A “premises” may be a piece of land, or a building, such as a house, office, store, or school. Maury County, Tennessee, is known for its many antebellum houses, for example. Nearby Spring Hill is home to the Rippavilla Plantation and its beautiful park. Right here in Columbia, you will find many other interesting sites, such as the home of President James K. Polk.
Unfortunately, not all Tennessee properties are safe. “Premises liability” refers to the responsibility each person or organization holds when owning a building. If you were injured away from home, a personal injury lawyer can determine whether you are eligible for compensation.
Hughes & Coleman Injury Lawyers is a law firm with years of experience serving the needs of Columbia and Spring Hill residents. Getting a case evaluation to learn your rights is easy and free: Call (800) 800-4600 today.
Understanding Tennessee Premises Liability Law
Are you wondering what your premises liability case is worth? A professional personal injury lawyer can investigate. In Tennessee, your right to collect damages relates to the other party’s degree of negligence. Even if you were partially responsible, an attorney might be able to recover a portion of your premises liability accident damages in the following types of cases.
Slips, trips, and falls
You may slip when there is not enough traction, or grip, between your feet and the walking surface. A lawyer will look into the cause of your accident and whether you were a victim of hazardous conditions such as:
- Wet or oily surfaces
- Unexpected spills
- Hazardous weather
- Loose floor coverings
- An uneven degree of traction on a walking surface
You might also trip because your feet hit something that causes you to lose your balance. According to CCOHS, the following conditions often cause tripping:
- Blocked views
- Insufficient lighting
- Clutter
- Uneven walking surfaces (e.g. wrinkled carpeting, broken steps)
- Uncovered cables or cords
Slip-and-fall accidents are behind millions of hospital visits every year. Common fall injuries are concussions, fractures, and spinal cord injuries. These incidents are especially traumatic for older people, often leading to a loss of independence, a loss of mobility, or death.
Fill out our quick contact form to learn how a Hughes & Coleman slip and fall lawyer can protect your rights.
Dog bites
Tennessee pet owners must keep their dogs under reasonable control at all times. Dogs are not allowed to run free on someone else’s premises without consent or in a public place. An attorney can take action to hold negligent owners accountable for damages if their dogs injure others.
Typical dog bite injuries include:
- Skin and soft tissue damage (e.g. torn muscles, bruises)
- Lung collapse
- Damaged blood vessels and nerves
- Neck wounds that affect the esophagus and trachea
- Disfigurement
- Puncture wounds
- Secondary infections (e.g. abscesses, cellulitis, septic arthritis osteomyelitis, pyothorax, septic peritonitis)
Fires
What was the source of the fire that injured you? A Maury County attorney can defend your rights. Property owners may be held liable for fires that started because of neglected maintenance issues or reckless behavior. Exposed electrical wires, faulty outlets, and gas leaks can cause fires that put people at risk.
Elevator or escalator accidents
Escalators and elevators make life easier when they work correctly. Yet, about 17,000 people are injured nationwide every year in incidents involving escalators and elevators. Research shows that injuries often happen because of someone else’s negligence:
- Falling: The elevator shaft is the vertical opening that permits an elevator to travel between floors. People have fallen into the shaft while using or performing elevator installations and repairs.
- Getting injured by moving parts: Both escalators and elevators have moving parts that can catch people’s body parts or clothing, resulting in injury or death.
- Sudden stops: When one of these machines stops moving suddenly, passengers can lose balance or be thrown.
To prevent such incidents, property owners must property maintain elevators and escalators. Workplace protective equipment and training should be made available for workers who take care of the property. Whenever an elevator or escalator is out of service or being repaired, workers should know how to work safely with electrical circuits and post clear warnings for others.
Responsible parties might include property managers, building owners, manufacturers, or maintenance companies. Our law firm can determine who is at fault and take appropriate action on your behalf to settle your premises liability claim.
Exposure to chemicals, toxic fumes, and dangerous substances
Environmental toxins and dangerous chemicals can cause serious health threats. If unsafe conditions at a rented home, workplace, or public property resulted in injury, send your name, email, phone number, or other contact details using our convenient premises liability contact form. There is no cost for an initial consultation.
Please contact our premises liability lawyers at (800) 800-4600 if you experienced medical conditions due to these or similar situations:
- Asbestos exposure
- Carcinogens (e.g. beryllium, benzene, etc.)
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Inhaled or ingested contaminants (e.g. formaldehyde, mercury, chloroform)
- Lead poisoning
- Toxic air or water
- Pesticide exposure
Wrongful death
Fatal premises liability accidents are tragic. If your family member died, your family might be struggling to pay off medical bills. Affording tasteful funeral arrangements might strain your budget, especially if the deceased contributed to family finances.
Wrongful death claims seek economic and non-economic damages for premises liability cases. Economic damages reimburse for medical and funeral expenses, lost wages, lost retirement benefits, and the loss of the value of the services your loved one once provided.
Non-economic liability cases acknowledge the pain and suffering associated with wrongful death injury cases. An attorney can pursue damages for mental anguish, loss of companionship, and other damages based on your family’s emotional losses.
In rare personal injury cases, Tennessee courts award damages to punish a wrongdoer. If someone intentionally caused your loved one harm, you might qualify for punitive damages.
At Hughes & Coleman, our personal injury lawyers understand how devastated you must be after the untimely death of your family member. We want to do what we can to relieve your pain and suffering. To speak to our compassionate team, call us at (800) 800-4600 to schedule a free premises liability consultation.
Why Contacting a Lawyer After a Premises Liability Accident is in Your Best Interests
If someone’s negligence injured you or a loved one, you only have so long under Tennessee law to claim the compensation you deserve for premises liability cases. Once this statute of limitations runs out, you forfeit your rights to personal injury damages.
Even if you are not sure what you want to do, we encourage you to get in touch with an experienced premises liability lawyer as soon as possible. He or she can answer your questions and inform you of your rights.
There is no cost for your initial consultation and no obligation to hire us. Visit a Hughes & Coleman premises liability attorney at 622 W. 7th St., Columbia, TN, 38401, or call us at (931) 203-8387 today.
