About the Personal Injury Settlement Calculator
This personal injury settlement calculator estimates what a car accident, slip-and-fall or other injury claim may be worth using the multiplier method that insurance adjusters and attorneys commonly start from. It adds up your economic damages — medical bills, lost wages and property damage — then estimates pain and suffering by multiplying your medical costs by a factor between 1.5 and 5 depending on how serious the injury is.
It then applies the fault rule in your state (pure comparative, modified comparative or contributory negligence), caps the result at the at-fault driver’s policy limit if you enter one, and subtracts a contingency fee, case costs and medical liens to show what would actually reach you.
Every claim is different: evidence, liability disputes, venue and the adjuster all move the number, so use the low–high range as a sanity check on an offer rather than a promise. The multiplier is a negotiation convention, not a legal rule.
With the default inputs, the estimated settlement value is $61,500.00. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the personal injury settlement calculator
- 1Enter medical bills, future medical costs, lost wages and property damage.
- 2Choose a multiplier that matches the severity and recovery time of the injury.
- 3Enter your share of fault and your state’s fault rule.
- 4Add the at-fault party’s policy limit if you know it.
- 5Enter the attorney fee, case costs and any liens to see what you would keep.
Formula and method
Economic damages E are the documented losses: medical bills (past and expected), lost wages, property damage and other out-of-pocket costs. Non-economic damages (pain and suffering) are estimated with the multiplier method — the medical costs M (optionally plus lost wages) multiplied by a factor k from 1.5 for minor injuries up to 5 for severe or permanent ones.
The total is reduced by your percentage of fault under pure comparative negligence. Modified comparative states bar recovery at 50% or 51% fault, and the few contributory-negligence jurisdictions bar it for any fault. The result is capped at the at-fault party’s policy limit when entered. Finally the contingency fee (usually 33⅓%, sometimes 40% if a lawsuit is filed), case costs and liens are subtracted to estimate your net.
- E
- Economic damages
- M
- Medical costs (or medical + lost wages)
- k
- Pain and suffering multiplier (1.5–5)
- fault
- Your share of fault, as a fraction
Worked examples
Rear-end crash, $15k medical, 2.5× multiplier
Economic damages are $15,000 medical + $5,000 wages + $4,000 property = $24,000. Pain and suffering is $15,000 × 2.5 = $37,500, for a $61,500 claim. After a 33.33% fee ($20,498) and $1,500 in costs, about $39,502 reaches you.
Serious injury, 20% at fault, $250k policy
Medical costs of $50,000 plus $20,000 wages, times 3, gives $210,000 in pain and suffering; with $78,000 economic damages the claim is $288,000. Being 20% at fault cuts it to $230,400, under the $250,000 limit. After the fee and $5,000 in costs you keep about $148,608.
Policy limit caps the claim
The claim is worth $20,000 + $60,000 = $80,000, but the at-fault driver only carries $50,000 of coverage. A 40% litigation fee takes $20,000, costs $2,000 and a health-insurer lien $8,000, leaving $20,000.
Frequently asked questions
How are personal injury settlements calculated?+
Adjusters typically total the economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, property damage) and then estimate pain and suffering with a multiplier of 1.5 to 5 applied to the medical costs, or with a per-diem rate for each day of recovery. Fault, policy limits and evidence then shape the final offer.
What multiplier should I use for pain and suffering?+
Minor soft-tissue injuries that heal within weeks usually settle around 1.5–2×. Fractures, surgery or months of treatment often justify 3×, and permanent impairment, disfigurement or long-term disability may reach 4–5× or more.
How much does a personal injury lawyer take?+
Most work on contingency: commonly 33⅓% of the settlement if the case settles before a lawsuit and around 40% if it goes to litigation or trial. Case costs such as filing fees, records and expert witnesses are usually repaid from the settlement as well.
What happens if I was partly at fault?+
In pure comparative negligence states your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. Modified comparative states bar you if you are 50% or 51% or more at fault, and a handful of contributory-negligence jurisdictions bar recovery for any fault at all.
Are personal injury settlements taxable?+
Under US federal law, compensation for physical injuries or physical sickness — including the pain and suffering part — is generally not taxable. Punitive damages and interest are taxable, and lost-wage portions of non-physical claims may be taxable.
Results are general estimates and not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction — consult a qualified attorney.