Tennessee Car Accident Settlement Calculator
Get a rough estimate of what a Tennessee car-accident injury claim might be worth, based on your medical bills and losses. This is an estimate to understand the factors — not a prediction or an offer.
This is a rough estimate, not a prediction or an offer.
No tool can predict a settlement. This uses the common "multiplier method" to show the factors that drive value and a wide range — actual outcomes depend on the facts, the available insurance limits, the venue, and negotiation. Consult a Tennessee car-accident attorney about your case.
Enter your medical bills and losses to see an estimated range
The multiplier method (pain-and-suffering as a multiple of your medical bills) is a common starting point, not a guarantee. A real recovery is also capped by the available insurance (the at-fault driver's limits, or your own UM/UIM coverage). Most car-accident cases settle; an attorney is the only way to value your specific claim. This tool is not legal advice and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
How the Estimate Works
No tool can predict a car-accident settlement — every case is different and the number depends on the facts, the available insurance, the venue, and negotiation. This calculator applies the multiplier method: it adds your economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage), then estimates pain and suffering as a multiple of your medical bills (about 1.5× for minor injuries up to 5× or more for catastrophic ones), and shows a wide range. It then applies Tennessee's fault rule and flags the insurance limits that cap a real payout.
Tennessee Is an at-fault (tort) state
Tennessee is a traditional at-fault (tort) state. It is NOT one of the 12 no-fault/PIP states (FL, MI, MN, NY, ND, HI, KS, KY, MA, NJ, PA, UT) and is not a choice or add-on PIP state. The driver found at fault (and their liability insurer) pays for injuries and property damage. Tennessee has no statutory PIP/no-fault scheme; recovery is via the at-fault party's liability coverage, the claimant's own UM/UIM or MedPay if elected, and/or a tort suit.
Minimum Insurance & UM/UIM in Tennessee
A settlement is only collectible up to the available insurance. Tennessee's minimum required liability coverage is $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage. Many drivers carry only the minimum, so a large claim can exceed the at-fault driver's policy. Minimum mandatory liability limits are 25/50/25: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 bodily injury per accident (two or more persons), and $25,000 property damage per accident, per Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-12-102 (Tennessee Financial Responsibility Law of 1977). These limits. Financial responsibility may alternatively be shown with a qualifying single-limit policy, bond, or cash deposit with the Department of Revenue.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM): if the other driver had no insurance or fled the scene, your recovery comes from your own UM/UIM coverage. In Tennessee, UM/UIM is must be offered (you may reject it in writing). Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage must be included in every liability policy issued or renewed in Tennessee unless the insured rejects it in writing or selects lower limits. Per Tenn. Code Ann. § 56-7-1201, UM coverage limits default to equal the policy's bodily-injury liability limits, but the insured may reject UM coverage entirely or elect lower limits in writing. So UM/UIM is offer-required (rejectable in writing), not mandatory to carry.
Fault & Your Recovery: modified comparative negligence (50% bar)
Tennessee follows modified comparative negligence (50% bar). Your award is reduced by your share of fault, and you recover nothing once you are 50% or more at fault.
Deadline to File a Tennessee Car-Accident Claim
Tennessee generally requires a car-accident injury lawsuit to be filed within 1 year of the crash (the statute of limitations). Personal-injury (including auto-accident bodily-injury) actions must be brought within one (1) year of the injury under Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104(a)(1). This 1-year period is one of the shortest in the nation. (If criminal charges arise from the same conduct, the period can extend to 2 years under § 28-3-104(a)(2).) Property-damage claims have a longer 3-year limit under § 28-3-105. Miss it and your claim is usually barred no matter how strong it is, so do not wait to talk to an attorney.
- Tennessee is an at-fault (tort) state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurer, pays for the other party's injuries and property damage. There is no no-fault/PIP system.
- Minimum required auto liability insurance is 25/50/25 — $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage (Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-12-102).
- Tennessee follows modified comparative fault with a 50% bar: you can recover reduced damages only if you are LESS than 50% at fault; at 50% or more you recover nothing (McIntyre v. Balentine).
- The statute of limitations for personal-injury claims is just ONE year from the accident date (Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104) — among the shortest in the country, so act quickly.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is automatically included unless you reject it or lower the limits in writing (Tenn. Code Ann. § 56-7-1201); given the high uninsured-driver rate, keeping it is strongly advised.
- Property-damage claims have a longer 3-year limitations period (Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-105) than the 1-year injury deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is my Tennessee car accident claim worth?
No one can tell you a number in advance. A rough estimate adds your economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage) and applies a pain-and-suffering multiplier, then adjusts for fault under Tennessee's modified comparative negligence (50% bar) rule. The real value also depends on the available insurance limits — an attorney is the only way to value your specific case.
Is Tennessee a no-fault state?
Tennessee is a traditional at-fault (tort) state. It is NOT one of the 12 no-fault/PIP states (FL, MI, MN, NY, ND, HI, KS, KY, MA, NJ, PA, UT) and is not a choice or add-on PIP state. The driver found at fault (and their liability insurer) pays for injuries and property damage. Tennessee has no statutory PIP/no-fault scheme; recovery is via the at-fault party's liability coverage, the claimant's own UM/UIM or MedPay if elected, and/or a tort suit.
Does my own fault reduce my Tennessee settlement?
Yes. Tennessee follows modified comparative negligence (50% bar). You recover nothing once you are 50% or more at fault.
How long do I have to file in Tennessee?
Generally 1 year from the crash. Personal-injury (including auto-accident bodily-injury) actions must be brought within one (1) year of the injury under Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104(a)(1). This 1-year period is one of the shortest in the nation. (If criminal charges arise from the same conduct, the period can extend to 2 years under § 28-3-104(a)(2).) Property-damage claims have a longer 3-year limit under § 28-3-105.
Is this calculator accurate?
It is a rough estimate to show the factors that drive value — not a prediction or an offer. Real settlements vary enormously and are capped by the available insurance. Treat any number here as a ballpark and consult a Tennessee car-accident attorney.
Disclaimer
This estimator is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a prediction of any outcome. RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm. The value of a car-accident claim can only be assessed by a licensed attorney reviewing your specific facts.