What this calculator covers
Use it for any injury caused by someone else’s carelessness: a crash, a fall on someone’s property, a defective product, an assault at a poorly secured business. For car, truck, slip and fall or dog bite claims, the dedicated calculators ask a few extra questions that matter for those cases.
The three parts of an injury claim
Economic damages are losses with a receipt: medical bills, future treatment your doctors expect, lost wages and lost earning capacity. Non-economic damages cover pain, emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life. They have no receipt, so they are usually estimated as a multiple of economic damages or as a daily rate. Punitive damages punish extreme conduct and are rare in ordinary negligence cases, so the calculator leaves them out.
| Injury severity | Typical examples | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Minor | Sprains, whiplash, full recovery in months | 1.5× – 2× |
| Moderate | Fractures, months of therapy, some lasting effect | 2× – 3× |
| Severe | Surgery, permanent impairment | 3× – 4× |
| Catastrophic | Brain or spinal injury, lifelong disability | 4× – 5× |
How your state changes the number
Three state rules do most of the work. The fault rule decides how much your own share of blame costs you, and whether it bars the claim. The statute of limitations decides how long you have to sue. A handful of states cap non-economic damages in ordinary injury cases, including Alaska, Colorado, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee. Pick your state in the calculator and those rules are applied for you. The damage caps table lists every state.
Insurance decides what can be collected
A $300,000 claim against someone with a $100,000 policy and no assets is, in practice, a $100,000 claim. Ask early which insurer covers the at-fault party and what the limits are. The calculator shows where available coverage sits against your estimate.
Why real settlements differ from any calculator
Adjusters weigh things no formula captures: how believable you are, whether your treatment was consistent, what a local jury tends to award, and how strong the proof of fault is. Use the estimate to understand the range and to judge offers, not as a promise of what you will receive.
Questions people ask
How are personal injury settlements calculated?
Most start with economic damages, add pain and suffering as a multiple of those costs or a daily rate, subtract your share of fault, and check the result against the insurance available. Read the full walkthrough in how injury settlements are calculated.
Is a personal injury settlement taxable?
Compensation for a physical injury, including the pain and suffering that comes with it, is generally not taxable under federal law. Interest and punitive damages are. Try the settlement tax calculator.
How long does a personal injury claim take?
Simple claims often settle a few months after treatment ends. Claims with surgery, disputed fault or a lawsuit can take one to three years.
Do I need a lawyer for a personal injury claim?
Not for every claim, but studies and insurer data consistently show represented claimants recover more on serious injuries, even after fees. Most injury lawyers offer a free review and work on contingency.