Car Accident Settlement Calculator
Find out what your car accident claim may be worth and how much you would actually take home after attorney fees and medical bills. Four quick questions, an instant answer, and every step of the math shown.
In short: pain and suffering is commonly estimated at 1.5 to 5 times medical bills and lost wages, depending on severity; the at-fault driver's policy limit is often the real ceiling; and personal injury lawyers usually take about 33% (around 40% if the case goes to trial).
- State rules verified 2026-11-13
- Official sources
- Free · nothing stored
Free tools for every step of a claim
Is my offer fair?Compare the insurer's offer with a fair estimate.Demand letterWrite a clear letter to the insurer in minutes.Deadline countdownSee how many days you have left to file.Lawyer fee calculatorWhat a lawyer costs and what you keep.
By type of accident
Recent law changes this calculator already applies
Many settlement calculators still use outdated rules. These recent changes are built in:
New YorkFault ruleSince May 26, 2026In car accident injury suits filed on or after May 26, 2026, you recover nothing if your fault is greater than the defendants' combined fault (CPLR 1411(b)). The 90/180-day serious-injury category was also repealed.New JerseyMinimum insuranceSince January 1, 2026$35,000 / $70,000 bodily injury and $25,000 property damage on Standard Policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026; UM/UIM must match. The Basic Policy is unchanged.HawaiiMinimum insuranceSince January 1, 2026$40,000 / $80,000 bodily injury and $20,000 property damage for new and renewal policies effective on or after January 1, 2026 (Act 138 of 2024).LouisianaFault ruleSince January 1, 2026Modified comparative fault: you recover nothing at 51% or more fault (Act 15 of 2025, Civil Code art. 2323). Which accidents fall under the new rule is not yet settled by the courts.OklahomaPain and suffering capSince September 1, 2025Pain and suffering capped at $500,000 for injuries on or after September 1, 2025, with no cap for permanent and severe bodily injuries or for grossly negligent, fraudulent or malicious conduct (SB 453, 23 O.S. 61.3).MassachusettsMinimum insuranceSince July 1, 2025$25,000 / $50,000 bodily injury and $30,000 property damage for policies written or renewed on or after July 1, 2025.
See every tracked change with official sources →
How car accident settlements are calculated
- Economic damages Medical bills, future treatment and lost wages.
- Pain and suffering Economic damages × 1.5 (minor) to 5 (severe).
- Your share of fault Reduces or bars recovery, depending on your state.
- Available insurance The other driver's limit plus your own UM/UIM sets the ceiling.
- Take-home Attorney fee, case costs and medical liens come out last.
take-home ≈ min(economic × multiplier × fault factor, insurance) × (1 − fee) − costs − liens
See the full methodology and sources.
Car accident rules by state
The same injury can be worth very different amounts in different states. The map shows what happens if you were partly at fault; tap a state for its full rules and the official statutes.
- Pure comparative: you always recover, minus your share
- 51% bar: nothing if you are more than 50% at fault
- 50% bar: nothing if you are 50% or more at fault
- Contributory or slight/gross: even small fault can mean $0
Compare deadlines, insurance minimums and fault rules in one table →
What each rule pays on the same $100,000 claim →
Worked settlement examples for every state →
Frequently asked questions
- How is a car accident settlement calculated?
- Most estimates add up economic damages (medical bills, future treatment and lost wages), then add non-economic damages (pain and suffering) using a multiplier of roughly 1.5 to 5 times the economic damages depending on how serious the injury is. The total is then reduced by your own share of fault under your state's negligence rule and is limited in practice by the at-fault driver's insurance.
- What multiplier is used for pain and suffering?
- There is no official multiplier. The 1.5–5 range is a common rule of thumb: minor soft-tissue injuries sit at the low end and permanent or life-altering injuries at the high end. Insurers use their own claim software and adjusters' judgment, so real offers can differ.
- How much of a settlement do I actually get after a lawyer?
- Personal injury lawyers usually work on contingency, commonly around one third of the settlement, and sometimes more if the case goes to litigation. Case costs and medical liens (for example from health insurers or hospitals) are also paid out of the settlement, so your take-home amount is often well below the headline figure. This calculator shows that net estimate.
- Does being partly at fault reduce my settlement?
- Yes, and how much depends on your state. Pure comparative negligence states reduce your recovery by your percentage of fault. Modified comparative states bar recovery at 50% or 51% fault. A few jurisdictions use contributory negligence, where being even slightly at fault can bar recovery.
- Why can't my settlement be higher than the insurance limit?
- Insurers pay up to the at-fault driver's bodily injury policy limit. Above that, you would usually need underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage on your own policy or to collect from the driver personally, which is often difficult.
- Is this calculator accurate?
- It is an educational estimate, not a prediction. It shows every step and assumption so you can see where the number comes from. Real outcomes depend on evidence, medical documentation, liability disputes, venue and negotiation.