This general-purpose calculator applies the multiplier method used across most civil injury lawsuits, combining your documented economic losses with an estimated non-economic damages figure based on injury severity.
This tool uses the multiplier method: (medical bills + lost wages) × a pain-and-suffering multiplier based on injury severity (1.5x for minor, 3x for moderate, 5x for severe), minus any reduction for your percentage of fault. It's the same starting-point approach insurance adjusters commonly use in negotiations — not a guaranteed outcome.
If you select a state, this tool applies that state's actual comparative/contributory negligence rule and, where researched, its noneconomic-damages cap for this claim type — see the methodology page for exactly which states and rules are currently covered. If your state's rule bars recovery at your entered fault percentage, this tool shows an explanation instead of a dollar amount — that percentage is your own estimate, not a legal finding, and several of these rules have real exceptions.
A settlement is a negotiated agreement, usually reached before or during trial, with no admission of fault required. A judgment is a court's formal ruling after trial, which can be appealed.
Anywhere from a few months to several years, depending on injury severity, whether liability is disputed, and how many parties are involved.
Yes — the large majority of civil lawsuits, including personal injury cases, settle before reaching trial.