Tennessee Personal Injury Verdicts | Average and Median Awards

This post is about the trial and settlement value of personal injury cases in Tennessee.

The settlement payout you get in Tennessee will depend on the injuries.  So you cannot determine settlement compensation by punching your medical bill and lost wages in a settlement calculator.  Still, there is a path to better understand the range of compensation you might receive. 

What Is the Average Personal Injury Verdict in Tennessee?

The average personal injury verdict - as opposed to the median - in Tennessee is $455,802. This includes a $44,000,000 verdict for a quadriplegic child in a minivan accident. This and other large verdicts distort the average.

What Is the Median Personal Injury Verdict in Tennessee?

The median award in personal injury cases in Tennessee that results in a verdict is $18,650.

How Often Do Tennessee Personal Injury Victims Win at Trial?

Tennessee plaintiffs recover damages in 61 percent of personal injury cases that go to trial, eight percent higher than the national average.

Tennessee Personal Injury Verdicts

  • 2022, Tennessee: $40,000 Settlement. A minor suffered injuries to her head and left arm when the driver of her vehicle drank too much and caused a car crash.  Defendants rarely want to go to trial with a drunk driver defendant even if they believe it will be inadmissible at trial.  So, not surprisingly, the defendant agreed to a settlement payout of $40,000 to resolve the claim.
  • 2022, Tennessee: $59,245 Verdict. The defendant Jane Doe backed out of a rear private driveway and hit the plaintiff.  The plaintiff suffered injuries to his neck, back, and hands.  The defendant fled the scene.  This did not come into evidence at trial because the defendant admitted responsibility. The only issue at trial was damages.
  • 2020, Tennessee: $16,921 Verdict. A married couple’s vehicle was rear-ended while stopped in traffic on Interstate 65. They received treatment at the ER on the same day. The wife suffered a soft-tissue strain, and the husband suffered wrist pain. They sued the other driver for negligence. The couple also filed suit against State Farm for UIM payments. A Davidson County jury awarded the couple a $16,921 verdict. The wife received $12,387 in medical expenses and $1,000 in pain and suffering, while the husband only received $3,284 in medical expenses.
  • 2020, Tennessee: $23,500,000 Verdict. An intoxicated truck driver rear-ended a woman’s vehicle while stopped in traffic. The truck driver was an employee of a medical waste disposal company. At the time of the accident, his truck contained expired drugs. He admitted to ingesting some of them before the collision. The following day, the woman sought treatment at the ER for her right foot and shoulder pain. She would also be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and the aggravation of her pre-existing anxiety and depression. Her psychiatry expert testified that the woman would need psychiatric care for life. He also testified that the accident caused her to suffer from flashbacks, nightmares, and a fear of driving. The woman sued the truck driver for negligence. She also sued his employer for negligently hiring and supervising him. The medical waste disposal company denied liability, arguing that they had no reason to suspect that their employee was taking drugs while on the job. After a five-day trial, the Sullivan County court awarded the woman a $1,000,000 verdict. She also received $22,500,000 in a punitive damages minitrial. However, the court’s final judgment reduced her net award to $2,250,000 based on Tennessee’s recoverable damages cap.
  • 2020, Tennessee: $20,000 Verdict. A 14-year-old girl suffered a shoulder injury while a passenger in her mother’s broadsided vehicle. She sought treatment with a pediatrician, a chiropractor, and an orthopedist. The girl also underwent physical therapy. She later underwent exploratory surgery on her shoulder. The girl’s parents sued the other driver, alleging that his negligence caused her injuries. The defense argued that her injuries were not permanent. The Hamilton County jury awarded a $20,000 verdict after a two-day trial. This comprised $15,000 in medical expenses and $5,000 in pain and suffering.
  • 2020, Tennessee: $46,233 Verdict. A man’s vehicle was T-boned by a car that had departed from a gas station. He sought treatment a week later with a sports medicine doctor. The man was diagnosed with the aggravation of his pre-existing degenerative conditions. He continued to suffer from chronic neck pain. The man sued the other driver for negligence. His wife also made a loss of consortium claim. The Davidson County jury awarded the man $7,733 in medical expenses, $4,000 in past pain and suffering, $12,000 in future pain and suffering, $2,500 in past loss of enjoyment of life, and $10,000 in future loss of enjoyment of life. His wife received $5,000 for her loss of consortium claim. The couple’s verdict totaled $46,233.
  • 2020, Tennessee: $127,330 Verdict. A man’s Chevrolet G31 was struck by a vehicle entering his travel lane. He suffered unspecified personal injuries. He sued the other driver, alleging that she failed to keep a proper lookout, was unable to control her vehicle properly and failed to avoid a collision. The other driver admitted negligence but argued that it did not cause the man’s injuries. A Davidson County jury awarded $127,330.
  • 2019, Tennessee: $2,519,772 Verdict. A tractor-trailer struck a man’s vehicle while traveling on an interstate highway. The impact caused the vehicle to spin and hit two other vehicles. The man suffered a traumatic brain injury that caused dizziness, headaches, and vertigo. He alleged that the truck driver failed to yield the right-of-way, properly use his turn signals, and keep a proper lookout. The truck driver contested the man’s injuries. A Shelby County jury awarded a $2,519,772 verdict. This comprised $1,605,000 in pain and suffering, $400,000 in future medical expenses, $375,000 in future lost wages, $4,732 in other expenses, and $135,000 in loss of services. The final judgment reduced the net award to $1,529,772, based on Tennessee’s cap on pain and suffering awards.
  • 2019, Tennessee: $632,909 Verdict. A motorcyclist and his passenger suffered unspecified personal injuries after a truck struck them on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge in Nashville. The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County owned the truck. The two sued both the truck driver and the Metro Government. They alleged that the truck driver was intoxicated at the time, excessively sped, failed to keep a proper lookout, and failed to avoid a collision. The two alleged that the Metro Government was vicariously liable. A Davidson County jury determined that the truck driver was 13 percent responsible and the Metro Government was 87 percent liable. They awarded the motorcyclist $502,741 and awarded his passenger $130,168. The court later reduced the motorcyclist’s award to $300,000. They also determined the Metro Government was 100 percent liable.
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