Nashville Premises Liability Lawyers
A property injury can involve more than the person whose name appears on the building. Owners, tenants, management companies, and service contractors may have different responsibilities for maintenance or safety. Bill Easterly & Associates investigates injuries on Nashville properties to determine which conditions caused the harm and whether a legally responsible party failed to use reasonable care.
Our premises liability practice addresses unsafe building conditions, falling objects, malfunctioning property equipment, and other hazards affecting lawful visitors. Call 1-888-272-4414 or request a free case evaluation to discuss what happened.
William Lipsey brings an insurance-defense background to our firm’s representation of injured people. His experience includes trying cases to verdict in Tennessee courts.
Property hazards our attorneys evaluate
The starting point is the unsafe condition and the conduct connected to it. Depending on the circumstances, a premises claim may involve:
- A ceiling, fixture, shelving unit, or unsecured object that falls onto a visitor.
- A malfunctioning door, elevator, escalator, or other equipment serving the property.
- A dangerous electrical condition, blocked exit, or inadequately maintained safety feature that contributes to an injury.
- An assault for which a property owner’s failure to take reasonable precautions may be legally actionable.
An assault does not automatically make a business liable for another person’s crime. A negligent security claim requires careful review of foreseeability, the duty owed, reasonable precautions, and causation. Nor does every equipment failure establish a property owner’s negligence; maintenance records and potential product defects may point to different legal issues.
For injuries caused by a spill, uneven walking surface, or unsafe stairs, our Nashville slip and fall page explains the evidence specific to falls.
Identifying who controlled the condition
At an apartment complex in East Nashville, a hotel in Midtown, or a commercial building downtown, the property owner may have hired others to manage or service the premises. A lease or maintenance agreement can help identify who inspected equipment, received repair complaints, or controlled the area where an injury occurred.
We examine ownership and management records, relevant contracts, maintenance history, earlier complaints, and the actions of the people involved. The business occupying the space is not necessarily the only potential defendant, and naming several companies does not establish that each is liable.
This investigation also distinguishes a property maintenance failure from a defective product or another person’s independent conduct. We pursue the claims the facts support and explain how those claims fit together.
What Tennessee law requires
Tennessee generally applies a reasonable-care standard to lawful visitors, including business customers and social guests. An owner is not an insurer of everyone’s safety. A claim requires proof of a duty, a failure to meet it, causation, and legally compensable harm.
For a dangerous property condition, evidence commonly must show that a responsible party created the condition or had actual or constructive notice of it. The specific duty can depend on control, the relationship between the parties, the foreseeable risk, and other circumstances. Different rules can apply to trespassers and government property.
We also examine any allegation that the injured person’s own conduct contributed to the incident. Our analysis does not stop at a warning sign, a lease provision, or an insurer’s initial denial.
Developing the property evidence and injury claim
Once retained, our team can seek preservation of surveillance, inspection records, repair communications, and relevant equipment. When the circumstances warrant it, technical evaluations may help determine how a fixture failed or whether a maintenance problem caused the injury.
We connect that evidence with medical records, work restrictions, and the losses attributable to the incident. Potential compensation can include reasonable medical costs, lost income, supported future losses, and damages for pain and other effects recognized by Tennessee law. Available insurance and legal limits must also be evaluated.
Most Tennessee personal injury lawsuits are subject to a one-year limitations period from accrual, with exceptions and special rules. A request for property records or ongoing insurance discussions does not ordinarily extend it.
Discuss an injury on Nashville property
Bring the property address, incident date, photographs, and any correspondence with an owner or manager. Our attorneys can assess who may have been responsible and which records could clarify the claim. The consultation gives you an opportunity to ask about the claim before deciding whether to hire our firm.
For accepted personal injury cases, our attorney fee is contingent on a recovery. The written agreement explains the percentage and responsibility for case expenses.
Call 1-888-272-4414 or contact Bill Easterly & Associates for a free consultation. Our office at 3017 Poston Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203 serves injured people throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee.
Nashville Premises Liability Questions
Yes, potentially. Tennessee generally applies the same reasonable-care standard to people on property with permission, including social guests and customers. The particular circumstances still determine the duty and whether it was breached. Read about visitor status in Tennessee premises cases.
No. Liability and insurance coverage are separate questions. We must assess whether someone is legally responsible and whether a policy covers the incident, subject to its terms and limits. The firm’s insurance coverage and liability explainer provides background on those distinctions.
Tell your attorney promptly and preserve your own photographs and communications. An investigation can assess alternative evidence and whether relevant material should have been retained. A repair or missing record is not automatically proof of liability. See our guide to evidence preservation and spoliation.
Yes. In an ordinary Tennessee negligence claim, recovery generally requires your fault to be below 50%, and compensation is reduced by your share. The allegation must be tested against the facts. Our Tennessee comparative fault article explains the rule.
