Definitions
- "Employee" is "any official (whether elected or appointed), officer, employee or servant, or any member of any board, agency or commission (whether compensated or not) or any officer, employee or servant thereof . . . and "includ[es] regular members of voluntary and auxiliary firefighting, police, or emergency assistance programs". T.C.A. § 29-20-102(2). In addition, T.C.A. § 29-20-107 addresses whether other persons beyond those included in the definition of "employee" can be considered governmental employees for tort liability purposes.
- "Governmental entity" means "any political subdivision of the state of Tennessee, including, but not limited to, any municipality, metropolitan government, county, utility district, school district, nonprofit volunteer fire department receiving funds appropriated by a county legislative body or a legislative body of a municipality, human resource agency, community action agency or nonprofit corporation that administers the Head Start or Community Service Block Grant programs, public building authority, and development district created and existing pursuant to the constitution and laws of Tennessee, or any instrumentality of government created by any one (1) or more of the named local governmental entities or by an act of the general assembly." "Governmental entity also means a nonprofit public benefit corporation or charitable entity, including any entity with tax exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code § 501(c)(3) (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)), that is appointed by statute, ordinance, resolution, contract, or other governmental directive to develop, maintain, manage, and provide services and activities at government owned property that is a public park, including facilities located on park property." T.C.A. § 29-20-102(3)(A).
- "Injury" means death, injury to a person, damage to or loss of property or any other injury to a person or estate that would be actionable if inflicted by a private person or his or her agent. T.C.A. § 29-20-102(4).