Tennessee · Medical Malpractice
Tennessee medical malpractice damage caps and statute of limitations
Refreshed 2026. $750,000 damage cap. 1 year from discovery of injury. Full breakdown below.
Damage caps
TN Code Ann. § 29-39-102Non-economic damages cap
$750,000
Total damages cap
None
Status
active
Notes
Catastrophic injury cap: $1,000,000 (spinal cord injury causing paralysis, amputation of 2+ limbs, 3rd-degree burns 40%+ of body/face, wrongful death of parent of minor). Cap does NOT apply if provider destroyed/falsified records, acted with intentional misconduct, or was intoxicated. Tennessee Civil Justice Act of 2011.
Statute of limitations
TN Code Ann. § 29-26-116Standard SOL
1 year from discovery of injury
Discovery rule
Yes; runs from when injury was or should have been discovered
Statute of repose
3 years from act or omission
Minor exception
For minors: SOL tolled during minority. For children under 4: repose extended until child's 7th birthday.
Wrongful death SOL
1 year from date of death
Notes
One of the shortest SOL at 1 year. Pre-suit notice required 60 days before filing. Certificate of good faith required.
Beyond the lookup: Tennessee venue intelligence
Med-mal attorneys filing in Tennessee use Medistill for the next layer: state-specific verdict distributions, closed claims studies by specialty, NPDB-derived settlement bands, expert witness rosters with Daubert history, and 150+ compliance sources per defendant provider. Free 50 credits to start.
Tennessee med-mal FAQ
What is the medical malpractice statute of limitations in Tennessee?+
1 year from discovery of injury. Yes; runs from when injury was or should have been discovered Statute of repose: 3 years from act or omission. Wrongful death: 1 year from date of death. One of the shortest SOL at 1 year. Pre-suit notice required 60 days before filing. Certificate of good faith required. Source: TN Code Ann. § 29-26-116.
Does Tennessee have a medical malpractice damage cap?+
Non-economic cap: $750,000. Catastrophic injury cap: $1,000,000 (spinal cord injury causing paralysis, amputation of 2+ limbs, 3rd-degree burns 40%+ of body/face, wrongful death of parent of minor). Cap does NOT apply if provider destroyed/falsified records, acted with intentional misconduct, or was intoxicated. Tennessee Civil Justice Act of 2011. Source: TN Code Ann. § 29-39-102.
How does Tennessee handle the discovery rule in med-mal cases?+
Yes; runs from when injury was or should have been discovered
What is the Tennessee minor exception for medical malpractice?+
For minors: SOL tolled during minority. For children under 4: repose extended until child's 7th birthday.
What is the wrongful death statute of limitations for Tennessee medical malpractice?+
1 year from date of death
Other state lookups
This tool is informational. It is not legal advice. Tennessee damage caps and statute of limitations periods change frequently. Always verify against current statute and consult a licensed Tennessee attorney before relying on a deadline. Data refreshed May 2026.