Statute of Limitations for Intentional/Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress in Tennessee

Overview

In Tennessee, claims for Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (IIED) and Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress (NIED) are treated as personal-injury–type claims for statute of limitations purposes. DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator provides a practical way to translate that rule into a specific “latest file by” date.

This page uses Tennessee’s general/default statute of limitations, because no claim-type-specific sub-rule for IIED or NIED was identified in the provided jurisdiction data. In other words: the calculator’s baseline timing is the same 1-year period described in the governing code section below, unless a separate exception applies.

If you’re preparing a case timeline, treat the limitations period as a case-management deadline, not a “filing target.” Courts often scrutinize timeliness early, especially when evidence dates and event dates are close together.

Limitation period

The default period: 1 year

The Tennessee general/default statute of limitations period for the relevant category is one (1) year.

• General SOL period (default): 1 year
• General statute: Tennessee Code Annotated § 40-35-111(e)(2)
• Jurisdiction: Tennessee (US-TN)

How DocketMath calculates your deadline

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations tool typically works from two date inputs:

• Date of the triggering event (for many timelines, this is when the conduct occurred, or when the injury was, or should have been, discovered—depending on how your accrual theory is framed)
• Claim filing date you are planning/using (or you can calculate the “latest” date by running the tool in reverse)

You’ll get outputs such as:

• SOL start date (the date the clock begins under your chosen model)
• SOL end date (start date + 1 year, adjusted for any date logic the tool applies)
• Whether a proposed filing date is within the period

Inputs that change the output

Even when the statute says “1 year,” your deadline depends heavily on the date you choose as the clock start.

Use these as concrete timeline examples:

• If the clock starts January 15, 2025, the default SOL end date is January 15, 2026 (with any tool-specific day-counting rules applied).
• If instead the clock starts March 1, 2025, your end date shifts to March 1, 2026.
• A filing date of January 20, 2026 would be:

  • Late if the clock started January 15, 2025, and
  • Timely if the clock started March 1, 2025.

Practical checklist for date selection

Before running the calculator, gather:

Then, keep your dates consistent across documents (complaint, case timeline, and any correspondence), because limitations arguments often turn into a “what date are we using?” dispute.

Key exceptions

Even with a clear 1-year baseline, there are several categories of issues that can change timing:

• Accrual / clock-start disputes:
  Tennessee limitations analysis can turn on when the claim accrued—commonly the date of injury or discovery-type considerations. For emotional distress claims, parties frequently dispute whether accrual is tied to the first symptoms, the realization of harm, or another event.

• Tolling:
  Legal doctrines that pause the clock may apply in some circumstances (for example, where a statute provides for tolling or where procedural fairness concerns arise). A tolling event can extend the SOL end date beyond the simple “start + 1 year” calculation.

• Procedural timing differences:
  Certain filings, amendments, or re-filing after dismissal can affect the practical limitations picture, depending on how the court treats the procedural history.

Because DocketMath’s baseline is the default 1-year period, your output becomes more accurate when you also model the key timing assumptions the calculator requests (especially the clock-start date).

Statute citation

Tennessee’s general/default one-year limitations period used here is:

• Tennessee Code Annotated § 40-35-111(e)(2)
  Source: https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-40/chapter-35/part-1/section-40-35-111/

How to use the citation in your workflow:
When you create a case timeline or draft internal memos, reference the statute near the deadline calculation so anyone reviewing the timeline can quickly confirm which SOL rule you applied.

Use the calculator

To model your deadline with DocketMath, go to:

• **/tools/statute-of-limitations

What to do next (quick steps)

1. Open DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations tool.
2. Select Tennessee (US-TN).
3. Enter your SOL start date (the date you believe the limitations clock begins under your accrual model).
4. Run the calculation to produce the SOL end date (default: 1 year).
5. Compare the planned filing date to the SOL end date.

How outputs change when you adjust dates

Try these scenarios to see how the tool behaves:

• Change the SOL start date by 30 days → your SOL end date should move by about 30 days.
• Keep the SOL end date constant but change the filing date → the “timely vs. late” outcome can flip around the end-date boundary.

Gentle accuracy note

DocketMath is designed to help you calculate statutory deadlines consistently. Limitations outcomes can depend on factual nuances and case-specific procedural developments, so use the tool as a timeline engine, then verify the assumptions you used for accrual and any possible tolling theories.

Related reading

• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Vermont — Tool comparison
• Statute of limitations in Singapore: how to estimate the deadline — How-to guide
• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Connecticut — Tool comparison