Tennessee · Coal ash, exposure and possible
Coal ash, exposure and possible claims in Tennessee
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| Filing deadline | 1 year PI (TCA § 28-3-104), 3 years propertyCode Annotated § 28-3-104 |
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Deadlines vary with the facts of each case. A lawyer can confirm yours.
Updated
01 · Your filing deadline
What is the deadline in Tennessee?
Tennessee Code Annotated § 28-3-104 provides a 1-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims — one of the shortest in the nation. Property damage claims carry a 3-year limitations period under TCA § 28-3-105. The discovery rule applies to toxic exposure claims. A lawyer can confirm yours.
Tennessee's 1-year PI SOL applies to illnesses potentially connected to coal ash exposure, so patients should consult an attorney upon diagnosis.
Source: Code Annotated § 28-3-104
Deadlines vary; a lawyer can confirm yours. An older diagnosis or a past filing window does not, by itself, establish whether you have a claim.
02 · Where cases are heard
Where would my case be heard?
Tennessee is home to the largest coal ash disaster in United States history. On December 22, 2008, a containment dike at TVA's Kingston Fossil Plant in Roane County failed, releasing 1.1 billion gallons of coal ash slurry — 5.4 million cubic yards — across 300 acres of land and into the Emory and Clinch Rivers. The catastrophe buried homes, destroyed property, and contaminated waterways. Tragically, many of the cleanup workers hired by Jacobs Engineering later developed cancer, pulmonary disease, and other illnesses, with dozens dying — a scandal that exposed the deadly toxicity of coal ash and the contractor's failure to provide adequate protective equipment.
Tennessee state court claims proceed in Circuit or Chancery Courts. The primary venue for Kingston spill claims is Roane County Circuit Court (Kingston). Federal claims are filed in EDTN (Knoxville). Tennessee applies a modified comparative fault system — plaintiff recovery is reduced by their percentage of fault and barred if equal to or greater than 50%. The Kingston cleanup worker litigation (Adkisson v. Jacobs Engineering) established critical precedent for coal ash exposure claims, with a jury finding that Jacobs Engineering failed to protect workers from toxic coal ash dust.
How this works nationally
For the overall process and updates, read the Coal ash, exposure and possible overview. This page covers the local information available for Tennessee.
What happens when I check?
You answer a few short questions about what happened. If you send them, your answers are kept on file. If a participating law firm takes these cases, it may contact you. People's Justice is not a law firm.
Live in Tennessee? Read what applies in your state.
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- Code Annotated § 28-3-104