Articles & News

insurancedefense

Over $250,000.00 Recovered in Sexual Harassment Case Against Tennessee Restaurant

Attorney Jason Lee recently recovered over $250,000.00 in a sexual harassment case against a restaurant. The sexual harassment was severe, and the case was heavily litigated, including depositions. The Defendants claimed they did nothing wrong, but ultimately, the case resolved in our client’s favor. Some cases resolve quickly. Other cases take years of effort and […]

Law

Over $4,500,000.00 Recovered for Clients in Sexual Harassment Cases in 2023 by Attorney Jason Lee

In 2023 attorney Jason Lee was able to recover over $4,500,000.00 for clients in sexual harassment and sexual assault cases. If you have any situation like this, contact Jason Lee. Some of our clients provided the following reviews about Jason Lee’s work on sexual harassment cases: I looked high and low for attorneys and I […]

employmentlaw

Over $450,000.00 Recovered for Clients in Sexual Harassment Case Against Large Transportation Company.

Attorney Jason Lee was able to recover over $450,000.00 for two clients against a large transportation company after years of litigation. This case required a lot of discovery and depositions, but ultimately our clients received substantial money to compensate them for what they went through at the hands of a serial sexual harasser. One of […]

employmentlaw

Over $2,500,000.00 Awarded or Settled in 2023 in First Half of the Year (through June 29, 2023).

In 2023, over $2,500,000.00 has been awarded or received by settlement for clients of Attorney Jason Lee involving sexual harassment. We have been aggressively litigating and resolving cases for our clients that involve sexual harassment and sexually hostile work environment claims. These cases are across the State of Tennessee. If you need an attorney for […]

Law

Davidson County Jury Awards $450,000.00 Against Metro Police Department for Sexual Harassment of Our Client

On June 28, 2023, a Davidson County jury awarded $450,000.00 to our client in a sexual harassment case that was filed against the Metro Nashville Police Department in February 2020. This case proceeded to trial this week and attorney Jason Lee handled the jury trial. This case was pending over 3 years (it was filed […]

Law

Three Sexual Harassment Cases Resolved for Over $300,000.00 Each in the Last 2 months – Seven Cases totaling over $1,700,000.00

Attorney Jason Lee has resolved three Tennessee sexual harassment cases in the last 2 months totaling over $300,000.00 for each case. In fact, we have resolved 7 cases in the last two months totaling over $1,700,000.00 for our clients on sexual harassment and sexual assault matters.  Some of our clients have recently reviewed the work of […]

employmentlaw

Another Significant Settlement Reached After Years of Litigation in Sexual Harassment Case

Attorney Jason Lee recently reached a very significant settlement after several years of litigation in a sexual harassment case. This case was very close to going to a jury trial in Tennessee, but instead, a confidential settlement was reached before trial. Our client reviewed Jason Lee as follows: The Best Lawyer there is. Best phone […]

insurancedefense

$4.72 million verdict in Tennessee sexual harassment jury trial in Knox County

In February 2022 attorney Jason Lee went to trial in Knox County Chancery Court in a sexual harassment case that was filed in 2019.  This case required significant discovery, depositions and motion practice. The Defendants failed to accept responsibility for what they did to our client and never offered any money to try to settle […]

Law

Court of Appeals Decision Reverses Trial Court Dismissal of Sexual Harassment Case in Matter Handled by Attorney Jason Lee

The Tennessee Court of Appeals reversed the dismissal of a sexual harassment case by the trial court in a matter that was handled by Attorney Jason Lee (Kelly L. Phelps v. State of Tennessee, 634 S.W.3d 721 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2021)).  The trial court ruled that the sexual harassment case could not proceed because the […]

employmentlaw

$170,000.00+ settlement reached in significant Sexual Harassment case

Attorney Jason A. Lee settled a longstanding sexual harassment case that has been in litigation for several years.  His client was sexually assaulted at a work event and then the employer mishandled the sex harassment investigation.  We had to litigate this case hard due to the failure of the employer to take responsibility for their […]

Law

$110,000+ settlement reached in sexual harassment case

Attorney Jason Lee was able to resolve another sexual harassment case against a large Tennessee Employer.  This case was resolved after extensive discovery and depositions of the parties in this case.  Our client wrote the following review about the work of Attorney Jason Lee on this sexual harassment case: I was totally over my head […]

insurancedefense

Over $10 Million Recovered For Clients in Last Four Years

Attorney Jason Lee has now received awards or settlements of over $10,000,000 for our clients in the last four years.  Almost all of these cases are sexual harassment cases.  We are proud of our record in fighting for women in sexual harassment situations. We do not take cases to quickly settle them.  We take cases […]

employmentlaw

$220,000 + settlement in sexual harassment case

Attorney Jason A. Lee recently settled a large sexual harassment case before the lawsuit was even filed. There was a repeated and consistent amount of sexual harassment from a very high-level official in a company in middle Tennessee against women who worked for him. Our client was treated inappropriately by being touched in a sexual […]

Law

$160,000 + settlement in sexual harassment case

Attorney Jason A. Lee recently settled a sexual harassment case in litigation involving a large regional service provider company.  His client was treated inappropriately by being touched and by being consistently made a sexual object at work.  The employer ignored her reports and did nothing to protect her from the sexual harassment.  There were multiple […]

insurancedefense

Six Figure+ Settlement in Severe Sexual Harassment Case

Attorney Jason A. Lee recently settled another sexual harassment case in litigation involving the automotive industry.  His client was treated inappropriately by being touched, by being subjected to inappropriate sexual comments and by receiving sexual text messages.  There were multiple Defendants involved in the case and they decided to resolve the case before depositions, for […]

employmentlaw

Sexual Harassment Settlement in Construction Industry

We recently resolved a substantial sexual harassment case against a large construction industry company.  Our client was subjected to unlawful and unwanted touching and sexual comments – clearly violating Tennessee Law.  We were able to settle this case for a substantial sum before we needed to get into discovery in this case.  The reason is […]

insurancedefense

Another Sexual Harassment Case Settlement – Client Review

We recently settled another sexual harassment case against a restaurant company.  This was a substantial settlement for our client based on the facts of this case after we litigated the case for over one year.  Our client reviewed the work of Attorney Jason A. Lee as follows: Great Attorney Will Recommend Him: 5.0 stars In […]

employmentlaw

Six Figure + Settlement reached in Sexual Harassment Case

We very recently were able to obtain a very substantial six figure + settlement for our client in a sexual harassment case.  This was a case that we were able to resolve before depositions and discovery based on the facts of the case and our success in early motions to dismiss the claim.  We were […]

insurancedefense

$490,000.00 Settlement Reached in Sexual Harassment case

A large national company paid a settlement of $490,000.00 to settle a sexual harassment case that was litigated for almost two years by attorney Jason Lee.  There were numerous motions, depositions and lengthy discovery completed in the case in order to maximize the value of the case for our client.  Our client reviewed our legal […]

employmentlaw

Significant Multi Six Figure Settlement Reached in Upskirt Photos Case!

Attorney Jason Lee recently successfully concluded a case against a major national retailer for a situation where our client had upskirt photos taken of her while shopping.  This case was heavily litigated and resulted in a very significant settlement for our client.  Our client provided the following review of Attorney Jason Lee: I contacted several lawyers […]

Law

Another Significant Sexual Harassment Settlement for Client

We recently obtained a significant sexual harassment settlement for a case pending in Davidson County, Tennessee.  This case was litigated including extensive written discovery and document production.  Also, multiple depositions were taken, putting significant pressure on the employer to answer for their sexually harassing behavior.  This resulted in a very significant settlement award that was […]

employmentlaw

Six-Figure Settlement Obtained for Client in Sexual Harassment Case Against National Employer

We recently obtained a very significant six-figure settlement against a large national employer in a severe sexual harassment case.  This case was settled prior to the filing of a lawsuit.  The facts and evidence were clearly outlined and provided to the employer and they settled in order to avoid a lawsuit.  Our client provided the […]

Law

Significant Sexual Harassment Settlement Obtained for Client Against Construction Company

We obtained a very significant settlement for our client in a severe sexual harassment case against a construction company.  The terms of the settlement are confidential, however, our client obtained a very significant monetary settlement rightbefore trial.  This case was heavily litigated through depositions and motions for summary judgment in order to maximize the value […]

employmentlaw

Tennessee Caps on Damages for Sexual Harassment Cases

Tennessee sexual harassment cases that are brought against an employer are governed by the Tennessee Human Rights Act. The underlying basis for claims against an employer for sexual harassment fall under the provision in T.C.A. § 4-21-401 that provides that it is a discriminatory practice for an employer to “fail or refuse to hire or […]

workerscompensation

Court Awards Attorney’s Fees Against Employer/Insurer for Failure to Timely Initiate Benefits

In Thompson v. Comcast Corp., et al, 2017-05-0639, State File No. 63224-2016 (filed January 30, 2018) the Court awarded attorney’s fees when an employer/insurer failed to timely initiate benefits. To gain insight on how the Court reached it’s determination it is important to consider the factual circumstances. During the course of the litigation and through the […]

Law

Tennessee Tort of “Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress”

Tennessee has the tort of Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress which is an important cause of action that allows a plaintiff to recover damages when the conduct of the defendant is outrageous. There are very specific requirements for a plaintiff to be able to prove this cause of action in court. In order to support […]

insurancedefense

Tennessee Supreme Court Overturns COA Dedmon case – Key Decision for Personal Injury cases on Medical Bill Evidence

The Tennessee Supreme Court issued a very important decision recently on the appeal in the Dedmon case.  Many people have been waiting on this decision from the plaintiff’s side and the defendant’s side.  The Dedmon case was the case where the Tennessee Court of Appeals ruled that defendants, in personal injury cases, could introduce evidence […]

will

Impact of Divorce on Terms in a Will that Benefit the Former Spouse in Tennessee

When a Will is executed by someone, and then they are later divorced, the divorce revokes any benefits that were going to go to the former spouse under the Will.  This revocation is automatic and by statute that was passed by the Tennessee legislature.  T.C.A. § 32-1-202(a) provides as follows: (a) If after executing a […]

Law

Sexual Harassment and Sexually Hostile Work Environment Claims in Tennessee – General Overview

Sexual Harassment and Sexually Hostile Work Environment claims are both recognized in Tennessee under state law and federal Law (pursuant to Title VII).  These are very significant claims often involving the harassment of a female by a male supervisor or co-worker.  The standards for an employer’s liability are different under each of those scenarios (this […]

will

Should You Add Your Children to Your Financial Accounts When You Need Financial Assistance Later in Life?

A significant number of older individuals in Tennessee add one or more of their children to their bank accounts to help them manage their finances. They often do this as joint owners with right of survivorship in order to have them help to pay the bills and to take care of other matters late in […]

insurancedefense

There is No Claim for Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress on Solely Property Damage Loss Cases in Tennessee

The Tennessee Court of Appeals in Richard Lane, et al v. Estate of Gary K. Leggett, No. M2016-00448-COA-R3-CV, 2017 WL 1176982 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2017) discussed whether a Plaintiff can recover for Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress for a claim that involves only property damage. In this case, the Plaintiff owned a business in White […]

will

Can an Appointed Executor Contest the Will They Offered For Probate in Tennessee?

A really interesting question was addressed by the Tennessee Court of Appeals recently on whether an executor who submitted a Will for probate and was appointed as executor can subsequently contest the terms of the Will. The Tennessee Court of Appeals in the case of In Re: Estate of Ellra Donald Bostic, No. E2016-00553-COA-R3-CV, 2016 […]

Law

Piercing the Corporate Veil in Tennessee – When Can a Judgment Against a Corporation be the Personal Responsibility of the Shareholders?

The Tennessee Court of Appeals recently decided a case (F&M Marketing Services, Inc. v. Christenberry Trucking and Farm, Inc., E2016-00205-COA-R3-CV, 2017 WL 417223_(Tenn. Ct. App. 2017)) involving a request to pierce the corporate veil of a Defendant after the Plaintiff got a substantial judgment against that Defendant for breach of contract. The total judgment in […]

insurancedefense

Does Employer’s Admission of Vicarious Liability for Actions of Employee Insulate the Employer from Other Causes of Action?

The Tennessee Court of Appeals recently dealt with an issue that has not been previously discussed by Tennessee Appellate courts in Melanie Jones, Individually and on behalf of Matthew H. V. Shavonna Rachelle Windham, et al., No. W2015-00973-COA-R10-CV, 2016 WL 943722 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2016).  The question deal with the situation where an employer and […]

will

When is a Surviving Spouse Required to Make Election to Obtain Elective Share Against the Estate in Tennessee?

A surviving spouse has the ability to obtain an elective share (see prior post describing the details of an elective share under Tennessee law) of a decedent’s property by filing a notice with the court.  The surviving spouse is required to file a petition for an elective share within nine months after the date of […]

will

What Happens When an Insured Under a Life Insurance Policy and a Beneficiary Die Simultaneously in Tennessee?

Sometimes an individual who has a life insurance policy dies at the same time as a beneficiary.  Obviously, this does not happen very often, but it does happen on occasion.  Most often, when this occurs, it is simply just impossible to determine who actually died first.  In Tennessee, we have a statute that addresses this […]

Law

Misrepresentation of Licensed Contractor Status in Tennessee Can Cause Significant Liability

Tennessee law is clear that any person, firm or corporation who misrepresents that they are a licensed contractor is subject to significant penalties.  It is also against Tennessee law to act in the capacity of a “contractor” in Tennessee when one is not properly licensed.  Specifically, T.C.A. § 62-6-136 discusses this issue in subsection (A) […]

workerscompensation

The Admissibility of Expert Testimony of a Vocational Consultant in Workers’ Compensation Cases on the Subject of an Employee’s Disability

The Supreme Court of Tennessee Special Workers’ Compensation Appeals Panel recently decided a matter involving the relevancy and admissibility of the testimony of a vocational consultant regarding an injured employee’s total disability. Miller v. State, No. E2015-00034-SC-R3-WC, 2015 WL 7013864 (Tenn. Workers Comp. Panel November 5, 2015) involved an Employee for the University of Tennessee. […]

insurancedefense

“Reasonable” Medical Expenses in Tennessee (Amount Billed or Amount Paid?) – The Law After West and Dedmon for Personal Injury Litigation

A very important Tennessee Court of Appeals opinion was issued on June 2, 2016. In this case, Jean Dedmon v. Debbie Steelman, No. W2015-01462-COA-R9-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. June 2, 2016), the Court discussed whether the amount an insurance company actually pays for medical services in a personal injury action, is, as a matter of law, […]

will

What Happens When Joint Owners of a Bank Account Die Simultaneously in Tennessee?

Sometimes, two individuals who own a bank account as joint tenants with right of survivorship or tenants by the entirety, die at the same time. In this situation, the question is, what happens to the money in those accounts? Normally, joint tenant accounts with Right of Survivorship immediately pass to the surviving individual on the […]

Law

Plaintiff in Tennessee Slip and Fall Case Must Identify Object that Caused Fall

A recent Tennessee Court of Appeals decision, Hilda Willis v. McDonalds Restaurants of Tennessee, Inc., No. E2015-00615-COA-R3-CV, 2015 WL 9426271 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2015), involved a slip and fall at a McDonald’s in Tennessee and it provided an interesting issue.  In this case the plaintiff was maneuvering around the area where drinks were served at […]

will

How Do You Establish “Undue Influence” in Tennessee When Contesting a Tennessee Will?

One of the most common ways that Tennessee Wills are contested is based on the theory of “undue influence”.  This is a broad category where a will can be contested based on the theory that the person benefitting from the Will exhibited influence over the decedent in an inappropriate manner.  One example would be where […]

insurancedefense

Tennessee Homeowners Must Have Notice of a Dog’s Dangerous Propensities to be Liable in a Dog Bite Case

A recent Tennessee Court of Appeals decision dealt with an interesting dog bite case question.  In Moore v. Gaut, 2015 WL 9584389 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2015) the plaintiff was bitten by the defendant’s Great Dane dog while the dog was in the Defendant’s own fenced in back yard.  The plaintiff was actually on the other […]

insurancedefense

Tennessee Supreme Court Modifies Spoliation of Evidence Doctrine By Removing Intentional Misconduct Requirement

Tennessee has long had a doctrine of spoliation of evidence which allows the trial court to draw negative inferences or even provide dismissal against a party who destroys evidence.  Historically, Tennessee courts have required the presence of actual intentional misconduct to invoke the doctrine of spoliation of evidence particularly when providing the remedy of a […]

workerscompensation

Reconsideration of Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Benefits After Termination for Cause

In Stacey v. Nissan North America, Inc., No. M2014-00796-SC-R3-WC, 2015 WL 6119501 (Tenn. Workers Comp. Panel October 15, 2015) the Supreme Court of Tennessee Special Workers’ Compensation Appeals Panel assessed an Employee’s right to reconsideration of prior workers’ compensation awards following the Employee’s termination. A claimant’s request for reconsideration of a prior award or settlement […]

medicalmalpractice

Tennessee Supreme Court Clarifies Which Cases Are Subject to Tennessee Health Care Liability Act Requirements

The Tennessee Supreme Court recently handed down a very important medical malpractice decision in Adam Ellithorpe v. Janet Weismark, 2015 WL 5853873 (Tenn. 2015).  In this new decision, the Tennessee Supreme Court considered whether its prior opinion of Estate of French v. Stratford House, 333 S.W.3d 546 (Tenn. 2011) was overruled by legislation found in […]

Law

Tennessee Court of Appeals Confirms Forum Selection Clauses are Enforceable in Tennessee Contracts

The Tennessee Court of Appeals recently discussed forum selection clauses found in contracts.  These are clauses that select the jurisdiction and court that will handle any disputes involving the contract.  The case of The Cohn Law Firm v. YP Southeast Advertising & Publishing, LLC, 2015 WL 3883242 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2015) involved a dispute between […]

employmentlaw

What Kinds of Social Media Posts Provide a Legitimate Basis for Termination?

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) gives employees the right to engage in protected, concerted activity and discuss the terms and conditions of their employment. This, however, is not a free pass for all types of communication. In Richmond District Neighborhood Center, Case No. 20-CA-091748 the NLRB determined there were some postings in social media […]

will

How Do You Contest an Individual’s “Lack of Testamentary Capacity” to Execute a Will in Tennessee?

One way to contest a will in Tennessee is to assert that the decedent had a “lack of testamentary capacity”.  Basically, this is an assertion that the individual who executed the will was not actually competent to execute the will.  Tennessee has many cases that discuss this claim in the context, most often, of a […]

insurancedefense

Tennessee Supreme Court Assesses when Tennessee can Apply Retaliatory Taxes on Insurance Companies from Other States

The Tennessee Supreme Court recently interpreted the laws of a foreign state in order to determine whether or not the State of Tennessee could impose a “retaliatory tax” on insurance companies based in the foreign state who operated in Tennessee as authorized workers’ compensation coverage providers. See Chartis Casualty Company et al. v. State of […]

businesslitigation

Tennessee Whistleblower Claim Requires Reporting Illegal Conduct to Other Than Wrongdoer

Recently in Haynes v. Formac Stables, Inc., Judge Wade authored a Tennessee Supreme Court opinion which dismissed a retaliatory discharge case brought pursuant to both common law and the Tennessee Public Protection Act. The Complaint alleged the owner of the business had engaged in illegal conduct and had terminated the employee when he acted as a […]

insurancedefense

Tennessee’s One Year Personal Injury Statute of Limitations Extended to Two Years when Criminal Charges are Brought

The 2015 Tennessee legislature passed Public Chapter No. 388 that extends the typical one year statute of limitation for personal injury causes of action (as well as other cause of actions) in certain situations.  This new law went into effect for all causes of action that accrue on or after July 1, 2015.   This statute […]

will

Who Has Standing to Contest a Will in Tennessee?

In Tennessee, a party who is going to contest a will must have proper “standing” to actually contest the will.  This basically means that the individual must have the authority under Tennessee Law to contest the will before they can do so.  If they do not have proper standing, then the Court will simply dismiss […]

workerscompensation

Overcoming Medical Impairment Registry Physician’s Opinion on Anatomical Impairment Rating Requires Clear and Convincing Evidence in Tennessee

Recently, the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Panel had the opportunity to address how a Medical Impairment Registry physician’s opinion on an anatomical impairment rating may be overcome in the case of Victory v. Bob Duck Wiler d/b/a Custom Concrete Design, (September 8, 2015). In this matter numerous physicians were of the opinion the claimant had nonspecific […]

employmentlaw

The Tennessee Supreme Court Determines There is No Cause of Action for Purported Retaliatory Failure to Hire Due to Prior Workers Compensation Claim.

In Kighwaunda V. Yardley v. Hospital Housekeeping Systems, LCC, the Tennessee Supreme Court determined there was not a viable cause of action in Tennessee for retaliatory failure to hire due to a prior workers compensation claim.  There has, however, long been a cause of action for retaliatory discharge for asserting a work injury.  To be […]

workerscompensation

Breaking the Chain of Causation on Underlying Injury in Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Cases

Recently, the Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Panel addressed when an intervening incident may break the chain of causation for an underlying injury and eliminate further exposure.  United Parcel Service, Inc. v. Sabrina Brown, Tenn. Special WC App. Panel, No. M2014-01332-SC-R3-WC (Tenn. WC App. Panel, 2015).  In this case, the claimant injured her right knee on July […]

businesslitigation

Tennessee Legislature Clarifies that Franchisee Employees Are Not To Be Deemed Employees of the Franchisor

The Tennessee legislature in Public Chapter No. 114 clarified Tennessee law on who is considered the employer of franchisee employees. This was signed into law by Governor Bill Haslam on April 10, 2015 and took effect immediately. Specifically, employees of franchisees as well as franchisees themselves will not be “deemed to be an employee of […]

will

In Tennessee Can you Force an Estate to Distribute Assets to the Heirs?

I am often asked to become involved in Tennessee probate estates as the attorney for the beneficiaries of the estate.  Often this is done to make sure the estate is running appropriately and sometimes this is done because my clients simply do not trust the executor or administrator of the estate (both are good reasons […]

Law

Does Four Year Statute of Repose in T.C.A. § 28-3-202 Bar Tennessee Construction Defect Claims When Project is Not Complete?

The recent Tennessee Court of Appeals decision of Keith Gillis v. Covenant Health, 2015 WL 3563034 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2015) discussed the four year statute of repose found in T.C.A. § 28-3-202 for construction defect claims.  This statute of repose is a very good way to defeat many construction defect claims in Tennessee.  This particular […]

insurancedefense

When is a Manufacturer of a Product Liable for an Injury Caused by the Product in Tennessee?

Under Tennessee law a manufacturer of a product is not liable for injuries caused by the product unless it is found to be in a defective condition or unreasonably dangerous at the time it left the control of the manufacturer.  As a result, it can often be very important to determine exactly when the alleged […]

auto

If an Individual Passes Out While Driving a Vehicle in Tennessee, are they Responsible if they Cause an Accident?

The Tennessee Court of Appeals recently dealt with the question of the responsibility of an individual who becomes unconscious, while driving, causing an automobile accident.  The Tennessee Court of Appeals in George Smith v. General Tire and Emily Alexander, No. M2012-01446-COA-R3-CV, 2013 WL 2395047 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2013) involved a case where a man was […]

medicalmalpractice

Medical Malpractice – Ex-Parte Communications Between Medical Practice Defense Counsel and Non-Party Physicians Employed by Practice

The Tennessee Court of Appeals recently decided an important issue that comes up often in medical malpractice (health care liability) cause of actions in Tennessee.  The case of Cheryl Hall v. James H. Crenshaw, M.D. et al, No. W2013-00662-COA-R9-CV, 2014 WL 3555987 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2014) dealt with a situation where the plaintiff sued the […]

will

How Should you Respond to a Request to Waive Bond, Inventory and Accounting in a Tennessee Estate?

Sometimes when a Tennessee probate estate is opened up, the attorney handling the estate will provide a request to the beneficiaries to waive bond, inventory and accounting [“Bond” is basically an insurance bond to protect the assets of the estate if there is a failure by the executor.  “Inventory and Accounting” are required reports to […]

employmentlaw

Tennessee Passes “Employee Online Privacy Act of 2014” Preventing Employers from Obtaining Access to Personal Internet Accounts Like Facebook

The Tennessee Legislature recently passed the Employee Online Privacy Act of 2014.  This is found in 2014 Public Chapter 826.  This new statute will be found at T.C.A. § 50-1-1001 et seq. and takes effect on January 1, 2015.  This new statute basically prevents an employer from taking any adverse employment action against an employee […]

auto

New Tennessee Law Clarifies that Red Light Violation Does Not Occur When Vehicle’s Front Tires Have Entered Intersection When Light Turns Red

In the 2014 Tennessee Legislative session the Tennessee Legislature decided to clarify exactly what constitutes a red light violation in Tennessee.  The legislature amended T.C.A. § 55-8-110 which is the statute that discusses what traffic control signals mean for an intersection.  It defines and explains the meaning of the “green”, “yellow”, and “red” notifications on […]

Law

Tennessee Supreme Court Clarifies Way to Determine Applicable Statute of Limitations for a Case

The Tennessee Supreme Court in Brenda Benz-Elliott v. Barrett Enterprises, LP, No. M2013-00270-SC-R11-CV, 2015 WL 294635 (Tenn. 2015) has provided an opinion that attempts to clarify how statute of limitations should be applied for Tennessee cases.  Over the years numerous Tennessee appellate decisions have cited the “gravaman of the complaint” rule in order to determine […]

medicalmalpractice

Tennessee Supreme Court Decides Failure to Satisfy Pre-Suit Notice Requirements for Healthcare Liability Action Results in Dismissal Without Prejudice

A recent Tennessee Supreme Court decision, Samuel E. Foster v. Walter William Chiles, III, M.D., et al., No. E2012-01780-SC-R11-CV, 2015 WL 343872 (Tenn. 2015), decided the appropriate remedy for non-compliance with pre-suit notice requirements in T.C.A. § 29-26-121 for a healthcare liability action under Tennessee law.  Specifically, T.C.A. § 29-26-121(a)(1) provides the following requirements: (a)(1) […]

workerscompensation

Can an unrepresented employee have a workers’ compensation settlement approved by affidavit for injuries which occurred on July 1, 2014 or subsequently in Tennessee?

In the past courts in the State of Tennessee approved settlements of employees who were not represented by affidavit.  This is especially true for those claims in which the claimant was receiving an award which approximated the value of the claim and the employee retained the right to open medical treatment per the terms and […]

insurancedefense

Tennessee Premises Owners Not Responsible to Protect Patrons from Violence that Occurs Off of Their Property

The Tennessee Court of Appeals decided a recent interesting case involving a shooting that occurred just outside of the property of a youth outreach ministry. The Jerterrius Marshawn Akridge v. Fathom, Inc., No. 2014-00711-COA-R9-CV, 2015 WL 97946 (Tenn. 2015) decision dealt with a shooting that occurred close to, but clearly outside of the property of […]