Tennessee Slip and Fall Accidents
A substantial number of Tennessee personal injuries caused by slip-and-fall accidents occur each year as a result of slick floors in grocery stores and restaurants. Many of these accidents could have been prevented if the store employee or manager would have paid more attention to the condition of the floors or simply exercised a little common sense.
To prevent serious personal injuries to customers, Tennessee courts have imposed certain duties upon store keepers because of their superior knowledge of the premises. The breach of these duties exposes the store keeper to liability.
To prove a Tennessee premises liability case involving a slip-and-fall , the plaintiff must establish that the defendant owed the customer (“invitee”) a duty recognized by law. Duties owed to customers include inspecting the premises for slippery substances, placing warning signs where a walking surface is known to be slick, and correcting any slippery condition created by employees or customers.
In addition to establishing a duty owed, the plaintiff must also prove that a hazardous condition existed and that it caused the fall. A hazardous condition may involve a foreign substance on the floor such as vegetable matter, grease, or spilled liquids. Accumulations of water due to rain or product displays are also hazardous conditions commonly resulting in Tennessee slip-and-fall accidents. Store slip-and-fall accidents also frequently result from hazardous conditions due to improper cleaning or waxing of floor surfaces.
The plaintiff must also show either that the defendant—through its employees—created the condition or, if a third party created the condition, that the owner had notice of the hazardous condition. Notice can be proved by considerations of the obviousness of the condition and the length of time the floor was slick.
Proving Tennessee slip-and-fall cases can be a tricky business. Evidentiary issues are complex, and facts can be hard to prove. What you need in these cases are experienced and skilled personal injury attorneys in Tennessee with the necessary ability to be successful in a Tennessee premises liability action. If you have been injured, call the top personal injury attorneys at Baker Associates at 866-853-2888 for a free consultation.
