Your potential settlement amount will appear here.
Understanding Hit and Run Settlements
A "hit and run" incident occurs when a driver involved in a collision leaves the scene without exchanging information or rendering aid. This is a serious offense with legal consequences. When a hit and run results in property damage or, more significantly, personal injury, the victim(s) may pursue a settlement to cover their losses. This calculator is designed to provide an *estimated* potential settlement range based on common cost factors.
Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Settlement amounts can vary significantly based on jurisdiction, the specifics of the accident, insurance policies, and legal representation. Always consult with a qualified legal professional for advice tailored to your situation.
Factors Included in the Calculation:
Estimated Repair/Replacement Cost: This covers the cost to fix or replace any damaged property, such as vehicles, fences, or other structures.
Medical Expenses: If injuries were sustained, this accounts for immediate medical treatment, hospital stays, surgeries, rehabilitation, and ongoing care.
Estimated Legal Fees: Legal representation is often crucial in pursuing a settlement, and these costs can be factored in.
Pain and Suffering: This is a non-economic damage that compensates victims for physical pain, emotional distress, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life resulting from the incident. Quantifying this is subjective and often determined by legal precedents and jury awards.
Lost Wages: This includes income lost due to being unable to work because of injuries sustained in the accident. It can also include potential future lost earnings if the injuries result in long-term disability.
How the Calculation Works:
The calculator sums the primary financial inputs (damage cost, medical expenses, legal fees, and lost wages) to establish the quantifiable economic losses. The "Pain and Suffering" component is a significant, albeit more subjective, element often added to the economic damages. The total potential settlement is an aggregation of these estimated costs and damages.
Formula:
Potential Settlement = (Damage Cost + Medical Expenses + Legal Fees + Lost Wages) + Pain and Suffering Estimate
Why Use a Settlement Calculator?
While no calculator can perfectly predict a settlement amount, this tool can help victims:
Understand the potential financial scope of their losses.
Gather relevant information to discuss with their legal counsel.
Prepare for negotiations by having a baseline estimate.
Remember, seeking legal advice from a personal injury attorney experienced in hit and run cases is the most critical step after such an incident.
function calculateSettlement() {
var damageCost = parseFloat(document.getElementById("damageCost").value);
var medicalExpenses = parseFloat(document.getElementById("medicalExpenses").value);
var legalFees = parseFloat(document.getElementById("legalFees").value);
var painAndSuffering = parseFloat(document.getElementById("painAndSuffering").value);
var lostWages = parseFloat(document.getElementById("lostWages").value);
var resultElement = document.getElementById("result");
// Validate inputs
if (isNaN(damageCost) || isNaN(medicalExpenses) || isNaN(legalFees) || isNaN(painAndSuffering) || isNaN(lostWages)) {
resultElement.innerText = "Please enter valid numbers for all fields.";
resultElement.style.color = "#dc3545"; // Red for error
return;
}
// Ensure values are not negative, default to 0 if they are
damageCost = Math.max(0, damageCost);
medicalExpenses = Math.max(0, medicalExpenses);
legalFees = Math.max(0, legalFees);
painAndSuffering = Math.max(0, painAndSuffering);
lostWages = Math.max(0, lostWages);
var potentialSettlement = damageCost + medicalExpenses + legalFees + painAndSuffering + lostWages;
if (potentialSettlement > 0) {
resultElement.innerText = "$" + potentialSettlement.toLocaleString(undefined, { minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2 });
resultElement.style.color = "#004a99"; // Professional blue for result
} else {
resultElement.innerText = "Enter values to calculate settlement.";
resultElement.style.color = "#6c757d"; // Grey for default/no calculation
}
}