Car Accident Settlement Estimator Guide: Formula & Worked Example
Short answer
Estimate settlement from medical bills, lost wages and pain & suffering. In the fixed example below, estimated settlement is 76,000.00. Your answer depends on the inputs and assumptions you choose.
Formula
(Medical + wages) × multiplier, reduced by your fault %
Use the relationship above with consistent units. The inputs are medical bills, lost wages, property damage, injury severity, your share of fault. Use the input scale shown beside each field and keep time periods and units consistent. Only round the final result for display.
Worked example
- Medical bills
- 20000
- Lost wages
- 8000
- Property damage
- 6000
- Injury severity
- 2.5
- Your share of fault
- 0
- Estimated settlement: 76,000.00
- Likely range: 57,000.00 – 95,000.00
- Pain & suffering: 42,000.00
- After 33% attorney fee: 50,920.00
Understanding the result
Estimate settlement from medical bills, lost wages and pain & suffering. Start with the base example, then replace each value with the figure that matches your situation.
Medical bills
The example uses 20000 for medical bills. This is an illustration, not a recommended value. Keep the unit and time period shown by the field.
Lost wages
The example uses 8000 for lost wages. This is an illustration, not a recommended value. Keep the unit and time period shown by the field.
Property damage
The example uses 6000 for property damage. This is an illustration, not a recommended value. Keep the unit and time period shown by the field.
Injury severity
The example uses Moderate for injury severity. This is an illustration, not a recommended value. Keep the unit and time period shown by the field.
Your share of fault
The example uses 0 % for your share of fault. This is an illustration, not a recommended value. Keep the unit and time period shown by the field.
What the comparison means
The comparison changes only medical bills, keeping every other example input fixed. This isolates that input's effect on the primary result. It does not predict future outcomes.
This estimate is not a settlement offer. Evidence, jurisdiction, policy limits and legal advice determine the actual outcome.
Comparison
| Scenario | Input | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Lower input | Medical bills: 16000 | Estimated settlement: 66,000.00 |
| Base example | Medical bills: 20000 | Estimated settlement: 76,000.00 |
| Higher input | Medical bills: 24000 | Estimated settlement: 86,000.00 |
Common mistakes
- Using the wrong units for medical bills.
- Comparing results while changing more than one input at a time.
- This estimate is not a settlement offer. Evidence, jurisdiction, policy limits and legal advice determine the actual outcome.
Checklist
- Confirm medical bills.
- Confirm lost wages.
- Confirm property damage.
- Confirm injury severity.
- Confirm your share of fault is expressed in %.
- Check the result against your source or provider.
Calculators Percentage Editorial Team
Calculator guides from the Calculators Percentage team. These introductory examples are educational, not professional advice.
Last reviewed:
This estimate is not a settlement offer. Evidence, jurisdiction, policy limits and legal advice determine the actual outcome.