Marcus, 34, Dallas TX
Car · soft-tissue · 0% fault
Rear-ended at 25 mph. ER, 8 weeks PT, no surgery.
Economic: $8,400 · Multiplier 2x · Pain & suffering $8,400 · Total $16,800
Researched and cited by our editorial team, not a law firm
Personal injury calculator.
Estimate your personal injury settlement using the same multiplier method bodily-injury adjusters use internally to set claim reserves. Live result, no sign-up, all 50 US states and DC.
Documented
Economic damages
$9,700
Medical bills plus lost wages
2.5x
Non-economic damages
$24,250
Pain and suffering, before caps
0% fault
Deductions
$0
Comparative fault and state caps
Net
Likely settlement
$33,950
The fair target you counter with
Negotiation range
Low, likely, highInsurer's likely first offer
$16,975
Decline this
Fair settlement target
$33,950
Counter at this
Maximum reasonable
$57,715
Demand letter ceiling
$16,975$57,715
What the settlement is made of
Net settlement$33,950
- Economic damages kept$9,70029%
- Pain and suffering kept$24,25071%
- Removed by fault and caps$00%
The ring is the gross claim of $33,950. The two kept arcs sum to the net figure in the centre, and the red arc is what comparative fault and statutory caps take away.
Settlement breakdown
Gross $33,950| Component | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Medical expenses | $6,500 | 19.1% |
| Lost wages | $3,200 | 9.4% |
| Economic damages | $9,700 | 28.6% |
| Pain and suffering (2.5x economic) | $24,250 | 71.4% |
| Comparative-fault reduction (0%) | $0 | 0.0% |
| Likely settlement | $33,950 | 100.0% |
Share is measured against the gross claim of $33,950. Method: multiplier method, industry standard. Estimate for negotiation, not legal advice.
Rules applied
Default- Negligence rule
- pure comparative (default)
- Statute of limitations
- Varies by state
- Non-economic cap
- None modeled
- Method
- Multiplier, 2.5x
Estimate only, not legal advice. The legal rules this calculator applies, each state's statute of limitations, comparative-negligence rule, and damage caps, are taken from official state statutes and US government sources, and every figure is cited inline so you can check it against the original. The multiplier method itself is the industry-standard approach bodily-injury adjusters use internally to set claim reserves, so treat the result as a negotiating benchmark rather than a promise: a real settlement still moves with insurer behavior, the strength of your evidence, and the jurisdiction you file in. Your figures stay on your device. Nothing you type is sent to a server, logged, or shared, and it clears when you close the tab. Take these numbers to a personal-injury attorney licensed in your state before you accept or reject any offer, especially for catastrophic injury or amounts above $50,000.
Updated 2026-05-06All 50 US statesNo sign-upEvery figure traced to a named sourceMethodology cited inline
The math behind every settlement.
Real benchmarks from insurance industry data, plain-English. Numbers anchor the estimate, not anecdotes.
~$19k
US average car-accident settlement
1.5x to 5x
Multiplier range on economic damages
4
Pure contributory-negligence states
2 yrs
Most common state SOL
$470k
CA med-mal non-economic cap, MICRA 2026
73%
Cases settled before suit
How insurers compute the offer.
The same formula adjusters use internally, fully disclosed. No black box.
Personal injury settlements in the United States are valued using the multiplier method: economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, property damage) multiplied by a non-economic factor between 1.5x and 5x based on injury severity, then added back to the economic total. State-specific rules then apply: California’s MICRA cap holds non-economic medical-malpractice damages to a statutory ceiling, Florida lifted its non-economic cap in 2017, and four pure-contributory-negligence states (Alabama, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, plus DC) bar recovery entirely if the plaintiff carries any share of fault. Modified-comparative-negligence states (Texas, Georgia, others) bar recovery above 50% or 51% plaintiff fault. US average car-accident settlement: around $19,000. Most cases (around 73%) settle before suit is filed. Statute of limitations runs 2 to 4 years from the injury date in most jurisdictions. The calculator above applies the right rule automatically once you select your state.
Settlement = (economic × multiplier) + economic
where:
- economic = medical bills + lost wages + property damage
- multiplier = 1.5x to 5x by severity
Then × (1 − fault%) for comparative-negligence states.
where:
- economic = medical bills + lost wages + property damage
- multiplier = 1.5x to 5x by severity
Then × (1 − fault%) for comparative-negligence states.
Sum economic damages. Medical bills, lost wages, property damage. Anything verifiable on paper.
Pick the multiplier. 1.5x for soft-tissue, 5x for catastrophic. Industry standard from claims-adjuster manuals.
Add pain & suffering. Multiplier applied to economic damages, then added back. The non-economic component.
Apply state rules. Cap the non-economic in MICRA states, drop to zero in pure-contributory states if you share any fault.
Apply comparative-negligence reduction. Multiply by (1 minus your fault percentage).
Every calculator, by the question it answers.
Each topic uses the same engine, with the rules and rates appropriate to that injury class.
№ 01Car accident settlementMultiplier 1.5x to 5x. US average near $19,000.№ 02Slip and fallPremises liability. Higher fault scrutiny.№ 03Dog biteStrict-liability vs one-bite by state.№ 04Motorcycle accidentHigher severity, helmet-law adjustments.№ 05Truck accidentFederal motor carrier coverage minimums.№ 06Medical malpracticeState caps, affidavit of merit required.№ 07Workplace injuryWorkers comp bar, third-party liability.№ 08Pain and sufferingMultiplier vs per-diem methods.
State-specific rules, applied automatically.
Comparative-negligence variant, statute of limitations, and damage caps for every state.
Real numbers, real cases.
Three composite scenarios drawn from claims-adjuster training material. Names changed; math is the math.
Aisha, 41, Brooklyn NY
Slip and fall · ankle fracture · 20% fault
Wet floor, no signage. Surgery and 12 weeks off work.
Economic: $24,200 · Multiplier 3x · Subtotal $96,800 · After 20% fault: $77,440
David, 58, Charlotte NC
Dog bite · 5% fault · NC contributory
Neighbor’s dog, off leash. Stitches, scarring.
NC pure contributory: $0 recoverable due to any plaintiff fault. State rule applied automatically.
What makes this calculator different.
Most personal-injury sites are run by law firms. Their calculator is bait for a callback. This one shows the arithmetic in the open and cites where every figure came from.
| Feature | This calculator | Typical law-firm calculator |
|---|---|---|
| Methodology disclosed inline | Yes, with citations | No, contact us |
| Free, no sign-up | Free | Email gate |
| State-specific rules applied | All 50 states | Generic national |
| Source: government statutes | Cited per state | Marketing copy |
| Author identity | Real bio, no pretense of being a lawyer | Generic firm |
| Your figures leave your device | Never, the math runs in your browser | Submitted to get a result |
Settlement questions, answered.
From the 25 most-asked queries on personal-injury settlements.
How is the settlement value calculated?
Economic damages (medical bills + lost wages + property damage) plus a non-economic multiplier between 1.5x and 5x based on severity. Then state-specific rules: comparative-negligence reduction, MICRA cap, contributory-negligence bar.
Are personal injury settlements taxable?
Compensation for physical injury is generally NOT taxed under IRC §104(a)(2). Lost-wages portions and punitive damages may be. Always consult a tax pro.
How long does a personal injury settlement take?
Median 6 to 18 months from injury to settlement. Faster if no surgery and clear liability. Statute of limitations sets the upper bound, usually 2 to 4 years by state.
What does loss of consortium mean?
A claim filed by the injured person’s spouse for loss of companionship, sexual relations, and household services. Awarded as a separate non-economic damage in most states.
Should I accept the insurer’s first offer?
Almost never. The opening number is a probe to test whether you know what the claim is worth, not the carrier’s ceiling (source: nolo.com). Counter with the calculator’s "high" estimate and a documented economic-damages packet.
What is the multiplier method versus per-diem?
The multiplier multiplies economic damages by 1.5x to 5x. Per-diem assigns a daily dollar value to pain and multiplies by recovery days. Multiplier is the industry default.
Does fault reduce my settlement?
In comparative-negligence states (most), yes. Your share of fault is multiplied against the gross award. In four pure-contributory states (AL, MD, NC, VA, plus DC), any fault bars recovery entirely.
Do I need a lawyer to use this calculator?
No. The calculator is a free pre-negotiation tool. For cases over roughly $25,000 or with disputed liability, hiring a personal injury attorney typically nets you more even after fees.
Personal injury terms, defined.
35 terms with full definitions. Every article on this site auto-links the first occurrence of any glossary term.
Loss of consortiumCompensation to a spouse for loss of companionship and household services after the partner injury.Maximum medical improvementThe point at which further treatment will not improve the injury. Triggers final settlement valuation.SubrogationInsurer right to recover from a third party who caused the loss they paid for. Affects net settlement.Per diem methodPain-and-suffering valuation by daily dollar amount times recovery days, instead of multiplier on economic damages.Comparative negligenceDoctrine that reduces award by the plaintiff percentage of fault. Modified or pure variants by state.Statute of limitationsDeadline to file suit, usually 2 to 4 years from injury date. Varies by state and claim type.
About the editorial team.
Research and Editorial Team
The PersonalInjuryCalculator.us editorial team documents how US insurance carriers value personal-injury claims and turns that into plain-English calculators and explainers. Every dollar range, multiplier, filing deadline, and damages cap published here is traced back to a named source. The team is not a law firm and includes no attorneys, so nothing on this site is legal advice. Speak with a licensed attorney in your state for serious or contested cases.
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