under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund. But those each have statutes of limitation that have almost certainly expired.

At this point, it sound like your best chance of getting restitution is to see that the assailant is arrested and prosecuted. Restitution can be ordered as a part of any criminal court conviction or settlement.

So what is the status of the case? Has the Defendant been arrested? And even if he is, can you prove your case after this long period of time? (Videos? Witnesses? Statements?).

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Answered on 1/17/11, 7:25 pm


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