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V03.10XA is the ICD-10-CM external-cause code that appears on a Tennessee ER bill or insurance EOB when a pedestrian on foot is hit by a car, pickup, or van during traffic. It documents the circumstance of the injury, not the injury itself, and not fault. The settlement value of a V03.10XA case in Tennessee is driven by three things: the paired S-codes describing the actual injuries (the bumper triangle), the one-year statute of limitations at TCA Section 28-3-104, and the $750,000 non-economic damages cap at TCA Section 29-39-102.
V03.10XA at a glance
V03.10XA Settlement Value Snapshot (Tennessee, 2026)
Last updated
- Definition
- Pedestrian on foot injured in collision with car, pick-up truck or van in traffic accident, initial encounter (ICD-10-CM, FY2026).
- TN crosswalk law
- TCA Section 55-8-134 requires drivers to yield to pedestrians within crosswalks when signals are not in place or operating. Violation supports negligence-per-se.
- TN settlement
- $10,000 to $1,500,000+. Minor single-region $10,000 to $60,000; moderate $60,000 to $350,000; severe permanent injury $350,000 to $1,500,000; catastrophic and wrongful death $2,000,000 to $10,000,000+ in economic damages.
- TN non-economic cap
- $750,000 standard, $1,000,000 catastrophic (TCA Section 29-39-102). Economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, future care) uncapped; punitives capped separately at TCA Section 29-39-104.
- TN legal layer
- One-year statute (TCA Section 28-3-104; extends to 2 years if criminal charges). Modified comparative fault, 49% bar (McIntyre v. Balentine, 1992).
- A suffix
- Initial encounter (first visit for active treatment). Follow-up becomes V03.10XD; long-term sequelae become V03.10XS. Treatment-gap discounting applies after 30 days at A.
Source: SetCalc analysis of Tennessee court records and confirmed settlements, 2025 to 2026. Estimate your V03.10XA settlement value →
What V03.10XA Actually Means
ICD-10-CM external-cause codes (the V chapter, V00 through V99) describe how a person was injured during transport. They are not diagnoses; they are circumstance codes attached to the actual injury codes. Reading V03.10XA character by character:
- V03: pedestrian injured in collision with car, pickup truck, or van (the category)
- .10: pedestrian on foot, in traffic (the X is a required placeholder so the encounter character lands in position 7)
- X: placeholder to push the 7th character to position 7
- A: initial encounter. The patient is being seen for active treatment. Follow-up becomes D; long-term sequelae become S.
Closely related codes a Tennessee coder may use on the same chart include V03.00XA (non-traffic, parking lot or driveway), V03.13XA (pedestrian on skateboard or roller skates in traffic), V03.19XA (pedestrian using other conveyance like an e-scooter operated as a pedestrian device, in traffic), and V03.90XA (unspecified pedestrian in traffic).
V03.10XA does not say who was at fault
How a V03.10XA Crash Typically Happens in Tennessee
V03.10XA covers the full range of car-hits-pedestrian traffic collisions. The four patterns we see most often in Tennessee cases:
Marked crosswalk strike at a signalized intersection
Pedestrian in a marked crosswalk with a green walk signal, struck by a turning or through-traveling vehicle. Strongest liability scenario under TCA Section 55-8-134. Common at the high-pedestrian intersections in downtown Nashville, Lower Broadway, Beale Street, and the West End / 21st Avenue corridor near Vanderbilt.
Arterial “pike” crossing
Pedestrian crossing one of the Nashville pikes (Murfreesboro Pike, Nolensville Pike, Gallatin Pike, Dickerson Pike) or a Memphis arterial (Lamar, Elvis Presley, Summer). These corridors carry 40 to 45 mph posted speeds, limited sidewalks, and few signalized crosswalks. State routes account for the majority of TN pedestrian fatalities.
Mid-block jaywalk
Pedestrian crossing between intersections outside any crosswalk. TCA Section 55-8-135 requires the pedestrian to yield. Driver still owes a duty of reasonable care; the 49% bar means most of these cases survive comparative fault but with a substantial reduction. Defense will press hard toward the 50% line.
Parking lot or driveway strike
Technically coded V03.00XA (non-traffic), not V03.10XA. Common at TN gas stations, Kroger / Publix parking lots, and apartment driveways. Backing-up drivers owe a heightened duty and liability is usually clearer than traffic cases.
The Bumper-Triangle Injury Pattern
Pedestrian impacts produce a characteristic three-stage injury pattern. Recognizing the pattern in Tennessee ER documentation helps adjusters and counsel calibrate severity early. Each stage maps to a specific cluster of paired S-codes:
- Stage 1 (bumper level): tibia and fibula fractures (S82), femur (S72), knee ligament damage (S83). The classic pedestrian “bumper fracture” is a transverse tibia fracture at bumper height.
- Stage 2 (hood and windshield): pelvic fractures (S32), ribs and chest (S22), upper extremity (S52 / S62), and primary TBI (S06.0X through S06.9X). The pedestrian rotates onto the hood or windshield.
- Stage 3 (ground impact): secondary TBI from striking the pavement. In adult Tennessee pedestrian cases, the third impact often produces the worst-prognosis injuries and the biggest economic-damages number that survives the non-economic cap.
For deeper value modeling on the paired S-codes, see the TBI settlement guide, broken bone guide, and the Tennessee back injury settlement guide.
TCA Section 55-8-134 and the Tennessee Yield Duty
Tennessee Code Annotated Section 55-8-134 is the foundational pedestrian-yield statute. The substance:
- Section 55-8-134(a): when traffic-control signals are not in place or are not in operation, the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping if need be, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is on the driver's half of the roadway or is approaching so closely from the opposite half as to be in danger.
- Section 55-8-134(b): a pedestrian may not suddenly leave a curb or place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle so close it is impossible for the driver to yield.
- Section 55-8-134(c): vehicles approaching from behind may not overtake a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross.
- School zone: drivers must stop (not merely yield) in school zones with active warning flashers.
TCA Section 55-8-135 separately requires the pedestrian to yield when crossing outside a crosswalk and forbids crossing between adjacent signalized intersections except in a marked crosswalk. Tennessee does not have a separate codified “crosswalk presumption” statute, but violation of Section 55-8-134 supports negligence-per-se under Tennessee case law; the practical effect is similar to California's presumption framework in marked-crosswalk cases.
Section 55-8-134(b) is the defense lever
Tennessee Settlement Ranges for V03.10XA Cases
Settlement ranges reflect SetCalc analysis of Tennessee court records and confirmed settlements involving pedestrian-versus-passenger-vehicle traffic collisions, 2025 to 2026. The bands track injury severity; the upper end of each band assumes recovery is not constrained by the at-fault driver's policy limits or the non-economic damages cap.
| Severity Band | Tennessee Range | Typical Paired S-Codes |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (single-region, recovery) | $10,000 to $60,000 | Soft tissue, single-bone fracture conservatively managed, no surgery |
| Moderate (multi-region, surgical) | $60,000 to $350,000 | S82 tibia ORIF, S32 pelvic fixation, S06.0X concussion |
| Severe (TBI, permanent impairment) | $350,000 to $1,500,000 | S06.2 moderate TBI, multi-fracture, permanent impairment rating >15% |
| Catastrophic | $1,500,000 to $10,000,000+ | S24 / S34 spinal cord, severe S06 TBI, amputation, permanent disability |
| Wrongful death | $1,000,000 to $15,000,000+ | TCA Section 20-5-106 / 20-5-113 wrongful-death damages; loss of consortium component subject to non-econ cap |
Source: SetCalc analysis of Tennessee verdicts and confirmed settlements, 2025 to 2026. Recovery is structurally constrained by the $750,000 / $1,000,000 non-economic damages cap at TCA Section 29-39-102; economic damages (medical, lost wages, future care, life-care plan) are uncapped and drive the catastrophic-band totals. See the verdict and settlement database for case-by-case comparables.
Tennessee Pedestrian Case Examples
Three representative Tennessee case profiles that would carry a V03.10XA code on the medical chart. Facts are composites drawn from public Tennessee verdicts and confirmed settlements; numbers reflect settlement ranges seen for similar fact patterns.
Example 1: Hillsboro Village marked crosswalk strike (Davidson County, Nashville)
Facts:
Pedestrian in a marked Hillsboro Village crosswalk struck by a sedan whose driver failed to yield while making a left turn. Clean TCA Section 55-8-134 liability; driver cited.
Injuries (paired codes):
V03.10XA + S82.2 tibial shaft fracture (intramedullary nail) + S06.0X concussion + S32 pubic ramus fracture.
Davidson County jury verdict approximately $1,638,561. Wrongful-death pattern (widow and family). No comparative-fault reduction; multi-defendant exposure under TCA Section 29-11-107 several-liability framework.
Example 2: Murfreesboro Pike arterial crossing at dusk (Davidson County)
Facts:
38-year-old pedestrian crossing Murfreesboro Pike between bus stops at 45 mph posted speed; struck by a pickup approximately 30 minutes after sunset. Pedestrian wearing dark clothing; no nearby marked crosswalk. Defense argued 40 to 45 percent comparative fault.
Injuries (paired codes):
V03.10XA + S72.0 femoral neck (ORIF) + S22 multiple rib fractures + S06.2 moderate TBI with persistent post-concussive symptoms.
Settlement range: $275,000 to $475,000. Gross value before comparative reduction approximately $500K to $850K; reduced by 40 to 45 percent under the 49% bar. Driver carried a $50,000 policy plus $300,000 UIM on the pedestrian's household policy.
Example 3: Wrongful-death pedestrian, impaired driver (Shelby County, Memphis)
Facts:
Adult pedestrian in unmarked crosswalk at a Memphis arterial intersection struck and killed by an impaired driver. Driver criminally charged with vehicular homicide; SOL extended to two years under TCA Section 28-3-104(a)(2).
Injuries (paired codes):
V03.10XA + multi-region polytrauma (S06 catastrophic TBI, S32 unstable pelvic ring, S22 flail chest) with death at scene.
Settlement: approximately $2,500,000. Exceeded the at-fault driver's personal policy via UM/UIM stacking on the decedent's household policy; catastrophic-band non-economic ceiling of $1,000,000 plus economic damages and uncapped punitive component under TCA Section 29-39-104.
Tennessee Legal Context for V03.10XA Cases
- Statute of limitations: one year from the crash date under TCA Section 28-3-104(a)(1)(A). Extended to two years if criminal charges are brought against the driver for the same conduct (Section 28-3-104(a)(2)). Governmental Tort Liability Act deadlines apply if a public-entity vehicle is involved.
- Comparative fault: modified comparative fault with a 49% bar under McIntyre v. Balentine, 833 S.W.2d 52 (Tenn. 1992). See the Tennessee comparative negligence page.
- Non-economic damages cap: $750,000 standard, $1,000,000 catastrophic, under TCA Section 29-39-102. Constitutional challenge denied in McClay v. Airport Management. Economic damages uncapped.
- Several liability only: TCA Section 29-11-107 (codifying Volz v. Ledes, 895 S.W.2d 677 (Tenn. 1995)) means each defendant pays only its assigned percentage of fault. No joint liability for the full judgment.
- Crosswalk yield duty: TCA Section 55-8-134 requires drivers to yield to pedestrians within crosswalks; violation supports negligence-per-se. TCA Section 55-8-135 requires pedestrians to yield outside crosswalks.
- Auto-insurance minimums: $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident, $15,000 property damage under TCA Section 55-12-102. Approximately 21 percent of TN drivers uninsured (5th highest in the U.S.); UM/UIM is essential.
- UM/UIM: TCA Section 56-7-1201 requires UM to be offered at equal limits to BI unless rejected in writing. Anti-stacking under Section 56-7-1201(b)(2): UM/UIM of the accident vehicle is the recovery ceiling.
- Dram shop: TCA Section 57-10-102 carve-out requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt that sale to a visibly intoxicated person or minor was a proximate cause. Social hosts not liable.
How a Tennessee Adjuster Reads V03.10XA
Carrier severity-evaluation systems (Colossus, Liability Navigator, Claim IQ) ingest diagnosis and external-cause codes from the medical records as scoring inputs. Three things to know about how Tennessee adjusters specifically treat a V03.10XA chart:
- V03 places the case in a higher severity band than V43 (car on car) at the same paired S-code level because pedestrian impacts produce predictable multi-region trauma. The bumper triangle is well-understood by adjuster severity software.
- Tennessee adjusters open conservatively. Tennessee Farmers Mutual (the dominant regional carrier) typically opens at the low end of the severity band and pushes hard on the 49% bar. State Farm and Allstate (the two largest national writers in TN) follow similar low-anchor patterns. The $750,000 non-economic cap is treated as a hard ceiling on pain-and-suffering valuation even in pre-suit posture.
- Treatment-gap discounting is aggressive. Records stuck at the A (initial encounter) suffix for more than 30 days post-crash flag the case for insurer-side discounting. Every Tennessee follow-up visit needs its D-suffix record to defeat the gap argument.
For more on how severity software handles V- and S-codes, see our Colossus settlement-software guide.
What to Do If V03.10XA Is on Your Tennessee Hospital Bill
Move fast: TN has a one-year SOL
Document the crosswalk location within 72 hours
Pull the Tennessee Uniform Crash Report within 10 days
Treat every region of the bumper triangle
Identify every liable entity before signing anything
Frequently Asked Questions
What does V03.10XA mean on my Tennessee hospital bill?
V03.10XA is the ICD-10-CM external-cause code for a pedestrian on foot injured in a collision with a car, pickup, or van during traffic, initial encounter. Tennessee hospitals routinely place it on the ER face sheet, the itemized bill, and the EOB. It documents how the injury happened, not the injuries themselves and not who was at fault. The final A means initial encounter; follow-up visits become V03.10XD; long-term sequelae become V03.10XS.
What is the average pedestrian settlement in Tennessee?
Tennessee pedestrian cases range widely by injury severity: minor single-region cases settle from $10,000 to $60,000; moderate multi-region or surgical cases run $60,000 to $350,000; severe permanent injury (TBI, multi-fracture, permanent impairment) reaches $350,000 to $1,500,000; catastrophic and wrongful-death cases can exceed $2,000,000. Recovery is constrained by the Tennessee non-economic damages cap at TCA Section 29-39-102: $750,000 standard and $1,000,000 catastrophic. Economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, future care) are not capped.
How does the Tennessee non-economic damages cap affect a V03.10XA case?
TCA Section 29-39-102 limits non-economic damages (pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment, loss of consortium) to $750,000 in standard cases and $1,000,000 in catastrophic cases (defined by statute to include spinal cord injury, amputation, severe burns, and wrongful death of a parent of a minor child). The cap applies even where a jury awards more, and applies per injured party rather than per defendant. Economic damages (medical expenses, lost earnings, future care costs) are unconstrained. The practical effect on V03.10XA cases: serious pedestrian cases with strong economic damages can still command large settlements, but the pain-and-suffering portion that often drives a California or New York verdict is structurally limited in Tennessee.
What is the statute of limitations on a Tennessee pedestrian case?
One year from the date of the crash under TCA Section 28-3-104(a)(1)(A), one of the three shortest personal-injury statutes of limitations in the country. If criminal charges (DUI, vehicular assault, vehicular homicide) are brought against the driver for the same conduct, TCA Section 28-3-104(a)(2) extends the deadline to two years. If a public-entity vehicle is involved (a Metro Nashville bus, a Memphis Area Transit Authority vehicle, a TDOT vehicle), the Governmental Tort Liability Act at TCA Section 29-20-302 requires notice within strict deadlines and caps damages at $300,000 per claimant and $700,000 per accident under TCA Section 29-20-403.
Tennessee has a 49% comparative fault bar. How does that work for a pedestrian?
Under McIntyre v. Balentine (1992), Tennessee uses modified comparative fault: a plaintiff recovers only if their fault is less than the defendant's. Practically: at 49% fault you recover (reduced by 49%); at 50% or more you are barred entirely. For pedestrian cases this matters when the driver argues the pedestrian crossed mid-block, stepped into the road from between parked cars, or wore dark clothing at night. The defense will fight hard over each percentage point because 50% is a cliff, not a slope. TCA Section 29-11-107 confirms each defendant is severally liable only for its own share.
Does Tennessee have a crosswalk presumption like California?
Tennessee imposes a clear yield duty under TCA Section 55-8-134: when traffic signals are not in place or not in operation, the driver must yield to a pedestrian crossing within a crosswalk on the driver's half of the roadway or approaching closely from the opposite half. Violation supports negligence-per-se under Tennessee case law. Tennessee does not have a separate codified "presumption" statute like California's Vehicle Code 21950 framework, but the driver-duty statute combined with negligence-per-se produces a similar functional result in marked-crosswalk cases. Outside marked crosswalks (mid-block, unmarked-intersection crossings between adjacent signals), TCA Section 55-8-135 requires the pedestrian to yield.
What injuries are typically coded along with V03.10XA?
Pedestrian impacts follow a recognizable "bumper triangle" pattern that produces multi-region injuries. The most common paired S-codes are S82 (tibia/fibula fracture, the classic bumper fracture), S72 (femur fracture), S32 (pelvic ring fracture from hood loading), S22 (rib and thoracic spine), S06.0X through S06.9X (traumatic brain injury from windshield or ground impact), and S52/S62 (upper-extremity bracing fractures). Severity grading inside each S-code, especially S06 TBI grade and S32 pelvic stability, drives most of the value, not the V-code itself.
Memphis and Nashville keep showing up in national pedestrian-fatality rankings. Why?
Smart Growth America and Governors Highway Safety Association data have repeatedly ranked Memphis as the most dangerous large U.S. metro for pedestrian fatalities (roughly 69 deaths per 100,000 over the 2015 to 2024 window), with Nashville close behind. Tennessee saw approximately 153 pedestrian deaths in 2024 (TDOT reporting). The "pikes" radiating out of Nashville (Murfreesboro, Nolensville, Gallatin, Dickerson) and the major arterials in Memphis carry disproportionate fatal-pedestrian risk because they combine high vehicle speeds, limited sidewalk continuity, and few signalized crosswalks. Practically, this means TN juries in the urban venues are increasingly familiar with the pedestrian-as-victim narrative.
What if the driver was drunk? Can I sue the bar that served them?
Tennessee dram-shop liability is unusually narrow. TCA Section 57-10-101 makes consumption (not service) the default proximate cause: no liability on the seller. TCA Section 57-10-102 creates a carve-out only when (a) the seller served a visibly intoxicated person or a minor and (b) the jury finds beyond a reasonable doubt (an extraordinary civil burden borrowed from criminal law) that the sale was a proximate cause of the injury. Social hosts have no liability. Practically, pursuing the bar in a V03.10XA case is difficult; the driver and the driver's insurer (and any employer if on-duty) remain the primary recovery targets.
Does the V03.10XA code itself raise the settlement value?
Indirectly. Adjuster-side severity software (Colossus, Liability Navigator, Claim IQ) maps V-codes to expected severity bands; V03 (pedestrian) sits in a higher band than V43 (car-vs-car) at the same paired S-code severity because pedestrian impacts produce predictable multi-region damage. The dominant value drivers remain the paired S-codes, treatment intensity, permanent impairment ratings, and (in Tennessee) the size of the at-fault driver's policy or the available UM/UIM layer. V-code alone does not generate a number.
Estimate your V03.10XA settlement value
Related Resources
Tennessee Back Injury Settlement Calculator
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New York Pedestrian Accident Settlement Calculator
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California Pedestrian Accident Settlement Calculator
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Washington Pedestrian Accident Settlement Calculator
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