Who Is Liable for a Slip and Fall Accident in Tennessee?

Property owners, managers, or others (including employees) who maintain the property are liable for slip-and-fall accidents in Tennessee. These individuals have a legal duty to maintain a hazard-free environment or, when action requires more time, to warn the public about the risks present.

If the owner or manager fails to eliminate these risks and someone falls and suffers an injury, the property owner or manager could be responsible for their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Speak with a Nashville slip and fall lawyer today.

Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in Tennessee

Property owners remain liable for the condition of their property if and when they knew or should have known about the risk and failed to take action to protect those using the property. Numerous types of accidents can fall under a slip-and-fall claim. Some of the most common causes of these accidents include:

• Wet and slippery conditions brought on by spills, just mopped floors, leaks, and the use of unsafe cleaning products
• Clutter and obstructions in noted pathways, including boxes, electrical cords, or debris in the expected walking path
• Loose or missing flooring that creates a trip hazard, such as areas with edges that roll up
• Missing or loose stairs or railings, broken steps, or narrow steps
• Poor lighting in an area where a person is expected to walk

In these situations, the property owner may be held accountable for the injuries victims suffer if they knew about the problem and had enough time to fix it, but failed to do so. The burden of proving these elements rests with the victim. For legal assistance, reach out to our accident attorney in Nashville and we can help walk you through your options.

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Call Selvidge Injury Law at (615) 864-0343

Parties That May Be Accountable for Slip and Fall Accidents

These types of accidents can occur anywhere. That includes residential, government-owned, and commercial property. Examples of those who may be liable include:

• Property owners
• Managers overseeing the property at the time of the accident
• Third-party contractors who create the unsafe conditions
• Tenants of the property are creating unsafe conditions in their space
• Landlords for unsafe conditions in shared areas
• Employees of the business and/or business owner, who do not follow policy and procedure with regards to keeping a premise free of hazards

To be held accountable under TN Code § 29-34-208, the victim must demonstrate that the named party was negligent. Negligence requires four elements:

• Duty of care. The owner or manager owed you a duty of care. A commercial building opening for service establishes that duty of care, for example.
• Breach of duty of care. For some reason, the named party violated that duty of care. They created or knew of the incident (or should have known) about the unsafe conditions, and did nothing to warn or remedy the situation. 
• Caused the accident. That specific breach of their duty of care caused you to suffer an accident, such as a fall, trip, or slip.
• Suffered injuries. You must have suffered loss, which includes physical injury and medical bills or other financial impact as a direct result of the accident.

By proving all four of these elements, it is possible to hold the named party accountable for your medical bills, loss of income, and other losses you suffered due to their negligence.

Working with a slip-and-fall accident lawyer in Tennessee is critical in these cases. You must establish evidence of all four elements for the insurance company or court to award you damage recovery. Reach out to our experienced Nashville personal injury law firm for a free case evaluation today at (615) 864-0343.