Estimate your potential personal injury claim value
1.5 for minor injuries, 5.0 for severe/permanent injuries.
Estimated Settlement Range
Economic Damages (Special):$0.00
Non-Economic Damages (General):$0.00
Total Estimated Value:$0.00
How a Bodily Injury Settlement is Calculated
Calculating a fair settlement after a personal injury involves more than just adding up your hospital bills. Insurance adjusters and personal injury attorneys generally split damages into two main categories: Economic and Non-Economic damages.
1. Economic Damages (Special Damages)
These are tangible, out-of-pocket expenses that have a specific dollar amount attached to them. They include:
Medical Bills: Ambulance rides, ER visits, surgery, and physical therapy.
Lost Wages: Income lost because you were unable to work during recovery.
Property Damage: Repair or replacement costs for your vehicle or personal items.
Out-of-pocket expenses: Travel to doctors, medications, and medical equipment.
2. Non-Economic Damages (General Damages)
These cover the "human cost" of an injury that doesn't have a receipt. This includes pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and physical impairment. To calculate this, the industry standard is the Multiplier Method.
The multiplier method takes your total economic damages and multiplies them by a number between 1.5 and 5.0:
1.5 – 2.0: Used for soft tissue injuries, quick recovery times, and no permanent damage.
3.0 – 4.0: Used for broken bones, surgeries, or injuries requiring long-term therapy.
5.0+: Reserved for catastrophic injuries, permanent disability, or severe disfigurement.
Example Calculation
Scenario: You suffered a broken arm in a car accident.
Medical Bills: $8,000
Lost Wages: $2,000
Multiplier: 3 (Significant injury, medium recovery)
Economic Total: $10,000
Pain & Suffering: $10,000 x 3 = $30,000
Total Estimated Settlement: $40,000
Factors That Influence the Final Value
While this calculator provides a mathematical estimate, several qualitative factors can drastically change the outcome of a case:
Liability Clarity: If you are partially at fault, your settlement may be reduced by your percentage of fault (Comparative Negligence).
Policy Limits: If the at-fault party only has $25,000 in insurance coverage and no assets, it may be difficult to collect a $100,000 settlement.
Evidence: Strong documentation (police reports, witness statements, detailed medical logs) increases the likelihood of a higher settlement.
Venue: Some geographic locations are known for having more generous juries than others.
Disclaimer: This calculator is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and does not guarantee a specific settlement amount. Every case is unique. Consult with a licensed personal injury attorney to discuss the specifics of your claim.
function calculateSettlement() {
var medical = parseFloat(document.getElementById('medicalBills').value) || 0;
var futureMedical = parseFloat(document.getElementById('futureMedical').value) || 0;
var wages = parseFloat(document.getElementById('lostWages').value) || 0;
var property = parseFloat(document.getElementById('propertyDamage').value) || 0;
var multiplier = parseFloat(document.getElementById('multiplier').value) || 1.5;
// Validate Multiplier range
if (multiplier 10) multiplier = 10;
var economicTotal = medical + futureMedical + wages + property;
// Non-economic usually multiplies the medical/wages portion specifically in many models,
// but often applies to the total special damages in standard legal software.
var nonEconomicTotal = (medical + futureMedical + wages) * multiplier;
var finalTotal = economicTotal + nonEconomicTotal;
document.getElementById('economicDamages').innerHTML = '$' + economicTotal.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById('nonEconomicDamages').innerHTML = '$' + nonEconomicTotal.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById('totalSettlement').innerHTML = '$' + finalTotal.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById('resultArea').style.display = 'block';
}