Tennessee Car Accident Claims
Tennessee is an at-fault state, so the driver who caused a crash (through their insurer) is responsible for the other party's damages. Claims are ordinary negligence cases governed by the strict one-year filing deadline (T.C.A. § 28-3-104) and modified comparative fault. Drivers must carry at least 25/50/15 liability coverage.
By Find Local Law Editorial Team · Last reviewed: May 26, 2026
Researched and drafted with AI assistance and verified against primary sources (statutes, Judicial Council forms, and official court websites). This is general information, not legal advice.
This is general information, not legal advice. Tennessee’s one-year deadline is strict — talk to an attorney promptly.
After a Tennessee car crash, you have just one year from the date of the accident to file a personal-injury lawsuit (T.C.A. § 28-3-104) — one of the shortest in the country. Tennessee is an at-fault (tort) state, so you pursue the at-fault driver’s 25/50/15 minimum liability coverage (T.C.A. § 55-12-139), and modified comparative fault (McIntyre v. Balentine, 833 S.W.2d 52 (Tenn. 1992)) bars recovery once your share of fault reaches 50%.
Is Tennessee a no-fault state for car accidents?
No — Tennessee is a tort (“at-fault”) state, not a no-fault state. The driver who caused the crash — through their liability insurer — is responsible for the other party’s medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage, and pain and suffering. You can file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurer or sue them directly.
What insurance does Tennessee require?
Tennessee’s Financial Responsibility Law (T.C.A. § 55-12-139) requires drivers to carry at least 25/50/15 liability coverage:
| Coverage | Minimum limit | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury — per person | $25,000 | T.C.A. § 55-12-139 |
| Bodily injury — per accident | $50,000 | T.C.A. § 55-12-139 |
| Property damage | $15,000 | T.C.A. § 55-12-139 |
Because many drivers carry only the minimum, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy is often the most valuable protection you can have.
How long do I have to file?
You generally have just one year from the crash to file suit (T.C.A. § 28-3-104). This is much shorter than most states, so don’t wait. A few claim types follow different timing:
| Claim type | Deadline | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Personal injury (private driver) | 1 year from the crash | T.C.A. § 28-3-104 |
| Property damage (vehicle) | 3 years | T.C.A. § 28-3-105 |
| Wrongful death | 1 year from death | T.C.A. § 28-3-104 |
| Claim against a government vehicle (GTLA) | 1 year, with notice requirements | T.C.A. § 29-20-305 |
Note that claims involving a government vehicle (a city or school bus, for example) follow different rules with their own short deadlines (T.C.A. § 29-20-305). See bus accidents.
What if I was partly at fault?
Tennessee uses modified comparative fault (McIntyre v. Balentine, 833 S.W.2d 52 (Tenn. 1992)): if you were partly to blame, you can still recover as long as you were less than 50% at fault, but your award is reduced by your share. At 50% or more, you recover nothing.
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Start your free intakeFrequently asked questions
- How long do I have to file after a Tennessee car accident?
- Generally one year from the date of the crash (T.C.A. § 28-3-104) — one of the shortest deadlines in the country. It's easy to miss, and claims involving a government vehicle follow different, often shorter, rules.
- Tennessee is an 'at-fault' state — what does that mean?
- The driver who caused the crash is responsible for the damages; there's no no-fault PIP system. You can pursue the at-fault driver's insurer or sue them directly.
- What's the minimum car insurance in Tennessee?
- Tennessee's Financial Responsibility Law requires at least 25/50/15 coverage — $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, and $15,000 property damage (T.C.A. § 55-12-139).
- What if I was partly at fault?
- Under Tennessee's modified comparative fault, you can still recover if you were less than 50% at fault, but your award is reduced by your share. At 50% or more, you recover nothing.
Sources
Related guides
- Tennessee Bus Accident Claims Bus accident claims in Tennessee depend on who owns the bus. Private carriers are ordinary negligence claims. But claims against a public bus (city transit, a school bus) fall under the Governmental Tort Liability Act (T.C.A. § 29-20-101 et seq.), which has strict deadlines, caps recovery ($300,000 per person / $700,000 per accident), and bars punitive damages.
- Tennessee Medical Malpractice (Health Care Liability) Tennessee calls medical malpractice a 'health care liability action,' and it has strict, distinctive procedural traps: you must give each provider 60 days' written pre-suit notice (T.C.A. § 29-26-121) and file a certificate of good faith with the complaint (§ 29-26-122). The one-year deadline applies, with a three-year statute of repose as the outer limit (§ 29-26-116).
- Tennessee Motorcycle Accident Claims Motorcycle crash claims in Tennessee are negligence cases under the same one-year deadline and comparative-fault rules as other vehicle accidents. Tennessee has a universal helmet law (T.C.A. § 55-9-302) requiring all riders and passengers to wear a helmet, and how helmet use affects a claim is a fact-specific comparative-fault question.
- Tennessee Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Claims Many Tennessee nursing home abuse and neglect claims are classified as 'health care liability actions,' meaning the pre-suit notice (T.C.A. § 29-26-121) and certificate-of-good-faith (§ 29-26-122) requirements may apply. Whether a specific claim falls under those rules is fact-specific, and conduct may also support abuse/neglect theories.
- Tennessee Pedestrian Accident Claims A pedestrian hurt by a driver's negligence in Tennessee can bring a claim under the same one-year deadline and comparative-fault rules as other accidents. Drivers must yield to pedestrians lawfully in a crosswalk, while pedestrians crossing outside one generally must yield — and a pedestrian's own fault can reduce or, at 50% or more, bar recovery.
- Tennessee Slip and Fall & Premises Liability In a Tennessee slip-and-fall (premises liability) claim, you must show the property owner created the dangerous condition or had actual or constructive notice of it and failed to fix or warn. Premises liability is largely common law, not a single statute. Comparative fault and the strict one-year deadline both apply.
- Related area: Workers' Compensation in Tennessee