Medical Liens in Tennessee
A lien is a legal claim against your personal injury settlement by a third party who paid for your medical treatment. In Tennessee, liens from hospitals, health insurers, Medicare, and Medicaid must be addressed before you receive your net settlement funds.
For informational purposes only. Not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney.
Modified comparative fault (50% bar)
Fault System
1 years
Filing Deadline
$12,000 – $60,000
Avg Settlement
Types of Medical Liens in Tennessee
Hospital Liens
Tennessee hospitals that treated you for accident injuries may file a hospital lien against your settlement to recover unpaid bills. The lien attaches to your recovery before you are paid.
Health Insurance Subrogation
If your health insurer paid your medical bills, they have a subrogation right to be reimbursed from your settlement. Many states allow negotiation to reduce these amounts.
Medicare & Medicaid
Federal law requires Medicare and Medicaid liens to be paid in full — with limited exceptions. Your attorney must resolve these before settlement funds are distributed.
Workers' Compensation
If workers' comp covered your treatment for a work-related injury in Tennessee, they have a lien on any third-party recovery you obtain.
Tennessee Injury Law Overview
Tennessee has one of the shortest statutes of limitations in the country at just 1 year for personal injury claims, requiring injured victims to act quickly. Tennessee applies modified comparative fault with a 50% bar, and the state imposes statutory caps on noneconomic damages: $750,000 for most cases and $1,000,000 for catastrophic injuries. Tennessee does not require no-fault PIP insurance. Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville generate significant personal injury litigation. Tennessee courts see substantial trucking accident cases given the state's position on major east-west and north-south freight corridors. Tennessee's healthcare industry in Nashville creates significant medical malpractice litigation, governed by the Tennessee Medical Malpractice Act with a separate 1-year limitation period and expert certificate requirements. Workers' compensation in Tennessee was reformed in 2014, creating an administrative dispute resolution system through the Tennessee Bureau of Workers' Compensation rather than civil courts.