Is Tennessee a no-fault state?

No. Tennessee is an at-fault (“tort”) state — the driver who caused the crash, through their insurer, is responsible for the injury damages. You generally pursue the at-fault driver's insurer rather than your own.

What is Tennessee's fault rule for a car accident?

Tennessee follows modified comparative — 50% bar. You can recover only if you were less than 50% at fault; your award is reduced by your share.

How long do I have to file an injury claim in Tennessee?

In Tennessee the statute of limitations for a personal-injury claim is generally 1 years from the date of the accident. Miss it and the claim is usually barred for good — separate from any deadlines your insurer sets.

Tennessee · Injury claims

Car accident injury claims in Tennessee

In Tennessee, an injury claim runs through the at-fault driver's insurer — and how much you can recover turns on the state's fault rule, coverage minimums, and a filing deadline that's easy to miss. Here's what shapes an injury claim in Tennessee.

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Tennessee at a glance

Fault rule: Modified comparative — 50% bar
No-fault state?: No
Minimum liability coverage: 25/50/25 ($25,000 BI/person; $50,000 BI/accident; $25,000 PD) under Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-12-102; UM/UIM mandatorily OFFERED at 25/50 under § 56-7-1201 et seq.; written rejection required to decline or reduce under § 56-7-1203
Time limit for an injury claim: 1 years

How fault works in Tennessee

Tennessee is a MODIFIED COMPARATIVE 50%-bar state under McIntyre v. Balentine, 833 S.W.2d 52 (Tenn. 1992) (common-law). The doctrine is 'not equal to or greater than the defendant's' — plaintiff at 50% or greater fault recovers $0; plaintiff at 49% recovers 51%; below 50%, recovery is reduced by plaintiff's fault percentage. This is the STRICTER formulation (49%-bar STRICT cluster: AR/CO/GA/KS/ME/ND/OK/TN/UT), distinct from the FL/TX/MI/PA/NJ/NV/CT/IN '>50% bar' cluster where a 50% plaintiff recovers half. Tennessee uses SEVERAL liability for most defendants under McIntyre progeny (each pays only its proportional share, absent statutory joint-liability exception).

Paying for injuries in Tennessee

Tennessee has NEVER enacted mandatory no-fault PIP. It is a pure at-fault state. Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-12-102 establishes mandatory liability coverage at 25/50/25. MedPay is OPTIONAL first-party medical-payments coverage (carrier-offered, not statutorily mandated). UM/UIM mandatorily offered under § 56-7-1201 et seq. There is NO tort threshold — noneconomic damages are recoverable from accident #1 subject only to the modified comparative 50% bar (McIntyre).

How Moe handles injury claims in Tennessee

Knowing the rule is one thing — applying it against a carrier is another. Moe builds your case to Tennessee’s rules, drafts every letter for your approval, tracks the deadlines, and only pings you when there’s a decision to make.

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Tennessee injury claims — common questions

Is Tennessee a no-fault state?: No. Tennessee is an at-fault (“tort”) state — the driver who caused the crash, through their insurer, is responsible for the injury damages. You generally pursue the at-fault driver's insurer rather than your own.
What is Tennessee's fault rule for a car accident?: Tennessee follows modified comparative — 50% bar. You can recover only if you were less than 50% at fault; your award is reduced by your share.
How long do I have to file an injury claim in Tennessee?: In Tennessee the statute of limitations for a personal-injury claim is generally 1 years from the date of the accident. Miss it and the claim is usually barred for good — separate from any deadlines your insurer sets.

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All Tennessee accident-claim rules · Other states

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This page summarizes Tennessee’s car-accident claim rules for general information — it is not legal advice, and the rules can change. What applies to your claim depends on your policy and the specific facts.