What This Page Is For
Every calculator on this site turns a handful of inputs into a settlement estimate. That estimate is only useful if you understand how it was built. This page documents, in plain language, the formulas, assumptions, and data sources behind all eight calculators — so you can judge for yourself how much weight to put on any number this site shows you.
The Core Formula Logic
With variations by calculator, most tools on this site follow the same underlying structure:
- Special (economic) damages — the sum of documentable costs you enter: medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and similar out-of-pocket losses.
- General (non-economic) damages — an estimate of pain and suffering, calculated using either the Multiplier Method (medical bills × a severity factor, typically 1.5× for minor injuries up to 5–6× for catastrophic ones) or the Per Diem Method (a daily dollar rate × days of pain, often phase-weighted for acute versus recovery periods).
- Fault adjustment — gross damages are multiplied by the percentage of fault attributed to the other party, reflecting your state's comparative or contributory negligence rule.
- Caps and limits — where applicable (medical malpractice non-economic caps, insurance policy limits), the estimate is capped at the lower of the calculated figure or the stated limit.
- A range, not a point estimate — the final output shows a conservative-to-best-case spread (typically roughly 50%–180% of the calculated mid-point, varying slightly by calculator) rather than a single number, because real settlements are negotiated outcomes, not formula outputs.
⚖️ What These Formulas Are — and Are Not
The multiplier method, per diem method, and comparative-fault mechanics used throughout this site reflect widely documented conventions used in personal injury negotiation and industry practice — not a proprietary algorithm, not a scientifically validated model, and not legal advice. Insurance adjusters, plaintiff's attorneys, and defense counsel each apply these frameworks differently, and real settlements are ultimately negotiated (or decided by a jury), not calculated by any formula — including this one.
Where the Numbers Come From
Every calculator's default multiplier ranges, per diem rate suggestions, and state fault-rule categorizations reflect commonly cited, publicly described conventions in personal injury practice and consumer legal-education resources — not a single proprietary dataset. The four comparative/contributory fault categories shown on the State Data page (pure comparative, modified comparative with a 50% bar, modified comparative with a 51% bar, and contributory negligence) reflect each state's generally applicable negligence framework for standard personal injury claims.
The state-by-state average settlement figures, statute-of-limitations periods, and medical malpractice non-economic damage caps shown on the State Data page are general reference figures intended to give a sense of relative scale between states, not verified legal citations for any single state. State law changes through legislation and litigation faster than any reference page can guarantee to track in real time — always confirm current law with a licensed attorney before relying on a specific figure.
Assumptions Baked Into Every Calculator
| Assumption | What It Means For You |
|---|---|
| Attorney fees are not deducted | Contingency fees (typically 33–40%) reduce your actual take-home amount below any figure shown here. |
| Liens and subrogation are not deducted | Health insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid reimbursement claims come out of a real settlement before you see it. |
| No jury or venue variability | The calculators cannot model how a specific jury pool, judge, or courthouse tends to value cases. |
| Documentation is assumed to be complete | Real recoveries depend heavily on how well-documented your damages and liability evidence actually are. |
| Ranges are illustrative, not statistical | The conservative/best-case spread is a reasonable rule-of-thumb range, not a confidence interval derived from a dataset of resolved claims. |
Editorial Review & Correction Process
👤 Who Writes This
Content is written and maintained by Berean Defense L.L.C. This site does not currently have a named licensed-attorney reviewer on staff — we say so plainly rather than implying credentials we don't have.
📢 Corrections
If you find an error in a formula, an assumption, or state data, use our contact form. Substantive corrections are reflected in this page's "last reviewed" date.
💰 Advertising Separation
This site is monetized through Google AdSense display ads and disclosed affiliate links. Neither influences the formulas, multipliers, or state data shown on any calculator page.
🔒 No Data Stored
Every calculation runs locally in your browser. We never see, store, or transmit the case figures you enter into any calculator.
General Estimator vs. Case Valuation
A "general estimator" like the tools on this site applies a documented formula to numbers you provide, with no knowledge of your actual medical records, the specific insurer's claims-handling history, your jurisdiction's case law, or the strength of your evidence as a trained professional would assess it. A "case valuation" from a licensed attorney incorporates all of that — plus judgment built from having actually negotiated and litigated similar claims. Treat every number on this site as the former, not the latter.
Questions or Corrections
Spot something that looks wrong, outdated, or unclear? Use our contact form — we'd rather fix it than have it sit wrong on the page.