Estimate a rough settlement range from your medical bills, lost wages and the severity of your injury.
Wondering roughly what a California personal injury claim might be worth? Enter your numbers below for an educational estimate, then have the real figures reviewed at no cost. This tool is an estimate only — it is not legal advice and it is not a prediction of any outcome.
Enter your numbers for a rough estimate of a California personal injury settlement range. This is an educational estimate only, not a guarantee or legal advice.
Most settlements are built from two components. Economic damages are the amounts you can document: medical bills, future treatment, lost income and property damage. Non-economic damages cover pain, suffering and loss of enjoyment — real losses that have no receipt.
A common informal method estimates non-economic damages as a multiple of economic damages. Minor soft-tissue injuries that resolve tend toward the low end; serious injuries involving surgery, permanent impairment or long recovery move toward the high end. Insurers do not actually use a single fixed formula, which is why the output here is a range rather than a number.
California follows pure comparative negligence. If you are found partly responsible for the incident, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault — but you are not barred from recovering entirely, even if your share is large. Being found 20% at fault reduces a $100,000 recovery to $80,000.
Fault percentages are frequently disputed, and the insurer’s first assessment of your share is rarely the final one.
A real claim often involves more than the figure above. Depending on the facts you may also be entitled to:
It also does not account for the medical liens and outstanding provider bills that come out of a recovery, or the policy limits of the at-fault party’s insurance — which in practice often cap what is realistically collectible.
For the fee side of the equation, see how much a personal injury lawyer costs.
Every claim turns on its documents — medical records, the police or incident report, wage records and the insurance policies involved. Two claims with identical medical bills can settle for very different amounts depending on liability, treatment history and the strength of the record. Use the figure above to orient yourself, not to set an expectation.
It is a rough orientation, not a valuation. Real settlements depend on liability, the medical record, insurance policy limits and the specific facts. Treat any calculator output as a starting range only.
An informal convention estimates non-economic damages as a multiple of economic damages, often somewhere between 1.5 and 5 depending on severity. Insurers do not apply a single fixed multiplier, so this is a convention rather than a rule.
No. California uses pure comparative negligence, so your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault but is not eliminated, even where your share is substantial.
Compensation for physical injury or physical sickness is generally not treated as taxable income, though portions such as punitive damages or certain interest may be. Tax treatment depends on your circumstances, so confirm it with a tax professional.
No. It is an educational estimate and does not create an attorney-client relationship. For an assessment of your actual claim, contact us for a no fee review.
An estimate is a starting point. We will review your actual records at no cost.