DAIL R. CANTRELL
(865) 457-9100
EDUCATION
University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville, Tennessee - J.D.
University of Tennessee at Knoxville - B.A.
PRACTICE AREAS
Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Complex Civil Litigation, Special Needs Education
LOOKING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH DAIL?
Schedule Your Call With Dail Today
LEARN MORE ABOUT DAIL
The best way to judge an attorney is to look at his trial record. In the three decades that Dail R. Cantrell has practiced law in the State of Tennessee, he has obtained trial verdicts and settlements in the tens of millions of dollars. He was selected as one of the few attorneys in the United States to participate in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Membership is limited to attorneys who have obtained trial verdicts or settlements in excess of $1,000,000.00.
Mr. Cantrell has earned the following accolades due to his outstanding legal work:
Attorney for Justice, Tennessee Supreme Court
Million Dollar Advocate, Million Dollar Advocates Forum
The National Trial Lawyers- Top 100 Civil Trial Attorneys multiyear recipient
Top 100 Lawyers- multiyear recipient
Lawyers of Distinction- multiyear recipient
Best Attorney- The Best of Anderson County- multiyear recipient
McClung Medal of Trial Advocacy, The University of Tennessee College of Law
Ray H. Jenkins Award for Trial Advocacy
NOTABLE SUCCESSES
Dail R. Cantrell is an experienced litigator with decades of experience and a near perfect record at both the trial and appellate level.
Jury Trials:
Dail R. Cantrell has one of the largest jury award for an animal attack in Tennessee history getting $1,000,000 in Putnam County, Tennessee.
After a multiday trial regarding a pedestrian injury, Dail R. Cantrell’s client received a jury verdict over $2,000,000.00.
Dail R. Cantrell won a jury verdict of over $2,000,000 for the wrongful death of a gentlemen cleaning up the roadway in Knox County, Tennessee.
Dail R. Cantrell attained a large, sealed settlement concerning a shaken baby case.
Dail R. Cantrell secured a $750,000 award regarding a complex insurance case in Anderson County, Tennessee.
Dail R. Cantrell obtained jury verdict over $750,000 after a multiday healthcare liability trial in Anderson County, Tennessee.
Dail R. Cantrell negotiated a large, sealed settlement concerning a wrongful death suit.
Appellate Practice:
Dail R. Cantrell successfully argued before the Tennessee Courts of Appeals twice in the same healthcare liability. Ultimately, he negotiated an excellent sealed settlement for the client.
An Anderson County jury awarded $641,000.00 to one of Dail R. Cantrell's clients who had been struck by an uninsured motorist.
Later, the case was appealed. After hearing Dail R. Cantrell’s argument. The Court of Appeals increased the jury verdict by an additional $62,772.23, resulting in a total award of $703,772.23.
Policy Changing Cases:
Dail R. Cantrell was consulted about a case where an 18 year-old man that had been tragically injured in a motor vehicle accident. The plaintiff was left in critical condition by the side of road after he had been run over by an uninsured motorist who fled the scene. The insurance company claimed that it was not responsible and refused to pay any of the injured man's medical bills, a large law firm that the Plaintiffs family had hired essentially gave up on the injured man's case and the insurance company had the lawsuit dismissed before it went to trial. Ultimately, Dail R. Cantrell convinced the Court of Appeals to expand the definition of the uninsured motorist policy to allow coverage for the young man's injuries. His victory at the Court of Appeals was so compelling that the insurance company offered the amount of its policy limits to the client's family, which totaled several hundred thousand dollars.
Dail R. Cantrell’s arguments at the appellate level successfully changed the understanding of Rule 60.05 regarding whether needing an interpreter is grounds for a new civil trial. The Tennessee Court of Appeals agreed, “[Dail R. Cantrell’s client] was entitled to an interpreter and the Trial Court erred in utilizing his co-defendant, who had an interest in the case, as [the client’s] interpreter.”
OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM
Dail R. Cantrell is a former adjunct Professor of Law at the University Of Tennessee College of Law where he taught trial practice; trial advocacy/evidence; and legal process. He authored a textbook in 1999 on trial strategies. He authored a book, Equal to the Task, dedicated to his son, Benjamin, and the struggles he faced in the neonatal intensive care unit.
He is an active member of the Second Baptist Church. He enjoys coaching high school sports. He attends CrossFit most days with Lucas. He enjoys spending time with his family.
Our Awards
