Car Accident Settlement Calculator

Most estimates use the multiplier method. You add up your economic damages — medical bills, lost wages, and vehicle or property damage — then multiply them by a number between about 1.5 and 5 to estimate pain and suffering. The economic damages plus the pain-and-suffering figure is your estimated settlement, before any reduction for fault.

The multiplier reflects how serious the injuries are. Minor soft-tissue injuries like whiplash usually fall around 1.5 to 2.5, injuries needing real treatment such as broken bones around 2.5 to 3.5, injuries requiring surgery or a long recovery around 3.5 to 4.5, and catastrophic or permanent injuries 4.5 or higher. Clear liability and strong medical records push the number up.

It varies enormously. Minor injuries like whiplash commonly settle in the range of $10,000 to $100,000, while severe injuries involving surgery or permanent disability can exceed $500,000. The single biggest drivers are injury severity, the strength of your medical documentation, who was at fault, and the at-fault driver's insurance policy limits.

In most states, comparative negligence reduces your recovery by your share of fault — if you are 20% at fault, you recover 80%. A few states use stricter rules: some bar recovery entirely if you are 50% or 51% or more at fault, and a handful bar it if you were at fault at all. This calculator reduces the estimate by the fault percentage you enter.

Yes. Pain and suffering is a non-economic damage — compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life. The multiplier method builds it in by multiplying your economic damages. Property damage to your vehicle is an economic damage and is usually handled alongside the injury claim.

Usually not. Initial offers are frequently far below a claim's real value, and this calculator only produces a rough estimate. Policy limits, liability disputes, and future medical needs all matter. Consult a personal injury attorney before accepting an offer or signing a release.