Auto Accident Settlement Calculator

Use this calculator to estimate the potential value of your auto accident settlement. Please note that this is an estimate based on common factors and should not be considered legal advice. Actual settlements can vary significantly based on jurisdiction, specific circumstances, and negotiation.

Past Medical Bills ($):

Estimated Future Medical Bills ($):

Past Lost Wages ($):

Estimated Future Lost Wages ($):

Vehicle Repair/Replacement Cost ($):

Other Property Damage (e.g., contents) ($):

Rental Car Costs ($):

Other Out-of-Pocket Expenses ($):

Pain & Suffering Multiplier (e.g., 1.5 to 5):

Your Percentage of Fault (0-100%):

function calculateSettlement() { var pastMedicalBills = parseFloat(document.getElementById('pastMedicalBills').value) || 0; var futureMedicalBills = parseFloat(document.getElementById('futureMedicalBills').value) || 0; var pastLostWages = parseFloat(document.getElementById('pastLostWages').value) || 0; var futureLostWages = parseFloat(document.getElementById('futureLostWages').value) || 0; var vehicleDamage = parseFloat(document.getElementById('vehicleDamage').value) || 0; var otherPropertyDamage = parseFloat(document.getElementById('otherPropertyDamage').value) || 0; var rentalCarCosts = parseFloat(document.getElementById('rentalCarCosts').value) || 0; var otherExpenses = parseFloat(document.getElementById('otherExpenses').value) || 0; var painSufferingMultiplier = parseFloat(document.getElementById('painSufferingMultiplier').value) || 0; var yourFaultPercentage = parseFloat(document.getElementById('yourFaultPercentage').value) || 0; // Validate multiplier and fault percentage if (painSufferingMultiplier < 0) painSufferingMultiplier = 0; if (yourFaultPercentage 100) yourFaultPercentage = 100; // Calculate Total Economic Damages (Special Damages) var totalEconomicDamages = pastMedicalBills + futureMedicalBills + pastLostWages + futureLostWages + vehicleDamage + otherPropertyDamage + rentalCarCosts + otherExpenses; // Calculate Estimated Pain & Suffering (General Damages) var painSufferingEstimate = totalEconomicDamages * painSufferingMultiplier; // Calculate Gross Settlement Estimate before fault adjustment var grossSettlementEstimate = totalEconomicDamages + painSufferingEstimate; // Adjust for comparative negligence (your fault percentage) var faultReductionFactor = (100 – yourFaultPercentage) / 100; var finalSettlementEstimate = grossSettlementEstimate * faultReductionFactor; var resultHtml = "

Estimated Settlement Breakdown:

"; resultHtml += "Total Economic Damages (Special Damages): $" + totalEconomicDamages.toLocaleString('en-US', { minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2 }) + ""; resultHtml += "Estimated Pain & Suffering (General Damages): $" + painSufferingEstimate.toLocaleString('en-US', { minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2 }) + ""; resultHtml += "Gross Settlement Estimate (before fault adjustment): $" + grossSettlementEstimate.toLocaleString('en-US', { minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2 }) + ""; resultHtml += "Your Percentage of Fault: " + yourFaultPercentage.toFixed(0) + "%"; resultHtml += "Final Estimated Settlement: $" + finalSettlementEstimate.toLocaleString('en-US', { minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2 }) + ""; document.getElementById('settlementResult').innerHTML = resultHtml; } .calculator-container { font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 25px; border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); max-width: 700px; margin: 30px auto; border: 1px solid #e0e0e0; } .calculator-container h2 { color: #2c3e50; text-align: center; margin-bottom: 20px; font-size: 1.8em; } .calculator-container p { color: #555; margin-bottom: 15px; line-height: 1.6; } .calc-input-group { margin-bottom: 15px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; } .calc-input-group label { margin-bottom: 7px; color: #34495e; font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.95em; } .calc-input-group input[type="number"] { padding: 10px 12px; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 5px; font-size: 1em; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; transition: border-color 0.3s ease; } .calc-input-group input[type="number"]:focus { border-color: #007bff; outline: none; box-shadow: 0 0 5px rgba(0, 123, 255, 0.2); } .calculate-button { display: block; width: 100%; padding: 12px 20px; background-color: #007bff; color: white; border: none; border-radius: 5px; font-size: 1.1em; font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; transition: background-color 0.3s ease, transform 0.2s ease; margin-top: 25px; } .calculate-button:hover { background-color: #0056b3; transform: translateY(-2px); } .calculate-button:active { transform: translateY(0); } .calc-result { background-color: #e9f7ef; border: 1px solid #d4edda; border-radius: 8px; padding: 20px; margin-top: 30px; color: #155724; font-size: 1.1em; line-height: 1.8; } .calc-result h3 { color: #0f5132; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 15px; font-size: 1.4em; border-bottom: 1px solid #d4edda; padding-bottom: 10px; } .calc-result p { margin-bottom: 8px; color: #155724; } .calc-result strong { color: #0a3622; font-size: 1.2em; } /* Responsive adjustments */ @media (max-width: 600px) { .calculator-container { padding: 15px; margin: 20px auto; } .calculator-container h2 { font-size: 1.5em; } .calc-input-group label { font-size: 0.9em; } .calc-input-group input[type="number"] { font-size: 0.95em; padding: 8px 10px; } .calculate-button { font-size: 1em; padding: 10px 15px; } .calc-result { font-size: 1em; padding: 15px; } .calc-result h3 { font-size: 1.2em; } }

Understanding Your Auto Accident Settlement

An auto accident settlement is a financial agreement reached between the injured party (you) and the at-fault driver's insurance company (or your own, depending on the circumstances) to compensate for damages incurred due to a car accident. This calculator provides an estimate by considering various factors that typically contribute to a settlement amount.

Key Components of a Settlement

Settlements are generally divided into two main categories: economic damages and non-economic damages.

1. Economic Damages (Special Damages)

These are quantifiable financial losses directly resulting from the accident. They are often easier to calculate as they come with bills, receipts, and wage statements.

Past Medical Bills: Costs for emergency room visits, doctor appointments, surgeries, medications, physical therapy, and other treatments already incurred.
Estimated Future Medical Bills: If your injuries require ongoing treatment, future surgeries, long-term therapy, or medication, these projected costs are included.
Past Lost Wages: Income you've already lost due to being unable to work because of your injuries.
Estimated Future Lost Wages: If your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous job, or reduce your earning capacity in the long term, these future losses are considered.
Vehicle Repair/Replacement Cost: The cost to fix your damaged vehicle or its fair market value if it's deemed a total loss.
Other Property Damage: This includes damage to personal items inside your vehicle, such as a laptop, phone, or child car seat.
Rental Car Costs: Expenses incurred for renting a vehicle while yours was being repaired or replaced.
Other Out-of-Pocket Expenses: Any other direct costs you've paid due to the accident, such as transportation to medical appointments, assistive devices, or home modifications.

2. Non-Economic Damages (General Damages)

These are more subjective and compensate for non-monetary losses. They are often calculated using a "multiplier" method based on the total economic damages.

Pain and Suffering: Compensation for physical pain, discomfort, and emotional distress caused by the accident and injuries. This can include chronic pain, scarring, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Pain & Suffering Multiplier: Insurance adjusters and attorneys often use a multiplier (typically ranging from 1.5 to 5, or even higher for severe injuries) applied to the total economic damages to estimate pain and suffering. A higher multiplier is used for more severe, long-lasting, or debilitating injuries.

Impact of Fault (Comparative Negligence)

Many states operate under "comparative negligence" laws. This means that if you are found to be partially at fault for the accident, your total settlement amount may be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if your damages are $100,000 but you are found 20% at fault, your settlement could be reduced to $80,000.

How the Calculator Works

This calculator sums up all your economic damages. It then applies the "Pain & Suffering Multiplier" you provide to these economic damages to estimate your non-economic damages. The sum of economic and non-economic damages gives a gross settlement estimate. Finally, it adjusts this gross estimate based on your "Percentage of Fault" to provide a final estimated settlement.

Important Considerations

This is an Estimate: The calculator provides a rough estimate. Actual settlement values are influenced by many factors, including the strength of evidence, the specific insurance policies involved, the jurisdiction's laws, and the negotiation skills of your legal representation.
Legal Advice is Crucial: It is highly recommended to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney after an auto accident. An attorney can accurately assess your case, gather necessary evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, and ensure you receive fair compensation.
Statute of Limitations: There are strict deadlines (statutes of limitations) for filing personal injury lawsuits. Missing this deadline can result in losing your right to pursue compensation.

Example Scenario:

Let's say you were involved in an accident with the following damages:

Past Medical Bills: $15,000
Estimated Future Medical Bills: $5,000
Past Lost Wages: $3,000
Vehicle Repair Cost: $8,000
Other Out-of-Pocket Expenses: $500
Pain & Suffering Multiplier: 3.0
Your Percentage of Fault: 10%

Calculation:

Total Economic Damages: $15,000 + $5,000 + $3,000 + $8,000 + $500 = $31,500
Estimated Pain & Suffering: $31,500 * 3.0 = $94,500
Gross Settlement Estimate: $31,500 + $94,500 = $126,000
Fault Adjustment: $126,000 * (1 – 0.10) = $126,000 * 0.90 = $113,400

In this example, your estimated final settlement would be $113,400.