How much is my personal injury claim worth?
The multiplier method, realistic ranges by case type and severity, and the four variables that actually drive the number.
The multiplier method, in plain English
Insurance adjusters and personal injury attorneys both use a version of the multiplier method:
(Medical specials + lost wages) × severity multiplier = settlement range
Medical specials are the total dollar amount of medical bills incurred. Lost wages are documented missed time at your rate of pay. The multiplier reflects injury severity and the durability of symptoms:
- 1.5x — minor soft tissue, no imaging, treatment under 8 weeks
- 2.5x — soft tissue with imaging or extended treatment
- 3.5x — fracture or surgical intervention
- 4.5x — permanent impairment or disfigurement
- 5x+ — catastrophic (TBI, spinal cord, amputation)
Realistic ranges by case type
Reported settlement ranges from public claim aggregates. Not predictions — actual cases depend on facts, state law, and policy limits.
- Whiplash / soft tissue: $3,000 - $25,000 typical, $25,000-$75,000 with imaging
- Fractured bone (non-surgical): $20,000 - $80,000
- Fracture with surgery: $75,000 - $250,000
- Knee or shoulder surgery: $50,000 - $200,000
- Disc herniation requiring surgery: $150,000 - $500,000+
- Traumatic brain injury (mild): $100,000 - $500,000
- Traumatic brain injury (severe): $1M - $10M+
- Spinal cord injury: $1M - $10M+ (often policy-limited)
- Wrongful death: highly state-dependent, $500K - $5M+ common range
The four variables that actually drive the number
1. Severity of injury
Imaging-confirmed pathology, surgery, and permanent restriction move the multiplier more than anything else. Subjective pain complaints without objective findings get discounted.
2. Clarity of liability
Clear fault (rear-end at a light, video, witnesses) preserves full value. Disputed liability in comparative-negligence states reduces value proportionally; in contributory-negligence states it can bar recovery entirely.
3. Available policy limits
You cannot collect more than the at-fault driver's coverage plus any underinsured-motorist (UIM) on your own policy plus the at-fault party's recoverable personal assets. Most catastrophic injury settlements are policy-limited.
4. Quality of documentation
A clean medical narrative, complete bills, and documented wage loss are the single most controllable variable. Carriers don't pay for injuries you can't prove.