Don’t wait to get the legal representation you need—call today to speak with a Nashville slip and fall lawyer. We’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Just dial 615-465-0457 or fill out a free initial consultation form to speak with one of our experienced injury attorneys at Ponce Law.
Premises liability is the legal concept that property owners and managers have a duty to make sure that their property is safe for anyone who visits, whether that means invited guests to a private home or customers stepping onto a commercial property. When property owners fail to make visitors safe, they can be held responsible for any injuries that occur on their property, and that’s when a slip and fall attorney in Nashville can help.
Examples of premises liability claims might include slipping on a wet floor, falling on stairs because of a loose railing, tripping over uneven paving stones, suffering submersion injuries at a pool, or being the victim of crime due to negligent security.
If you were injured on someone else’s property because the property owner was negligent, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills and the pain you suffered.
We have the legal knowledge and experience to handle a variety of slip and fall claims, including those resulting from:
Broken stairs, loose railings, and uneven floors can cause serious injuries to guests and visitors.
Property owners must ensure their properties are safe for others by preventing or removing safety hazards, such as ice and snow or fallen tree branches.
Parking garages, swimming pools, and businesses in areas prone to crime should have the proper supervision and lighting to ensure the safety of guests and customers.
Property owners and maintenance companies should post signs to warn people of slick or dangerous floors caused by cleaning, leaks, or spills.
Our proactive Nashville slip and fall attorneys can help you get the compensation you need for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering if you’ve slipped and fallen in a store or suffered due to inadequate security.
Most slip and fall accidents in Nashville are preventable, making the failure to prevent them negligence. Examples include
Wet or slippery surfaces may be the most common cause of slip and fall injuries. It can also be difficult to prove negligence when the cause is a wet surface because slippery areas can develop quickly. It is only negligence if a property owner knew or should have known of the slippery conditions. So, for example, if a spill happens immediately preceding a slip, the property owner may or may not be negligent.
In contrast, property owners should be aware of any uneven flooring. Cracks, divots, missing flooring, steps between rooms, and loose rugs are usually ongoing problems. Therefore, if they cause someone to fall, it may be easier to establish negligence.
Uneven flooring and uneven surfaces can be an issue. While flooring and surfaces may seem synonymous, surfaces often refer to outside surfaces. Parking lots, sidewalks, and even lawns or landscaped areas could be uneven. Parking lots, especially in locations with wide temperature swings or where people need to use salt or sand to de-ice, can be particularly vulnerable to developing potholes, cracks, and other divots.
Poor lighting can contribute to falling. While many people can navigate low-light conditions, other people, especially those with preexisting balance issues, do much better with adequate lighting. Poor lighting may not cause a number of falls on its own, but when combined with other issues, it can greatly increase the likelihood of falls.
Obstacles can contribute to falls. Anything blocking a normal pathway or anywhere that someone could reasonably be expected to walk could be an obstacle. Clutter, merchandise, and tools are some common obstacles. They do not have to be large. Extension cords, hoses, and other semi-flat things can act as obstacles.
There are major factors you will need to prove in a Nashville slip and fall lawsuit. These are:
In the state of Tennessee, the statute of limitations on personal injury claims is one year. This means that you only have one year from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit, even if you didn’t realize how serious your injuries from the accident were until much later.
A year can fly by much quicker than you think, and if you wait too long to contact a lawyer, you may lose your right to seek compensation. This is why it’s important to speak to an attorney as quickly as possible after an accident that results in an injury.
There are several reasons you should enlist the help of a local attorney in Nashville for help with your slip and fall legal case—especially because these claims can become more complicated than many people expect.
In a slip and fall case, it is not enough to show that you fell on someone else’s property. You usually must prove the property owner or manager was negligent by failing to maintain safe conditions. Establishing liability often requires showing that the hazard existed long enough that the owner should have known about it or that the owner created the dangerous condition. Legal sources note that proving negligence is one of the most challenging parts of a slip and fall case.
Evidence in slip and fall cases can disappear quickly. Wet floors get cleaned, ice melts, and surveillance footage may be erased. Attorneys know how to collect and preserve important proof, including:
Gathering this evidence early can strengthen your case significantly.
Insurance companies may argue that:
An experienced lawyer understands these tactics and can push back against unfair blame or low settlement offers. Attorneys familiar with slip and fall cases often know how insurers evaluate claims and what evidence persuades them.
Many injured people underestimate what their claim may be worth. A lawyer can help calculate both current and future damages, including:
Without legal guidance, people sometimes accept settlements before understanding the full long-term cost of their injuries.
Slip and fall claims fall under premises liability law, which can involve nuanced rules about:
A lawyer who handles these cases understands how those rules apply and how to navigate them strategically.
Most slip and fall cases settle before trial, but settlement negotiations can be demanding. A lawyer can:
Handling a legal claim while recovering from injuries can be overwhelming. Hiring a lawyer allows you to focus on healing while someone else manages the paperwork, investigation, and negotiations.
The slip and fall injury lawyers at Ponce Law in Nashville work under the No Fee Guarantee®. This means that when we take on your case, you pay us nothing unless we get money for you. That includes a free case review, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by contacting an attorney if you were hurt on someone else’s property.
Talk to a Nashville slip and fall lawyer at Ponce Law before you accept an insurance company’s settlement offer for your injuries. We have more than 30 years of experience helping injured victims in Tennessee, and we want to help you, too. We serve clients in Nashville metro, Goodlettsville, and surrounding areas. Contact us 24/7 to get started with a free and confidential consultation!