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Before negotiating a settlement for a car accident or personal injury claim, you need to know what is a reasonable amount of money for your claim. Insurance companies and most personal injury attorneys rely on a formula, computer algorithm, or historical data to help guide negotiations–essentially their own personal injury settlement calculator. This is true for a bodily injury claim after a car accident, motorcycle accident, medical malpractice, slip and fall, or most other personal injury events.
You need to know how much you can get for pain and suffering. The pain and suffering calculator portion factors in your economic losses, along with specific aspects of your injuries, to identify a claim value range you can target during negotiations.
Our free personal injury settlement calculator might be the most comprehensive because it considers more factors than other calculators and it was designed to provide an accurate assessment of case value based on recent results.
Disclaimer: This free personal injury settlement calculator is for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice, it does not create an attorney-client relationship, and we do not store the information you enter in the calculator.
Most injury victims, if unrepresented, have no idea what their case is worth. You need to know what your case might be worth before negotiating or settling your personal injury claim. Insurance companies rely on computer algorithms and past results to determine settlement offers. This free personal injury settlement calculator is our attempt to level the playing field for unrepresented injury victims.
Most personal injury claims are valued based on past medical expenses, future medical expenses, past wage loss, future wage loss, the nature of your injuries, the duration of your injuries, and property damage if the injuries occurred in a car crash. A common algorithm applies a multiplier (explained in detail below) to your medical expenses to estimate non-economic damages (money for your pain and suffering). The pain and suffering calculator amount is added to your economic damages (medical bills, property damage, and lost income) to provide a total value for your claim, without considering other factors that might raise or lower the value of your claim.
In Arizona, medical expenses play a critical role in shaping personal injury settlements. The state’s law allows injured parties to recover both economic damages—actual costs incurred—and the estimated cost of future medical care. This includes a wide array of expenses such as:
Accurate documentation of these costs, like medical bills and treatment plans, can significantly strengthen your claim.
Furthermore, under Arizona’s collateral source rule, you can claim compensation for medical expenses regardless of whether some of these expenses were covered by insurance or other sources. This ensures that your compensation reflects the full scope of your losses, even if other entities have already paid some expenses on your behalf; however, there is an exception for medical malpractice cases.
In addition to these components, the role of lost wages and diminished earning capacity is pivotal in settlement calculations. Lost wages account for the immediate financial setbacks due to time missed at work, while diminished earning capacity addresses the long-term impact on your ability to earn if your injury prevents you from returning to your previous job or significantly affects your future income potential.
This aspect often requires expert analysis to accurately project these long-term financial losses. As part of your personal injury lawsuit, expert witnesses are employed to help factor in these considerations, ensuring that all potential losses are comprehensively accounted for. This thorough evaluation is crucial because it influences the total compensation you may receive, ensuring that the settlement reflects not just your immediate losses but also your future financial security.
By understanding both the general aspects of personal injury claims and the specific nuances of Arizona law, you can better navigate the complexities of seeking a fair settlement.
When navigating personal injury claims in Arizona, several key factors determine the potential settlement amount. Each aspect reflects the incident’s specifics, injuries sustained, and state legal frameworks.
The seriousness of injuries significantly affects settlement sizes. Injuries like spinal cord damage or traumatic brain injuries often lead to larger compensations due to extensive medical expenses, sustained care requirements, and lasting life impacts. Arizona law allows for claims that cover a wide range of injuries, with no caps on damages.
Accurate documentation of medical costs, including future care needs, is crucial. Compensation may cover surgeries, hospitalizations, rehabilitation, and medication. The collateral source rule in Arizona allows recovery of costs even if some were covered by insurance, ensuring that the full extent of financial losses is addressed. The only exception is medical malpractice cases where the jury can factor in your health insurance to reduce the awarded medical expenses.
If injuries result in missed work or decreased future earning potential, these are substantial components of settlements and jury verdicts. In Arizona, injury-related work absences can impact settlement calculations, especially with proof of job loss.
Non-economic damages for pain and suffering rely on a “reasonable person” standard, assessing how an average individual would perceive the injury’s impact. Arizona does not cap these damages, allowing victims to seek appropriate compensation for both emotional and physical tolls.
Injuries affecting daily life or hobbies are considered in settlements. Arizona courts value claims showing significant life enjoyment loss, supported by medical or psychological evidence, especially in long-term disability scenarios.
The state follows a pure comparative negligence rule, whereby your compensation is adjusted based on your share of fault in the accident. Even a minor fault percentage reduces your settlement proportionately, but it does not eliminate the possibility of receiving compensation.
Solid evidence, including police reports, medical records, and eyewitness accounts, is vital in establishing liability and damages. Expert witnesses can enhance a claim’s credibility by providing insights into long-term injury impacts or accident mechanics.
Settlement figures can be constrained by the at-fault party’s insurance policy limits. In cases where these limits fall short, pursuing compensation from your underinsured motorist policy or directly from the at-fault party’s assets might be necessary.
Personal injury claims must comply with Arizona’s statutes of limitations, requiring most claims to be settled or brought to court within two years of the incident. Additionally, local court tendencies can influence settlement figures, making knowledgeable legal representation crucial.
Demonstrating readiness to proceed to trial can leverage better settlement offers, as insurance companies may settle to avoid court risks. Arizona law supports full recovery of damages through litigation, offering an option if negotiations falter.
Understanding these factors can equip you to seek a fair personal injury settlement in Arizona.
“Your Total Settlement Estimate” is a rough estimate of the total value of your claim. It is comprised of the two main damage types that arise in personal injury cases: economic damages (called “special damages”) and non-economic damages (called “general damages”). Special damages are generally easy to quantify. They include the costs of medical treatment, lost income from missed work, property damage, and other out-of-pocket losses. General damages, on the other hand, are not easily quantifiable. They include pain and suffering, discomfort, disability, disfigurement, anxiety, loss of love, care, affection, companionship, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Valuing general damages is difficult, which is why the multiplier is used in a personal injury settlement calculator. Tort reform and misinformation have led to many people, like potential jurors, using a multiplier to calculate general damages. The theory is that your pain and suffering are a function of how much medical treatment you require. Ignoring the fact that different providers charge different amounts for the same service, multiplying medical expenses by a multiplier provides a comfortable method of calculating the incalculable.
How does the severity of injuries affect settlement amounts?
On average, juries use multipliers that range from 1.0 to 10.0. The multiplier will be higher for worse injuries, longer recovery time, permanency, greater impact on your daily life, and aggravating factors about how the injuries occurred (e.g., drunk driver, distracted driver). Most insurance adjusters try to use low multipliers, like 1.5, and argue juries are not so kind. Obviously, the adjuster is puffing and hoping the injury victim accepts a low settlement offer.
When determining settlement amounts, the severity of injuries plays a crucial role. Serious injuries, such as spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, or permanent disabilities, often lead to substantial medical expenses and long-term care needs. These injuries significantly impact one’s quality of life, which is why they are usually associated with larger settlements. Additionally, the lasting effects of such injuries, including chronic pain or disfigurement, are considered for additional compensation under non-economic damages.
By understanding both the multiplier system and the specific consequences of severe injuries, you can better navigate the complexities of settlement negotiations. The key lies in recognizing how each element—be it the degree of injury or the circumstances surrounding the incident—affects the overall compensation you might receive.
Lasting effects like chronic pain or disfigurement can increase compensation as they fall under non-economic damages, acknowledging the ongoing impact on a person’s life.
Severe injuries tend to incur substantial medical expenses, require long-term care, and significantly affect one’s quality of life, all contributing to higher settlement amounts.
Injuries such as spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, and permanent disabilities often lead to larger settlements.
Read here about factors that increase the likelihood of a big personal injury settlement.
This free personal injury settlement calculator is not a guarantee for how your case will be resolved. It is here to help you understand how your case might be valued. This personal injury calculator only factors in a small portion of the numerous factors that go into determining the settlement amount for a personal injury case. Therefore, talk with an experienced personal injury lawyer, like the ones at Gage Mathers, to get a better idea of your case’s value.
Understanding the Limitations
While settlement calculators provide a starting point for estimating potential compensation, it’s crucial to recognize their limitations. These tools rely on standardized formulas, which often overlook the unique nuances of individual cases. For instance, they may not fully capture the severity of your injuries or the credibility of your evidence.
Non-Economic Damages
Calculators also struggle with non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering or emotional distress. These are subjective and complex, making them difficult to quantify accurately with a simple multiplier method. Two people with similar injuries might experience vastly different impacts, which a calculator can’t discern.
External Influences
Further complicating matters, calculators do not account for external factors like the at-fault party’s insurance policy limits or the behavior of their insurer. Often, insurers undervalue claims, requiring skilled negotiation or legal intervention to secure a fair settlement.
Why Legal Advice Matters
Ultimately, while calculators can provide a rough idea of potential settlements, they are no substitute for professional legal advice. Relying solely on them might lead to undervaluing your claim or missing critical elements that could increase your compensation. Consulting with a personal injury lawyer ensures you fully understand the scope of your claim and the potential for maximizing your settlement.
While they provide an initial estimate, calculators cannot assess the comprehensive scope of a claim, including intricate legal rules and potential increases in compensation. Professional legal advice is essential to ensure a claim’s full value is recognized and pursued.
Calculators do not consider external elements like insurance policy limits, the skill of negotiation, or trends in local court rulings. These factors can significantly influence the settlement process and outcome, beyond the calculator’s scope.
Non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering or emotional distress, are subjective and complex. Calculators often oversimplify these by using a multiplier method, which fails to capture the varied personal experiences and impacts on individuals’ lives.
Settlement calculators use standardized inputs, such as medical costs and lost wages, but they miss the unique aspects of each case. These tools cannot consider factors like the severity of injuries, the credibility of evidence, or the behavior of the party at fault, which are crucial in determining the true value of a claim.
Personal Injury & Accident Lawyers in Arizona
Speak to one of our personal injury attorneys and learn more about the legal options for your accident claim.
In Arizona, determining compensation for pain and suffering hinges on the “reasonable person” standard. This approach examines how an average person would be impacted under the same circumstances, offering a fair assessment of non-economic damages.
For personal injury cases, Arizona stands out by not placing a cap on non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering. This flexibility means that you can pursue full compensation for both emotional and physical distress.
Success in these cases often depends on the quality of evidence presented. To convincingly demonstrate the impact of your injuries, consider compiling:
All this evidence can play a crucial role in proving the extent of your suffering, forming a comprehensive part of your overall legal strategy.
Navigating the complexities of personal injury claims can be daunting. Securing expert legal counsel can significantly enhance the likelihood of receiving a fair settlement. Here’s how experienced attorneys elevate your case:
In essence, the expertise and resources that attorneys provide serve as a catalyst in securing a settlement that truly reflects the extent of your damages and suffering.
When dealing with personal injury cases, the approach you take can significantly impact the outcome. Here’s why being open to negotiation or even going to trial is crucial:
In summary, maintaining flexibility between negotiation and trial readiness boosts your chances of achieving just outcomes. This approach ensures that your interests are safeguarded and that any potential settlement or award properly reflects the impact of your injuries.
In personal injury cases, understanding insurance policy limits is crucial. These limits outline the maximum amount an insurance company will pay for a claim. When negotiating settlements, this figure plays a pivotal role.
These intricacies highlight the importance of informed legal guidance. Navigating claims and understanding potential compensation avenues requires expertise, particularly given the complexities of insurance and personal injury laws.
In Arizona, the state’s pure comparative negligence law plays a pivotal role in determining settlement amounts after an accident. This rule directly ties the compensation you receive to your level of responsibility in the incident.
By understanding Arizona’s approach to comparative negligence, you can better navigate the complexities of settlement negotiations and ensure a fair outcome based on your specific level of fault.
Jurisdiction and local laws play a crucial role in shaping the outcome of settlement negotiations. Here’s how:
By understanding these regional differences, both plaintiffs and defense can approach settlement negotiations with an informed perspective, enhancing the chances of a favorable resolution.
After being in a car accident in Phoenix. Gage Mathers took my case. He is very knowledgeable and answered all my questions and concerns. Thank you so much for all you help! Im very happy with the settlement I got! I would highly recommend Gage Mathers Law Group!
After struggling to find a law firm to represent me in a product liability case, Gage Mathers came through, fighting for me during a very long and arduous process. Joe the managing attorney, along with paralegals Tracy and Erin followed up throughout the process with medical and documentation to get me a very satisfying result. For a small firm they fight for their clients and I would highly recommend them.
This Law group is phenomenal.I had an car accident in 2006.I was hit in by a 15 1/2 year oldAnd anybody who gets in the situation I’m gonna tell you a little trick.If you ever get hit by somebody that young and you get the address from the police report of where The teenagers actually residing. .Especially if it’s a parental guardian which this grandmother was.Because I worked in insurance previously I knew thatYou can actually go on the Maricopa County assessors page, a...
After working with another firm who was not qualified for my case Martin Mathers came through for me. It makes a huge difference when you have someone with experience and who knows how to navigate through the legal hurdles to win your case!
Martin and his team were really easy to work with, kept me continuously updated, and negotiated a great deal with insurance. I can’t recommend them enough.
how can i explain, how amazing and helpful from the start to finish. they got me more then I expected and I’m grateful for that. Regina was a great and caring person that really knew what she was doing and did all possible she communicated with me through it all. thank you know Joe, he one funny and cool guy he did all in is power to finish this case and support Regina through it all. I’m grateful for there hard work and will go to them all the time with anything...
On Dec 22 of 2020 my wife and I were involved in a horrific auto accident. 7 weeks in hospital, mostly in the ICU but we survived, barley. Once I was able to function, I contacted Gage Mathers to help sort out the insurances and legal matters and a couple million dollars in medical bills . It was a long and involved process but in the end it was all sorted with a handsome payout for us, which was totally unexpected on our part. Regina (our paralegal) and the accounting staff...
Martin and his team helped me through a bodily injury case after getting in a bad car accident. From day one, his team moved quickly to make sure that all documents were reveived and got to the places they needed to push our case through. The Gage-Mather’s team worked hard on our case to represent us and make sure we were awarded proper compensation.This team went the extra mile to always communicate what was going on and fight in our best interest til the very end of our ...
Martin and his team were exceptional from the start. They gathered all of the information from our bodily injury case quickly and got to work immediately, getting my family the money that we deserved from an unfortunate situation. I would highly recommend Martin at Gage Mathers for any personal injury case. He and his team were responsive and professional throughout this long process and continually fought for us and kept us in the loop.
They made this experience very easy for me. Everyone I spoke with was very friendly and professional. I want to give a shout out to Ms. Erin She is amazing. Thank you Erin! I would highly recommend them!
My father-in-law was involved in the accident with Phoenix PD. They was able to get to the case taken care of quickly and efficiently and they always made sure that he was OK and make sure that we knew what was going on with the case. Big shout out to Erin No matter how many times I called out of my father-in-law’s request she never got angry never got upset and never ever said that we was annoying are pushing she understood our frustrations and understood why we was c...
Joseph D’Aguanno and his paralegals Regina Garcia and Elizabeth Sanchez were very professional and very informative on my case. I was always able to speak with someone and I was updated throughout the process. I am super happy with the outcome and I would definitely recommend Gage Mathers to family and friends. Thank you!
Very satisfied with the service I received. Erin was very professional responded quickly and got my case done fast. I would highly recommend Erin and Gage Mathers. They went above and beyond!!!!
Martin Mathers and his entire team expertly guided me through a difficult personal injury case. They were professional and responsive throughout the long process, and they continually fought for a positive outcome. I am deeply grateful for their efforts and the successful settlement of my case. I highly recommend this outstanding team.
One year ago I had reason to believe that a previous medical procedure had caused a significant new health risk. I knew I needed legal advice on what my rights were and what options might exist for me to pursue a resolution. I reached out to Joe and he was immediately responsive. Not only did he provide me assistance in a timely way, he personally dropped off materials for me to review at my home. At that time, I really needed help and he was there for me.
Because of his expertise in personal injury, wrongful death, and other catastrophic injury cases, Martin is contacted by lawyers throughout the country to help them with their cases. This has led to Martin’s involvement in litigation involving high-profile celebrity defendants, large hospital systems, prominent business people, airplane crashes, pharmaceutical errors, and defective product cases.
Years of experience: Over 35 years
Bar number: 011917
Location: Phoenix, AZ
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured, please fill out the form below for your free consultation or call us at (602) 258-0646
(602) 258-0646