Frequently Asked Questions Nashville Slip and Fall Lawyers Get Asked
January 2, 2025
Slip and Fall Lawyers Nashville Trusts to Get it Done
Whether you’re walking in a grocery store, a restaurant, or on a sidewalk in Nashville, something could cause you to lose your footing. It might be a broken sidewalk in need of repair, a loose step on a staircase, or a slippery floor. Whatever the case, these situations can easily become the causes of slip and fall accidents, and the most common cause of slip and fall accidents is negligence.
If you’ve experienced a personal injury in a slip and fall accident, and it occurred because of someone else’s negligence, you may have some questions about your rights and how you can get the compensation you deserve. The following article includes the most common questions Nashville slip and fall lawyers get asked.
In The Article
How is Negligence Determined in a Slip and Fall Lawsuit?
When it comes to slip-and-fall accidents, there are four key elements that are needed to determine negligence.
- Duty of Care: Property owners have a legal duty, known as duty of care, to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of individuals on their premises.
- Breach of duty: It needs to be established that the property owner failed to fulfill their duty of care to avoid injuries on their property.
- Causation: There must be proof and a clear link between the accident on the property owner’s actions or inactions to show that the breach of duty directly caused the accident.
- Damages: Evidence must be provided to show that the accident caused an injury or loss to the victim.
Having an experienced Nashville personal injury lawyer on your side can help put you in the best position possible to prove negligence and recover fair compensation for your injuries.
What Are Examples of Negligence in Slip and Fall Cases?
Some examples of a property owner’s negligence that you can prove in your slip and fall case include:
- Wet or icy floors
- Broken stairs
- Uneven surfaces
- Inadequate warning signs (if the property owner is aware of a hazardous condition but fails to provide signs or barriers)
- Insufficient lighting
- Spills and debris
- Negligent cleaning or maintenance
- Unlevel floors
- Bumpy or uneven sidewalk
- Holes in the flooring
- Missing or faulty handrail
It’s important to understand that each slip and fall case must be evaluated individually, and not all scenarios listed above may be considered negligent in every context. Consulting with a personal injury or premises liability attorney can help you assess the unique details of your case and determine if you have a legal claim.
Who Can Be Held Liable After a Slip & Fall Accident?
Responsible parties for slip and fall injuries can vary based on circumstances. These parties include:
Property owners: The owner of the property where your slip and fall occurred may be held responsible if they didn’t properly maintain safe conditions. This includes residential property owners, commercial property owners, and public property owners.
Property Managers: If the property is managed by a third party, such as a property management company, the property manager may share or solely bear responsibility for ensuring the premises are safe.
Government or Nashville city entities: If the slip and fall incident occurred on government-owned property, including public sidewalks and parks in Nashville, government entities may be held responsible.
Maintenance contractors: If your slip and fall accident was caused by the negligence of a maintenance or cleaning contractor hired by the property owner or occupier, that contractor may be held liable.
Others in control of the property: Parties in control of the property, even if they are not the legal owners, can be held liable for slip and fall injuries. This may include tenants, lessees, or anyone responsible for maintenance and safety.
Determining liability for a slip and fall accident should be left to experienced Nashville slip and fall lawyers who understand Tennessee laws surrounding Nashville personal injuries and liability share.
How Much Are Most Slip and Fall Settlements?
Slip and fall settlements can vary, but the dollar amount can be dependent on the severity of the injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, and who is at fault in the situation. One of the best ways you can ensure you get the maximum recovery for your slip and fall injury is to hire a personal injury lawyer for your slip and fall case.
What Are the Damages a Nashville Slip and Fall Lawyer Can Seek Compensation For?
When property owners fail to uphold their duty of care, and that failure results in injury, victims can pursue damages. In a legal context, damages are the financial compensation awarded to an individual for losses or injuries suffered as a result of another party’s wrongdoing or negligence. Often, in premises liability or slip and fall cases, compensatory damages, or damages that aim to compensate the injured party, can include economic damages and non-economic damages connected to the accident.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the hard costs connected to your accident and injury. Typically, they will have a bill or receipt associated with them and reflect the financial losses a victim may endure. Economic damages that a Nashville slip and fall lawyer can fight for include:
- Medical bills
- Future medical expenses (including physical therapy)
- Property damage
- Lost income and future lost wages
- Funeral costs (in wrongful death cases)
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are damages that are emotional or psychological in nature. Therefore, placing a dollar amount on these types of damages is more subjective. Non-economic damages can include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Loss of companionship
What Are Common Injuries Caused by Slip and Fall Accidents?
Although each accident and injury are unique, there are some common injuries that result from slip and fall accidents, many of which can be severe injuries. Frequently, the injures that are addressed in premises liability cases include:
- Head injuries (including traumatic brain injuries)
- Broken bones
- Hip fractures
- Sprains
- Bruises
Why Are Slip and Fall Cases Hard to Win?
To win a slip and fall case, you must prove that a property owner was liable for your injury with clear evidence. The best way to do this is to prove negligence by establishing duty of care, breach of that duty, causation, and damages.
Because of the need for the victim to prove negligence, it can be difficult to win a slip and fall or premises liability case if the proper evidence isn’t collected quickly or properly.
How Long Does a Slip and Fall Lawsuit Take?
Slip and fall claims, like other personal injuries, don’t have a set time period for how long they take. Each case is different and fall victims often have varying degrees of injury. To begin negotiations with an insurance company, your personal injury attorney will need to know the full extent of the damages. This can take time and investigation to assess just how much compensation you’re owed.
What is the Statute of Limitations on a Slip and Fall in Tennessee?
Tennessee law gives you one year to make a claim against a property owner or liable party in a slip and fall case. However, it is important to get your case assessed and file your claim as soon as possible. Hiring a personal injury lawyer in Tennessee can help you get your claim filed in a timely manner.
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident that was not your fault, contact Hughes & Coleman Personal Injury Lawyers to get a free case evaluation. 800-800-4600.
