Accident Settlement Calculator

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Tennessee Car Accident Settlement Calculator

In Tennessee, you generally have 1 year to file an injury lawsuit, you recover nothing at 50% fault or more, and drivers must carry at least $25,000/$50,000 in injury liability. Enter your numbers below to see what a Tennessee claim may be worth and what you would actually take home.

⏳ Coming July 1, 2027: An injured person who owned or leased an uninsured vehicle in the crash, after at least three written noncompliance notices in the prior 3 years, is limited to $375,000 ($750,000 if catastrophic) (Public Chapter 1077 of 2026). Upcoming changes

1

Your accident

How serious is the injury?
2

Your costs so far

That's all you need for a first estimate. Rough numbers are fine.

Optional: make the estimate more accurate fault, insurance, lawyer fee
3

Fault and future costs

4

Insurance

5

What comes out of it

Tennessee rules in 30 seconds

If you were partly at faultYou get nothing if you are 50% or more at fault
Details & exceptions

Tennessee uses modified comparative fault with a 50 percent bar: an injured person whose fault is less than the defendant's (49 percent or less) recovers damages reduced by their share of fault, but a person found 50 percent or more at fault recovers nothing. The rule comes from case law (McIntyre v. Balentine, 833 S.W.2d 52 (Tenn. 1992)), and T.C.A. 29-39-102 also states that recovery is barred when the plaintiff's fault is 50 percent or more.

Compare fault rules in all states →
Deadline to file a lawsuit1 years from the accident
Details & exceptions

T.C.A. 28-3-104(a)(1)(A): 1 year for injuries to the person. Under 28-3-104(a)(2) the period is 2 years if criminal charges are brought against the person alleged to have caused the injury, the conduct is the subject of a criminal prosecution commenced within 1 year by a law enforcement officer, district attorney general or grand jury, and the civil suit is brought against the prosecuted party (e.g. a DUI or vehicular assault charge after the crash); the subsection is strictly construed. T.C.A. 28-3-105(1): 3 years for injuries to personal or real property. Claims against local governmental entities under the Governmental Tort Liability Act must be filed within 12 months after the cause of action arises (29-20-305(b)), and damages are limited to $300,000 per person / $700,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and $100,000 property damage (29-20-403(b)(4)). Claims against the State go to the Claims Commission. Statute text read from FindLaw mirrors (current as of 2024-01-02).

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Other driver's minimum insurance$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Details & exceptions

Property damage minimum: $25,000. T.C.A. 55-12-102 ('proof of financial responsibility'): for proof required after December 31, 2022, a split-limit policy of $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury or death, and $25,000 property damage, or a $65,000 single-limit policy, or a $65,000 bond or cash deposit. Existing policies had to comply as of the first renewal after December 31, 2022. Earlier tiers: 25/50/10 (1990-2008), 25/50/15 (2009-2022). The Department of Revenue's Financial Responsibility Law page gives the same 25/50/25 limits. Public Chapter 1011 (2026, effective 2027-01-01) sets higher 50/100/25 limits only for app-based delivery drivers while working; it does not change the general minimums.

Compare minimums in all states →
Who pays your medical billsThe at-fault driver's insuranceSee all no-fault states →
Cap on pain and sufferingYes, in most cases
Details & exceptions

Greater of $750,000 or 0× economic damages, up to $750,000. T.C.A. 29-39-102 caps noneconomic damages in civil actions, including car-accident injury claims, at $750,000 per injured plaintiff, aggregated across all related claims (including loss of consortium). The cap rises to $1,000,000 for a 'catastrophic loss or injury': spinal cord injury causing paraplegia or quadriplegia; amputation of both hands, both feet, or one of each; third-degree burns over 40 percent or more of the body or of the face; or wrongful death of a parent leaving a minor child. Economic damages are not capped. No cap applies if the defendant (a) intended to inflict serious physical injury, (b) intentionally falsified, destroyed or concealed records to evade liability, (c) was under the influence of alcohol, drugs or other intoxicants (other than as lawfully prescribed or directed) in a way that substantially impaired judgment and caused the injury, or (d) was convicted of a felony for the act that caused the damages. Exception (c) matters for drunk or drugged driving crashes. Claims against the State and local governments follow the Claims Commission Act and the GTLA where they conflict. The jury is not told about the cap; the court applies it. The Tennessee Supreme Court upheld the cap in McClay v. Airport Management Services (2020). New subsection (o), added by Public Chapter 1077 of 2026 (SB 1667/HB 1690, signed May 2026) and effective July 1, 2027: a plaintiff who owns or leases a vehicle in a collision that was not in compliance with the financial responsibility law, and who received at least three written noncompliance notices from the Department of Revenue or county clerk in the 3 years before the collision, is limited to $375,000 in noneconomic damages ($750,000 if catastrophic). It does not apply to passengers or permissive non-owner drivers; the defendant must plead and prove it. The calculator applies $750,000, and $1,000,000 for injuries marked severe (with a note that only listed catastrophic injuries qualify).

Uninsured motorist coverageOptional
Details & exceptions

T.C.A. 56-7-1201(a): every auto liability policy issued, delivered or renewed in Tennessee must include uninsured motorist coverage equal to the bodily injury liability limits, but the named insured may reject it in writing or choose lower limits (not below the 55-12-107 minimums); a rejection binds all insureds. Under 56-7-1202(a)(1), an 'uninsured motor vehicle' includes a vehicle whose liability limits are less than the insured's UM limits, so Tennessee UM coverage also works as underinsured coverage. Statute text read from FindLaw mirrors (current as of 2024-01-02).

Worked example: a typical Tennessee car accident claim

Another driver turned left into you at an intersection in Tennessee: $15,000 in medical bills, $5,000 in lost wages and a moderate injury that healed in a few months. The insurer says you were 20% at fault for speeding slightly, the other driver has a $100,000 policy, and your lawyer takes 33%.

  1. Economic damages$20,000Medical bills + expected future treatment + lost wages.
  2. Pain and suffering$20,000 – $40,000Multiplier method: economic damages × 2–3 for a moderate injury, minus the economic part itself.
  3. Total claim value$40,000 – $60,000Economic + pain and suffering.
  4. After your share of fault$32,000 – $48,000Tennessee uses modified comparative negligence (50% bar): you recover nothing if you are 50% or more at fault; otherwise recovery is reduced by your 20%.
  5. Limited by available insurance$32,000 – $48,000At-fault policy limit $100,000 + your UM/UIM $0.
  6. Estimated take-home$20,440 – $31,160Minus attorney fee (33%), case costs and medical liens.

You would take home about $25,800 ($20,440 – $31,160), after the 33% fee and $1,000 in case costs.

Typical figures (midpoint of a moderate injury multiplier), no medical liens. Run your own numbersor see the same crash in every state.

How much time do you have to file?

General personal injury deadline only. It can be shorter for claims against a city, county or state agency (often a written notice within months), and longer for minors. Check with a lawyer before relying on it.

Deadline traps in Tennessee

The 1-year lawsuit deadline is not the only clock. These are the ones people miss:

Crash with a government vehicle or on a public road12 months

Suits against cities, counties and other local governments must be filed within 12 months after the crash. Claims against the State go to the Claims Commission: written notice to the Division of Claims and Risk Management within the normal 1-year limitation period.

T.C.A. 29-20-305(b), Governmental Tort Liability Act (FindLaw mirror)T.C.A. 9-8-402, Claims against the State, notice to Division of Claims and Risk Management (FindLaw mirror)

If the injured person is a child

The 1-year clock usually starts at age 18, so an injured child generally has until age 19 to sue (the post-18 period is capped at 3 years).

T.C.A. 28-1-106, Persons under disability (FindLaw mirror)

How fast a Tennessee insurer must respond

Insurers must acknowledge a claim within 30 days. For their own policyholders they must accept or deny within 60 days of a completed proof of loss and pay within 30 days of accepting. Third-party claimants get no fixed decision deadline.

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-01-05-.07, Failure to acknowledge pertinent communications (Cornell LII)Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-01-05-.08, Standards for prompt, fair and equitable settlements, first party (Cornell LII)Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-01-05-.12, Third party claimants (Cornell LII)

If an insurer misses these deadlines, you can file a complaint with the state insurance department. Compare all states:insurance claim deadlines by state.

Next steps after a Tennessee crash

Frequently asked questions

What is a typical car accident settlement in Tennessee?
It depends on the bills, the injury and fault. Worked example: with $15,000 in medical bills, $5,000 in lost wages and a moderate injury, 20% of the fault, a Tennessee claim against the other driver is worth about $40,000, and the injured person takes home about $25,800 after a 33% attorney fee and costs. At 51% fault, the same claim pays nothing in Tennessee.
Is Tennessee an at-fault or no-fault state for car accidents?
Tennessee's car insurance system: At-fault (tort).
Is there a cap on pain and suffering in Tennessee car accident cases?
Greater of $750,000 or 0× economic damages, up to $750,000. T.C.A. 29-39-102 caps noneconomic damages in civil actions, including car-accident injury claims, at $750,000 per injured plaintiff, aggregated across all related claims (including loss of consortium). The cap rises to $1,000,000 for a 'catastrophic loss or injury': spinal cord injury causing paraplegia or quadriplegia; amputation of both hands, both feet, or one of each; third-degree burns over 40 percent or more of the body or of the face; or wrongful death of a parent leaving a minor child. Economic damages are not capped. No cap applies if the defendant (a) intended to inflict serious physical injury, (b) intentionally falsified, destroyed or concealed records to evade liability, (c) was under the influence of alcohol, drugs or other intoxicants (other than as lawfully prescribed or directed) in a way that substantially impaired judgment and caused the injury, or (d) was convicted of a felony for the act that caused the damages. Exception (c) matters for drunk or drugged driving crashes. Claims against the State and local governments follow the Claims Commission Act and the GTLA where they conflict. The jury is not told about the cap; the court applies it. The Tennessee Supreme Court upheld the cap in McClay v. Airport Management Services (2020). New subsection (o), added by Public Chapter 1077 of 2026 (SB 1667/HB 1690, signed May 2026) and effective July 1, 2027: a plaintiff who owns or leases a vehicle in a collision that was not in compliance with the financial responsibility law, and who received at least three written noncompliance notices from the Department of Revenue or county clerk in the 3 years before the collision, is limited to $375,000 in noneconomic damages ($750,000 if catastrophic). It does not apply to passengers or permissive non-owner drivers; the defendant must plead and prove it. The calculator applies $750,000, and $1,000,000 for injuries marked severe (with a note that only listed catastrophic injuries qualify).
What happens if I was partly at fault for an accident in Tennessee?
Tennessee follows modified comparative negligence with a 50% bar: you recover nothing if you are 50% or more at fault, and otherwise your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault.
How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Tennessee?
Generally 1 years for personal injury and 3 years for property damage. T.C.A. 28-3-104(a)(1)(A): 1 year for injuries to the person. Under 28-3-104(a)(2) the period is 2 years if criminal charges are brought against the person alleged to have caused the injury, the conduct is the subject of a criminal prosecution commenced within 1 year by a law enforcement officer, district attorney general or grand jury, and the civil suit is brought against the prosecuted party (e.g. a DUI or vehicular assault charge after the crash); the subsection is strictly construed. T.C.A. 28-3-105(1): 3 years for injuries to personal or real property. Claims against local governmental entities under the Governmental Tort Liability Act must be filed within 12 months after the cause of action arises (29-20-305(b)), and damages are limited to $300,000 per person / $700,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and $100,000 property damage (29-20-403(b)(4)). Claims against the State go to the Claims Commission. Statute text read from FindLaw mirrors (current as of 2024-01-02).
What is the minimum car insurance in Tennessee?
$25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. T.C.A. 55-12-102 ('proof of financial responsibility'): for proof required after December 31, 2022, a split-limit policy of $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury or death, and $25,000 property damage, or a $65,000 single-limit policy, or a $65,000 bond or cash deposit. Existing policies had to comply as of the first renewal after December 31, 2022. Earlier tiers: 25/50/10 (1990-2008), 25/50/15 (2009-2022). The Department of Revenue's Financial Responsibility Law page gives the same 25/50/25 limits. Public Chapter 1011 (2026, effective 2027-01-01) sets higher 50/100/25 limits only for app-based delivery drivers while working; it does not change the general minimums.
What is the deadline to file a claim against the government in Tennessee?
12 months. Suits against cities, counties and other local governments must be filed within 12 months after the crash. Claims against the State go to the Claims Commission: written notice to the Division of Claims and Risk Management within the normal 1-year limitation period.
How long does an insurance company have to respond to a claim in Tennessee?
Insurers must acknowledge a claim within 30 days. For their own policyholders they must accept or deny within 60 days of a completed proof of loss and pay within 30 days of accepting. Third-party claimants get no fixed decision deadline.

Related

Official sources