Hit-and-RunUpdated March 2026

Injured in a Hit-and-Run in Nashville? Here's What to Do Next.

Being injured by a driver who fled the scene is one of the most frustrating and frightening experiences on the road. But you do have options.

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Key Takeaways

  • Stay at the scene, call 911, and document every detail about the fleeing vehicle — even a partial license plate, make, model, or color can help MNPD's traffic unit identify the driver.
  • Tennessee's statute of limitations is 1 year from the date of the accident (Tenn. Code § 28-3-104) for both lawsuits against identified drivers and UM claims with your own insurer.
  • Tennessee's modified comparative negligence rule (Tenn. Code § 29-11-103) still applies if the driver is found — if you are determined to be 50% or more at fault, you recover nothing.
  • Hit-and-runs are a significant problem across Davidson County, with the most dangerous corridors including Murfreesboro Pike, Gallatin Pike, Nolensville Pike, and Dickerson Pike, where approximately 20% of Tennessee drivers carry no insurance.
  • Do not accept a quick settlement from your own insurer on a UM claim — injuries from hit-and-run crashes can take weeks or months to fully manifest, and once you accept, you typically cannot go back for more.
  • Most personal injury attorneys offer free consultations and work on contingency, and they can sometimes identify the hit-and-run driver independently through surveillance footage, paint transfer analysis, and witness investigation.
1

Stay at the scene and check for injuries

If you've been hit by a vehicle that fled, stay at the scene. Call 911 immediately. Report that you've been involved in a hit-and-run and request both police and an ambulance if anyone is injured.

Under Tennessee law, leaving the scene of an accident involving injury is a Class A misdemeanor, and leaving the scene when death results is a Class E felony punishable by 1 to 6 years in prison (Tenn. Code § 55-10-101). The driver who fled committed a serious crime. Your job right now is to take care of yourself and preserve as much information as possible.

2

Try to document the fleeing vehicle

While the details are fresh, write down or record everything you can remember about the vehicle that hit you: make, model, color, approximate year, any distinguishing features (bumper stickers, damage, commercial markings), license plate number (even a partial plate helps), and the direction the vehicle was traveling when it left.

If there are witnesses, ask them what they saw and get their names and phone numbers. Witnesses are often the key to identifying hit-and-run drivers. Also look around for surveillance cameras — businesses, traffic cameras, doorbell cameras, and parking lot cameras along the route may have captured footage.

3

Call the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department

Report the hit-and-run to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) immediately. For crashes on Nashville interstates (I-24, I-40, I-65, I-440), the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) may also be involved.

Provide officers with every detail you can about the fleeing vehicle. MNPD has a dedicated traffic unit that investigates hit-and-run crashes, and they can request traffic camera footage, canvas nearby businesses for surveillance video, and issue BOLOs (be on the lookout) for the vehicle.

Filing a police report is also essential for your insurance claim. If you plan to make a claim under your uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, your insurer will typically require a police report documenting the hit-and-run.

4

Get medical treatment immediately

See a doctor as soon as possible, even if your injuries seem minor. The adrenaline and shock of a hit-and-run can mask serious injuries including concussions, whiplash, internal bleeding, and soft tissue damage.

Nashville's trauma centers include Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Level I) and TriStar Skyline Medical Center (Level II). For non-emergency care, TriStar Centennial Medical Center, Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital, Saint Thomas West Hospital, and TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center are available throughout Davidson County.

Prompt medical treatment creates a documented link between the hit-and-run and your injuries. Delays in treatment give insurance companies an opening to argue your injuries weren't caused by the crash. Keep every receipt, record, and bill.

5

File an uninsured motorist (UM) claim with your own insurer

Here's the critical piece most people don't realize: even if the hit-and-run driver is never identified, you may still be able to recover compensation through your own auto insurance policy.

Tennessee law requires all auto insurers to offer uninsured motorist (UM) coverage with every policy (Tenn. Code § 56-7-1201). UM coverage is designed to protect you when the at-fault driver has no insurance — or can't be found. Hit-and-run crashes where the driver flees and is never identified are treated as "uninsured motorist" situations.

Check your auto insurance policy immediately. If you have UM coverage, you can file a claim with your own insurer for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages — up to your UM coverage limits.

If you previously rejected UM coverage in writing, you may have limited options. This is one of the most important reasons to carry UM coverage in Tennessee, where approximately 20% of drivers are uninsured.

6

Do NOT accept a quick settlement from your own insurer

Even though you're filing a claim with your own insurance company, remember: they are still a business trying to minimize payouts. Your insurer may offer a quick, lowball settlement before you understand the full extent of your injuries.

Do not accept an early offer without understanding your complete medical picture. Injuries from hit-and-run crashes — particularly concussions, spinal injuries, and soft tissue damage — can take weeks or months to fully manifest. Once you accept a settlement, you typically cannot go back for more.

7

Understand Tennessee's 1-year statute of limitations

Tennessee's statute of limitations for personal injury claims is one year from the date of the accident (Tenn. Code § 28-3-104). This applies whether you're suing an identified at-fault driver or filing a UM claim with your own insurer.

If the hit-and-run driver is later identified — through witness tips, surveillance footage, or forensic evidence — you have one year from the crash date to file a personal injury lawsuit against them. Do not wait to see if the driver is found before consulting an attorney.

8

Talk to a personal injury attorney

Hit-and-run cases involve unique legal and insurance challenges. An experienced Nashville personal injury attorney can investigate the crash independently (sometimes identifying the driver when police cannot), handle the UM claim with your own insurer, ensure you receive the full value of your claim rather than a lowball settlement, pursue a lawsuit against the driver if they're identified, and navigate Tennessee's strict 1-year filing deadline.

Most personal injury attorneys work on contingency — you pay nothing unless they recover compensation for you. The initial consultation is free.

Nashville Hit-and-Run Facts

1 Year

statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Tennessee — even in hit-and-run cases

Tenn. Code § 28-3-104

~20%

of Tennessee drivers are uninsured — making UM coverage essential

Insurance Research Council

Criminal Offense

leaving the scene of an accident involving injury is a Class A misdemeanor; involving death is a Class E felony in Tennessee

Tenn. Code § 55-10-101

Hit-and-runs are a growing problem in Nashville

Hit-and-run crashes are a significant and growing problem across Davidson County. Nashville's combination of heavy traffic, a vibrant nightlife district on Broadway and Lower Broadway, widespread rideshare activity, and a high rate of uninsured drivers all contribute to the frequency of hit-and-run incidents. The most dangerous corridors for all crashes — including hit-and-runs — include Murfreesboro Pike, Gallatin Pike, Nolensville Pike, Dickerson Pike, Charlotte Pike, and the major interstates (I-24, I-40, I-65). Pedestrian hit-and-runs are particularly common along Nashville's "pikes" — state-owned surface streets that often lack adequate sidewalks, lighting, and crosswalks. MNPD's crash data dashboard tracks hit-and-run incidents across the city, and the numbers remain stubbornly high. If you are the victim of a hit-and-run, know that police do solve many of these cases through witness accounts, camera footage, paint transfer analysis, and vehicle debris at the scene.

How UM coverage works in hit-and-run cases

When a hit-and-run driver cannot be identified, your uninsured motorist (UM) coverage essentially steps into the shoes of the absent driver's insurance. You file a claim with your own insurer, and they evaluate it as if it were a third-party liability claim. UM coverage in Tennessee can cover medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages — up to your policy limits. Tennessee requires insurers to offer UM coverage in amounts matching your liability limits (Tenn. Code § 56-7-1201). If you carry 100/300/100 liability coverage, your UM coverage should match unless you specifically opted for lower limits or rejected UM coverage in writing. One important distinction: for a UM claim based on a hit-and-run, Tennessee typically requires some evidence of physical contact between the fleeing vehicle and your vehicle or person. Paint transfer, debris, vehicle damage patterns, or witness testimony can establish this contact.

What if the hit-and-run driver is found?

If the driver who hit you is later identified — through police investigation, surveillance footage, witness identification, or forensic evidence — you can pursue a direct personal injury claim against them and their insurance carrier. This may provide significantly more recovery than a UM claim alone, especially if the driver carries substantial liability coverage. Even if you've already begun a UM claim, identifying the at-fault driver opens additional avenues for compensation. An attorney can pursue both paths simultaneously when appropriate.

Tennessee's 50% comparative fault bar still applies

Tennessee's modified comparative negligence rule (Tenn. Code § 29-11-103) applies even in hit-and-run cases where the driver is later identified. If the insurer or defense argues you were partially at fault — for example, jaywalking or being in the roadway improperly — your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you're found 50% or more at fault, you recover nothing. Documenting the scene and gathering witness testimony is essential to protecting your claim.

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Hit-and-Run FAQ — Nashville & Tennessee

Yes — if you carry uninsured motorist (UM) coverage on your auto insurance policy. UM coverage is designed to protect you in exactly this situation. Tennessee law requires insurers to offer UM coverage with every policy (Tenn. Code § 56-7-1201), though you may have rejected it in writing. Check your policy immediately after a hit-and-run.

One year from the date of the accident (Tenn. Code § 28-3-104). This applies to both lawsuits against identified drivers and UM claims with your own insurer. Tennessee courts enforce this deadline strictly — do not wait.

If you don't have UM coverage and the at-fault driver is never identified, your options are limited. Your own health insurance and any medical payments (MedPay) coverage on your auto policy may cover some medical costs, but they won't cover lost wages, pain and suffering, or other damages. If the driver is eventually identified, you can pursue a direct claim against them. This is a strong reason to carry UM coverage in Tennessee.

Yes. Leaving the scene of an accident involving injury is a Class A misdemeanor (Tenn. Code § 55-10-101). Leaving the scene of an accident involving death is a Class E felony, punishable by 1 to 6 years in prison. If you were the victim, the criminal case against the driver (if caught) is separate from your civil injury claim — you can pursue both.

Yes — report it to both the police and your insurance company as soon as possible. For a UM claim, your insurer will typically require a police report documenting the hit-and-run. Prompt reporting also demonstrates that you took immediate action, which strengthens your claim.

Any detail can help: even a partial license plate number, the make and color of the vehicle, the direction it was traveling, time of day, and the exact location. Surveillance camera footage from nearby businesses, traffic cameras, and doorbell cameras is often the key to identifying hit-and-run drivers. Debris left at the scene (broken headlight parts, mirror fragments, paint transfer on your vehicle) can also help investigators narrow down the vehicle.

Pedestrian hit-and-runs are tragically common in Nashville. If you were struck as a pedestrian, the same steps apply: call 911, get medical treatment, document everything, and report the incident to MNPD. If the driver is never found, your own auto insurance UM coverage may still apply — even though you were on foot at the time. If you don't own a vehicle, you may have UM coverage under a household member's policy. Consult an attorney to explore all options.

Yes, as long as you file within the 1-year statute of limitations. If the driver is identified at any point within that year, you can bring a personal injury lawsuit against them. If you've already been working with an attorney on a UM claim, they can pivot to pursue the at-fault driver directly.

Related Guides in Nashville

Car Accident in Nashville
Pedestrian Accident in Nashville
Drunk Driving Accident in Nashville
View all injury guides for Nashville, TN →

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InjuryNextSteps.com provides general informational content and is not a law firm. The information on this page does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Every accident is different. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you need legal advice, consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction. The legal information on this page references Tennessee statutes and is current as of 2026 but may change. Always verify with a qualified attorney.

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