Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201 (2026)
Notice of injury
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a)
- (1) Every injured employee or the injured employee's representative shall, immediately upon the occurrence of an injury, or as soon thereafter as is reasonable and practicable, give or cause to be given to the employer who has no actual notice, written notice of the injury, and the employee shall not be entitled to physician's fees or to any compensation that may have accrued under this chapter, from the date of the accident to the giving of notice, unless it can be shown that the employer had actual knowledge of the accident. No compensation shall be payable under this chapter, unless the written notice is given to the employer within fifteen (15) days after the occurrence of the accident, unless reasonable excuse for failure to give the notice is made to the satisfaction of the tribunal to which the claim for compensation may be presented.
- (2) The notice of the occurrence of an accident by the employee required to be given to the employer shall state in plain and simple language the name and address of the employee and the time, place, nature, and cause of the accident resulting in injury or death. The notice shall be signed by the claimant or by some person authorized to sign on the claimant's behalf, or by any one (1) or more of the claimant's dependents if the accident resulted in death to the employee.
- (3) No defect or inaccuracy in the notice shall be a bar to compensation, unless the employer can show, to the satisfaction of the workers' compensation judge before which the matter is pending, that the employer was prejudiced by the failure to give the proper notice, and then only to the extent of the prejudice.
- (4) The notice shall be given personally to the employer or to the employer's agent or agents having charge of the business at which the injury was sustained by the employee.
- (b) In those cases where the injuries occur as the result of gradual or cumulative events or trauma, then the injured employee or the injured employee's representative shall provide notice of the injury to the employer within fifteen (15) days after the employee:
- (1) Knows or reasonably should know that the employee has suffered a work-related injury that has resulted in permanent physical impairment; or
- (2) Is rendered unable to continue to perform the employee's normal work activities as the result of the work-related injury and the employee knows or reasonably should know that the injury was caused by work-related activities.
Acts 1919, ch. 123, § 22; Shan. Supp., § 3608a171; Code 1932, § 6872; impl. am. Acts 1980, ch. 534, § 1; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 50-1001; Acts 2001, ch. 219, § 1; 2006, ch. 1014, § 3; 2013, ch. 289, § 29; 2016, ch. 1056, § 1.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 192
cases (48 in the last 5 years), 1983–2026 · leading case: Lyle v. Exxon Corp., 746 S.W.2d 694 (Tenn. 1988).
Lyle v. Exxon Corp., 746 S.W.2d 694 (Tenn. 1988). “T.C.A. § 50-6-201 provides that notice must be given to the employer within thirty days after the occurrence of the accident, “unless reasonable excuse for failure to give such notice is made to the satisfaction of the tribunal to which the claim for compensation may be…”
Banks v. United Parcel Serv., Inc., 170 S.W.3d 556 (Tenn. 2005). “Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-201(a) provides: (a) Every injured employee or such injured employee’s representative shall, immediately upon the occurrence of an injury, or as soon thereafter as is reasonable and practicable, give or cause to be given to the employer who…”
Jones v. Sterling Last Corp., 962 S.W.2d 469 (Tenn. 1998). “We granted the motion for review to consider whether the trial court erred in dismissing the employee’s claim for benefits due to his failure to provide timely notice of his injury to the employer as required by Tenn.Code Ann. § 50-6-201. 1 After carefully examining the record…”
McCaleb v. Saturn Corp., 910 S.W.2d 412 (Tenn. 1995). “section 50-6-201; 3. Whether the trial court erred in awarding a 60% vocational disability to the employee; and 4.”
Whirlpool Corp. v. Ketkeo Nakhoneinh, 69 S.W.3d 164 (Tenn. 2002). “We granted this appeal to determine whether the employee proved by a preponderance of the evidence that (1) she complied with the notice requirement of Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201 and that (2) her injury was caused by her employment as required by TenmCode Ann.”
Blankenship v. Am. Ordnance Sys., LLS, 164 S.W.3d 350 (Tenn. 2005). “The employer raised as a defense the employee’s failure to give notice of the injury within 30 days as required by Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-201. The employer contends on appeal that the employee should not be allowed to recover even if her injury arose out of and in…”
Underwood v. Zurich Ins. Co., 854 S.W.2d 94 (Tenn. 1993). “See Tenn.Code Ann. § 50-6-201 (1991). The judgment in the initial action awarded the plaintiff all “reasonable and necessary future medical expenses .”
Puckett v. N.A.P. Consum. Elec. Corp., 725 S.W.2d 674 (Tenn. 1987). “The determinative issue in this workers’ compensation appeal is whether the trial judge erred in dismissing Plaintiff’s suit for failure to notify her employer in accordance with T.C.A. § 50-6-201. The injury occurred before July 1, 1985, therefore, on review the findings of…”
Pentecost v. Anchor Wire Corp., 695 S.W.2d 183 (Tenn. 1985). “In this suit for workers’ compensation benefits, the trial court dismissed the complaint at the end of the plaintiff’s proof on the basis that she had not given notice to the defendant within 30 days of the occurrence of her injury as required by T.C.A., § 50-6-201. This appeal…”
George v. Bldg. Materials Corp. of Am., 44 S.W.3d 481 (Tenn. 2001). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 50-6-201 provides an exception to the thirty-day notice requirement if the employer has actual notice of the injury.”
Julie Geronimo v. Caterpillar Inc., 440 F. App'x 442 (6th Cir. 2011). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201 . Geronimo admitted during her deposition that she was not claiming that Caterpillar ever tried to make examples of people who turned in injury reports by firing them, nor was she claiming that they were “out to get” her or “trying to get back” at her…”
Bogus v. Manpower Temp. Servs., 823 S.W.2d 544 (Tenn. 1992). “1978); T.C.A. § 50-6-201. However, in the area of general and special employers, there is no one rule of application which can determine or resolve the liability for compensation in every case.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201(3) — 2 cases
Mitchell, Sebastian v. AECOM d/b/a Shimmick Constr., Inc., 2021 TN WC App. 71 (Tenn. Work. Comp. App. Bd. 2021).
Ruggieri, June v. Amazon.com, LLC, 2021 TN WC App. 73 (Tenn. Work. Comp. App. Bd. 2021).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201(a) — 27 cases
Banks v. United Parcel Serv., Inc., 170 S.W.3d 556 (Tenn. 2005). “Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-201(a) provides: (a) Every injured employee or such injured employee’s representative shall, immediately upon the occurrence of an injury, or as soon thereafter as is reasonable and practicable, give or cause to be given to the employer who…”
Ernstes, Arlene v. Printpack, Inc., 2023 TN WC App. 23 (Tenn. Work. Comp. App. Bd. 2023).
Maples, Sallie v. Fed. âMogul Corp., 2016 TN WC 1 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2016).
Buckner, Douglas A. v. Eaton Corp., 2016 TN WC App. 61 (Tenn. Work. Comp. App. Bd. 2016).
Wiles, Ellen v. Dillards, 2017 TN WC 13 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2017).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201(a)(1) — 46 cases
Buckner, Douglas A. v. Eaton Corp., 2016 TN WC App. 61 (Tenn. Work. Comp. App. Bd. 2016).
Simmons, Patrick v. RHA/Trenton, Inc., 2016 TN WC 295 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2016).
Douglas, Angela v. ADIENT USA, LLC, 2018 TN WC 187 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2018).
Geasley, Alex v. Rutherford Farmers Coop, 2019 TN WC 39 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2019).
Meener, Musshur v. Amazon, 2024 TN WC App. 43 (Tenn. Work. Comp. App. Bd. 2024).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201(a)(2) — 2 cases
Buckner, Douglas A. v. Eaton Corp., 2016 TN WC 214 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2016).
Hoffman, Lindsey v. HCA Health Servs. of Tennessee, Inc., dba TriStar Summit Med. Ctr., 2025 TN WC App. 28 (Tenn. Work. Comp. App. Bd. 2025).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201(a)(2015) — 2 cases
Bethune, Brandon v. United Parcel Serv., Inc., 2016 TN WC 236 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2016).
Hill, Rueben v. Kroger, 2016 TN WC 237 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2016).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201(a)(3) — 25 cases
Hoard, III, William H. v. Pilgrim's Pride Corp., 2018 TN WC 93 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2018).
Mitchell, Sebastian v. AECOM d/b/a Shimmick Constr., Inc., 2021 TN WC App. 71 (Tenn. Work. Comp. App. Bd. 2021).
Scruggs, Carla v. Amazon.com Servs., LLC, 2022 TN WC App. 26 (Tenn. Work. Comp. App. Bd. 2022).
Arlene Ernstes v. Printpack, Inc., 2022 TN WC App. 42 (Tenn. Work. Comp. App. Bd. 2022).
Miner, Katherine Echardt v, Vaco Holding, LLC, 2016 TN WC 223 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2016).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201(a)(4) — 2 cases
Muffat, Cheryl L. v. The Blue Chair, Inc., 2015 TN WC 135 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2015).
Ruggieri, June v. Amazon.Com LLC, 2021 TN WC 185 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2021).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201(a)(l) — 17 cases
Thomas, Timmy v. Wal-Mart Assocs., Inc., 2016 TN WC 2 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2016).
Scales, Elijah v. Michael Sherlock, 2016 TN WC 18 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2016).
Mull, Benjamin v. Henkels & McCoy, 2016 TN WC 37 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2016).
Scales, Elijah v. Michael Sherlock, 2016 TN WC 141 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2016).
Spencer, Gerald v. Nat'l State Park Concession d/b/a Cades Cove Riding Stables, 2016 TN WC 156 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2016).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201(b) — 25 cases
Banks v. United Parcel Serv., Inc., 170 S.W.3d 556 (Tenn. 2005). “Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-201(a) provides: (a) Every injured employee or such injured employee’s representative shall, immediately upon the occurrence of an injury, or as soon thereafter as is reasonable and practicable, give or cause to be given to the employer who…”
Julie Geronimo v. Caterpillar Inc., 440 F. App'x 442 (6th Cir. 2011). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201 . Geronimo admitted during her deposition that she was not claiming that Caterpillar ever tried to make examples of people who turned in injury reports by firing them, nor was she claiming that they were “out to get” her or “trying to get back” at her…”
Arlene Ernstes v. Printpack, Inc., 2022 TN WC App. 42 (Tenn. Work. Comp. App. Bd. 2022).
Collins, Terry v. Champion Home Builders, 2017 TN WC 167 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2017).
White, Shalanda v. Fed. Express Corp., 2025 TN WC App. 8 (Tenn. Work. Comp. App. Bd. 2025).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201(b)(1) — 6 cases
Miller, Carolyn v. Old Folks Mission Ctr., Inc., 2019 TN WC App. 2 (Tenn. Work. Comp. App. Bd. 2019).
Ibarra, Grecia M. v. Amazon Fulfillment Servs., Inc.,, 2019 TN WC 183 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2019).
Ernstes, Arlene v. Printpack, Inc., 2022 TN WC 64 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2022).
White, Shalanda v. Fed. Express Corp., 2025 TN WC App. 8 (Tenn. Work. Comp. App. Bd. 2025).
Isoyev, Bobur v. Nippon Paint Auto. Americas, Inc., 2026 TN WC App. 7 (Tenn. Work. Comp. App. Bd. 2026).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201(b)(1)(2) — 1 case
Gockenbach, Taylor v. Univ. Health Sys., Inc., 2026 TN WC 22 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2026).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201(b)(2) — 2 cases
Miller, Carolyn v. Old Folks Mission Ctr., Inc., 2019 TN WC App. 2 (Tenn. Work. Comp. App. Bd. 2019).
Gupton, Matthew v. Jackson-Hon Gallatin, LLC d/b/a Gallatin Honda, 2021 TN WC 214 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2021).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201(b)(l) — 1 case
Pool, Ronald v. Jarmon D&Q Transp., 2015 TN WC 169 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2015).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201(c) — 2 cases
Randstad North Am., L.P. v. Tennessee Dep't of Labor & Workforce Dev., 372 S.W.3d 98 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2011).
Tolbert, Christoper v. MPW Indus. Servs. at Volkswagen, 2016 TN WC 31 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2016).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-201(c)(1) — 1 case
Andrew, Kristina v. v. Accu Reference Med., 2026 TN WC 48 (Tenn. Ct. Work. Comp. Cl. 2026).
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