Serious Facial Injury Case Against Metro Nashville Under Tennessee’s GTLA

On January 4, 2024, Metro Nashville Water Services employee Riley Olson suffered a life‑changing facial injury while repairing a leaking water main in downtown Nashville. Mr. Olson was cutting a water main when a cut‑off saw violently kicked back into his face. He sustained multiple facial fractures, a deep and jagged facial laceration, permanent scarring and disfigurement, and significant psychological trauma.

DRS Law represented Mr. Olson in a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County under the Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act (GTLA). The case settled for over $235,000. Given Tennessee’s $300,000 per‑person damages cap for GTLA personal injury claims, this result provided meaningful compensation while avoiding the delay, expense, and uncertainty of trial. For a Nashville resident wondering how GTLA lawsuits work—and how a serious injury attorney can help—this case offers a clear example.

How This GTLA Lawsuit Helped Improve Safety for Metro Workers

This case did far more than compensate one worker for a permanent facial scar—it helped push Metro Nashville to improve safety practices for its crews. After Mr. Olson’s injury and the filing of his GTLA claim, Metro Water Services stopped using the specific cut‑off saw involved in the incident. The agency replaced it with a modern cut‑off machine equipped with wheel‑brake technology that stops the blade in less than a second during a kickback.

Metro also purchased new helmets rated for high‑impact hazards and hired an outside safety consultant to review procedures and training. These changes reduce the risk that other Metro employees will suffer severe facial injuries or permanent disfigurement during similar work. Much like Ralph Nader’s “unsafe at any speed” campaign pushed the auto industry toward safer design, this GTLA case exposed preventable dangers and helped encourage Metro to modernize its safety standards.

Suing Metro Nashville: Government Immunity and the GTLA

Suing Metro Nashville or any local government in Tennessee is not like suing a private company. Government entities are usually protected by immunity unless a statute waives that protection. The Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act provides specific exceptions—including when a governmental employee commits a negligent act or omission within the scope of employment.

In Mr. Olson’s case, DRS Law brought a GTLA claim based on operational negligence at the jobsite, including:

• Directing employees to cut a water main in saturated, unstable soil without adequate pipe support
• Failing to use blocks or straps to stabilize the pipe and prevent kickback
• Providing inadequate eye and face protection that did not meet modern impact standards

By focusing on day‑to‑day negligent acts in the field, the case avoided the “discretionary function” defense often used to block claims involving high‑level policy decisions. This strategic framing allowed the serious injury lawsuit to proceed and ultimately led to a favorable settlement against Metro Nashville.

In addition to representing Metro employees, DRS Law also helps members of the public bring GTLA claims when they’re injured due to Metro’s negligence. Third parties can sue Metro for falls at public facilities, dangerous conditions on city sidewalks, and unsafe construction conditions—areas that overlap with our work as a construction accident lawyer team.

Our firm has helped clients recover for a serious fall at the airport and for injuries caused by a defectively maintained sidewalk—cases similar to the work we handle as a slip and fall accident lawyer for those hurt on public property. We apply the same GTLA analysis and safety‑focused approach in those cases as we did in Mr. Olson’s severe facial injury case.

Injury On Duty Benefits vs. Workers’ Compensation

A critical issue in this case was Mr. Olson’s benefit structure. Metro Nashville did not provide him with traditional workers’ compensation coverage. Instead, his medical care was paid through Metro’s Injury On Duty (IOD) program.

This distinction matters. In a typical private‑sector case, workers’ compensation is the exclusive remedy against the employer—meaning employees usually cannot sue their employer for negligence. But because Mr. Olson received IOD benefits rather than workers’ compensation, he was not barred by the exclusive‑remedy rule. He could still bring a GTLA negligence claim against Metro Nashville, even when the negligent acts involved his fellow Metro employees.

This structure is what allowed DRS Law to pursue a serious facial injury and permanent scarring lawsuit against a governmental entity—an option that would be blocked in a typical workers’ compensation case.

How DRS Law Helps in Serious Injury and Government Liability Cases

Mr. Olson’s case highlights the type of serious injury and governmental liability work DRS Law handles for clients in Nashville and across Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia. Our attorneys represent individuals with life‑changing injuries—including permanent facial scarring, disfigurement, fractures, and psychological trauma—in cases involving both private defendants and local governments.

In GTLA cases and lawsuits against Metro Nashville, DRS Law:

• Evaluates whether immunity is waived under the Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act
• Identifies and focuses on negligent acts of governmental employees
• Strategically avoids immunity defenses such as the discretionary‑function doctrine
• Documents the full extent of serious injuries, including permanent facial scars, reconstructive surgeries, or PTSD
• Maximizes compensation available under the GTLA damages cap
• Uses litigation pressure to encourage broader safety improvements in the Nashville community

If you suffered a serious facial injury, permanent scarring, or another life‑changing injury while working for Metro Nashville or on government property in Tennessee, DRS Law can evaluate whether a GTLA claim or other lawsuit is possible despite complex immunity rules and benefit programs.

FAQ: Serious Injuries and Suing Metro Nashville

Can I sue Metro Nashville for a serious injury at work?

Possibly. Some workers can bring a lawsuit under the GTLA when negligent acts of Metro employees cause serious injuries. Whether you can sue depends on immunity rules and what benefit system applies to your case.

What is the Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act (GTLA)?

The GTLA governs when someone can sue a city, county, or local government for personal injuries. It outlines immunity rules, exceptions, and damages caps.

Can I sue for facial scarring if I was hurt while working for the city?

In some situations, yes—particularly where you received Injury On Duty benefits instead of workers’ compensation and where Metro employees’ negligence caused your injuries.

How do I know if I have a GTLA case?

Your ability to sue depends on how immunity applies, whether negligence can be tied to operational acts of city employees, and what benefit system covered your injury. A legal evaluation is essential.

If you have questions about facial scarring lawsuits, serious injury claims, or suing Metro Nashville under the GTLA, you can contact DRS Law to speak with a Nashville serious injury attorney about your options.