Tennessee Code Title 50. Employer and Employee § 50-6-113

(a) A principal contractor, intermediate contractor or subcontractor shall be liable for compensation to any employee injured while in the employ of any of the subcontractors of the principal contractor, intermediate contractor or subcontractor and engaged upon the subject matter of the contract to the same extent as the immediate employer.

(b) Any principal contractor, intermediate contractor or subcontractor who pays compensation under subsection (a) may recover the amount paid from any person who, independently of this section, would have been liable to pay compensation to the injured employee, or from any intermediate contractor.

(c) Every claim for compensation under this section shall be in the first instance presented to and instituted against the immediate employer, but the proceedings shall not constitute a waiver of the employee's rights to recover compensation under this chapter from the principal contractor or intermediate contractor; provided, that the collection of full compensation from one (1) employer shall bar recovery by the employee against any others, nor shall the employee collect from all a total compensation in excess of the amount for which any of the contractors is liable.

(d) This section applies only in cases where the injury occurred on, in, or about the premises on which the principal contractor has undertaken to execute work or that are otherwise under the principal contractor's control or management.

(e) A subcontractor under contract to a general contractor may elect to be covered under any policy of workers' compensation insurance insuring the contractor upon written agreement of the contractor, by filing written notice of the election, on a form prescribed by the administrator, with the bureau. It is the responsibility of the general contractor to file the written notice with the bureau. Failure of the general contractor to file the written notice shall not operate to relieve or alter the obligation of an insurance company to provide coverage to a subcontractor when the subcontractor can produce evidence of payment of premiums to the insurance company for the coverage. The election shall in no way terminate or affect the independent contractor status of the subcontractor for any other purpose than to permit workers' compensation coverage. The election of coverage may be terminated by the subcontractor or general contractor by providing written notice of the termination to the bureau and to all other parties consenting to the prior election. The termination shall be effective thirty (30) days from the date of the notice to all other parties consenting to the prior election and to the bureau.

(f) This section shall not apply to a construction services provider, as defined by § 50-6-901.