Mount Juliet Slip and Fall Lawyer

The goal after a fall is simple to say and hard to reach: medical bills covered, income replaced, and the property owner held to account for the hazard that put you on the ground. Fox, Farley, Willis & Burnette is a Tennessee personal injury firm that represents people hurt in falls on someone else’s property, and we serve injured clients in Mount Juliet, throughout Wilson County, and across the state. Our work in premises liability cases includes grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, parking lots, and rental properties.

Mount Juliet is a growing community, and growth means construction zones, new retail centers, big parking lots, and busy shopping corridors along Mt. Juliet Road and Lebanon Road. Falls in those places are rarely a matter of bad luck. A Mount Juliet slip and fall lawyer looks at who controlled the space, what they knew about the hazard, how long it had been there, and what they did, or failed to do, about it. Those questions decide whether you have a claim worth pursuing.

What Makes a Fall on Someone Else’s Property a Legal Claim

A fall alone does not create liability. Tennessee law requires property owners and operators to keep their premises reasonably safe and to deal with hazards they know about or should have discovered through reasonable inspection. That second phrase, “should have discovered,” is where most slip and fall cases are won or lost.

If a store employee spilled something and left it, the owner is treated as having known about it. If a customer spilled it two minutes before you slipped, the question becomes whether a reasonable inspection routine would have caught it. Defense lawyers lean on that gap. They will argue the hazard appeared too recently for anyone to have found it, or that it was so obvious you should have seen it yourself. Cleaning logs, inspection schedules, employee statements, and surveillance footage are what answer those arguments, and some of that evidence gets overwritten or discarded quickly.

The other piece is your own conduct. Tennessee follows modified comparative fault. If the defense can show you were partly responsible, say you were looking at your phone or wearing unsafe footwear on a posted wet floor, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. If your share reaches 50 percent or more, you are barred from recovering anything. Fault can also be assigned to people who are not parties to the lawsuit, and joint and several liability has been abolished in most negligence cases, so each defendant generally answers only for its own share. This is why insurers push so hard to shift blame onto injured people, and why a careful account of the scene matters from the first week.

Why Mount Juliet Families Choose Fox, Farley, Willis & Burnette

Clients who work with us deal directly with a legal team that handles the investigation, the insurance back-and-forth, and the paperwork while they focus on healing. There are no attorney fees in a personal injury case unless we recover compensation, and consultations are free. If your injuries make travel difficult, we can meet you at home or in the hospital. We also welcome Spanish-speaking clients; Michael C. Beehan is fluent in Spanish, and hablamos español.

Our trial lawyers have recovered over $100 million for clients, and our attorneys carry more than 170 years of combined experience. Two of our partners spent the early part of their careers defending insurance companies, trucking companies, and businesses, so they understand how property owners’ insurers evaluate and attack a fall claim from the inside. Bruce D. Fox, co-founder, has tried more than 125 jury trials, belongs to the American Board of Trial Advocates, and has been named to Mid-South Super Lawyers 17 times. He received the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award and served as the association’s president. Partner Brad C. Burnette holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and sits on the association’s Board of Governors, as does partner John Willis.

Results matter more than résumés. Our attorneys have recovered $3.4 million for a family after a fatal Morgan County collision, $2.3 million for a Knox County motorcyclist who lost his leg, and $1.5 million for a Knox County roofer who suffered a traumatic brain injury when his safety harness failed. Those are not fall cases, but they show what the firm does when an insurer undervalues a serious injury: we prepare the case to be tried. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Our attorneys are also regularly voted among Knoxville’s Top Attorneys by CityView Magazine.

What to Do After a Fall at a Store, Restaurant, or Rental Property

Start with your health. Get medical attention the same day if you can, even if you think you only twisted something. Hip fractures, shoulder tears, and head injuries from falls can show their full severity days later, and a gap between the fall and your first treatment gives the insurer an argument that something else caused the injury. Tell the provider exactly how you fell and where it hurts, since those early records become the foundation of your damages.

At the scene, report the fall to a manager or the property owner and ask that an incident report be made. Ask for a copy, or at least write down the name of the person who took it. Photograph the spot where you fell from several angles, including the floor surface, lighting, signage or lack of it, and anything that caused the fall, such as a wet patch, cracked pavement, or a loose mat. Photograph your shoes and your injuries. If anyone saw you fall, get a name and phone number before you leave. Keep the shoes you were wearing without cleaning or altering them.

Be careful with the property owner’s insurance company. Adjusters often call within days, sound friendly, and ask for a recorded statement. Those statements are used to pin down details that can later be framed as admissions, such as saying you were “not really watching where you were going.” You are not required to give one, and it is smart to talk with a lawyer first. Likewise, do not sign medical releases that give the insurer access to your full history, and do not post about the fall or your activities on social media.

Then watch the calendar. Most Tennessee personal injury lawsuits must be filed within one year of the injury, one of the shortest deadlines in the country. The period runs from the date you were hurt, not from when you finish treatment. It can extend to two years when criminal charges are brought against the person who caused the injury, but that rarely applies to a premises case. If the fall happened on government property, such as a public building or a city sidewalk, a separate law governs those suits and requires filing within 12 months, with caps on damages. If the injured person was a minor, the clock is generally paused until age 18. Property damage claims carry a three-year deadline, which is separate from your injury claim.

Where you file depends on the size and nature of the case. Tennessee’s General Sessions Courts hear civil matters up to limits set by law and local rules, while larger injury suits are generally filed in the county’s circuit court, a trial court of general jurisdiction. Which court is proper, and how a Wilson County case moves through it, is something we sort out when we evaluate your claim.

Common Fall Injuries and Where They Happen

• Wet and Slippery Floors: Spills in grocery aisles, restaurant kitchens and dining rooms, big-box store entrances during rain, and recently mopped surfaces without warning cones. The key issue is how long the hazard sat there and whether employees followed an inspection routine.
• Broken or Uneven Pavement: Cracked parking lots, potholes, raised sidewalk sections, and crumbling curbs at shopping centers and office complexes. Owners are expected to repair or warn about defects they know of or should have found.
• Poor Lighting and Stairways: Dim stairwells, missing handrails, worn treads, and unlit parking areas at hotels, apartment complexes, and commercial buildings. Building maintenance records often reveal that a problem had been reported before someone got hurt.
• Weather Hazards: Icy walkways and entrances in winter and rain tracked onto smooth flooring. Owners can be liable when they fail to treat or monitor surfaces they know become dangerous.
• Rental Property and Lodging Falls: Hazards at hotels, short-term rentals, and cabins, including loose rugs, unmarked steps, and rotted decks. Lodging operators owe guests a safe environment.
• Construction-Area Falls: Mount Juliet’s steady development means open trenches, debris, and temporary walkways near active sites. Responsibility can sit with a contractor, a subcontractor, or the property owner.
• Hot Tub, Pool, and Spa Incidents: Slippery decks, missing drain covers, electrical faults, and bacterial exposure at resorts and rental properties. These claims can involve both a fall and a separate health injury.
• Fall-Related Head and Hip Injuries: Traumatic brain injuries, hip fractures, and shoulder surgeries that change how a person works and lives. The long-term medical picture drives the value of the claim.

How Damages Are Measured in a Tennessee Fall Case

Recoverable losses fall into two groups. Economic damages cover medical bills, future treatment and rehabilitation, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity. Tennessee does not cap economic damages. Noneconomic damages cover pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life, and these are generally limited to $750,000, or $1 million in defined catastrophic cases such as paraplegia, quadriplegia, or the loss of both hands or feet. The cap is applied by the court after a verdict and is not disclosed to the jury. The limits do not apply in certain circumstances, such as when a defendant intentionally caused the harm, was intoxicated, or destroyed evidence.

For most fall victims, the larger fight is over the true cost of the injury. A broken hip in an older adult can mean surgery, months of rehabilitation, and a permanent loss of independence. Insurers will often offer a fast settlement that covers the first round of bills and nothing else. Before accepting anything, you need a clear view of future care and how the injury affects your ability to work. Once you sign a release, the claim is over.

Slip and Fall Questions We Hear from Mount Juliet Residents

How long do I have to file a slip and fall lawsuit in Tennessee?

Generally one year from the date of the fall. Claims against government entities must be filed within 12 months, and a child’s deadline is paused until age 18. Missing the deadline usually ends your case, so do not wait.

What if I was partly at fault for my fall?

You can still recover as long as your share of fault is under 50 percent. Your award is reduced by your percentage. At 50 percent or more, recovery is barred, which is why the defense works to inflate your share of blame.

Do I have to prove the owner knew about the hazard?

You must show the owner either knew or should have known. Knowledge can be shown by employee involvement, prior complaints, or evidence the hazard existed long enough that a reasonable inspection would have found it.

How much does it cost to hire your firm?

Nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee, so we are paid only if we recover compensation for you, and the initial consultation is free.

Should I give the property owner’s insurer a recorded statement?

You are not required to, and it is wise to speak with a lawyer first. Recorded statements are used to find inconsistencies and to build a comparative fault argument against you.

What evidence matters most in a fall case?

Photographs of the hazard, surveillance video, incident reports, witness names, your medical records, and the property’s maintenance and inspection logs. Video and logs can be erased on routine schedules, so early action to preserve them helps.

Will my health insurance cover treatment while my claim is pending?

Often yes, and you should use it so you do not delay care. Your insurer may have a right to be repaid from any recovery, so those reimbursement claims need to be handled as part of the settlement.

Is it worth hiring a lawyer for a minor fall?

If you had no lasting injury and minimal bills, you may not need one. If you needed surgery, missed work, or still have symptoms, insurers tend to undervalue claims from unrepresented people, and a lawyer can often change the outcome.

What if I fell at a hotel or rental while visiting from out of state?

We represent many out-of-state visitors. We handle the investigation, insurance negotiations, and court filings in Tennessee and keep you updated by phone and email so you do not have to keep returning.

Can I recover if I fell at work?

Workers’ compensation is generally your only remedy against your own employer. But if a third party, such as a property owner or contractor on a job site, caused your fall, you may have a separate third-party claim that can include pain and suffering.

What happens if the owner’s insurer denies my claim?

A denial is not the end. Insurers often deny first and negotiate later. If they refuse to pay what the case is worth, our trial lawyers are prepared to file suit and take it before a jury.

How long does a slip and fall case take?

It depends on the injury. Claims should not be settled until you reach maximum medical improvement, so the full cost of your injuries is known. Cases that go to suit take longer than those resolved in negotiation.

Serving Mount Juliet and Wilson County Slip and Fall Clients

We represent injured people in Mount Juliet and throughout Wilson County, where the courts of the 15th Judicial District serve the county’s residents. That includes nearby Lebanon and Watertown, and neighboring communities across Middle Tennessee, including Hermitage, Donelson, and Nashville in neighboring Davidson County. Our reach extends across the state, from Nashville and Memphis to Johnson City and everywhere in between.

We also serve clients throughout East Tennessee, including Knoxville and Knox County, Maryville and Blount County, Sevierville, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge in Sevier County, Clinton and Anderson County, LaFollette and Campbell County, and Roane, Claiborne, Morgan, Jefferson, and Monroe counties. Wherever you were hurt, we can review your case, explain your options, and travel to you when your injuries make it hard to come to us.

Talk With a Mount Juliet Slip and Fall Attorney Today

If a fall has left you with medical bills, time away from work, and an insurance adjuster asking for a statement, talk with a Mount Juliet slip and fall attorney at Fox, Farley, Willis & Burnette before you decide anything. The consultation is free, you owe no fees unless we recover compensation for you, and the one-year filing deadline is already running. Call us to talk through what happened and what your claim may be worth.