Guides15 guides
Personal Injury Settlement Guides
Plain-English explainers, every figure traced to a named source. How offers get built, what moves the number, how settlements are taxed, and how to negotiate without leaving money on the table.
By accident type
How settlements are valued for each kind of claim.
Car Accident Settlement Amounts: How Insurers Build the NumberThe average US car accident settlement is about $19,000, but minor cases run $3,000 to $25,000 and severe cases reach six figures. See how the number is built.Truck Accident Settlement Amounts: Why They Dwarf Car CasesTruck accident settlements often run $250,000 to $500,000 and reach seven figures, driven by FMCSA $750,000 insurance minimums and carrier liability. See why.Motorcycle Accident Settlement Amounts: A Rider Claim ExplainedMotorcycle accident settlements commonly run $10,000 to $100,000, with serious cases at $150,000 to $500,000 or more. Here is how adjusters value a rider claim.Pedestrian Accident Settlement Amounts: How the Number Is BuiltPedestrian accident settlements run about $10,000 to over $500,000, and TBI cases can reach $100,000 to $5,000,000. See how a pedestrian claim is valued.Slip and Fall Settlement Amounts: How Premises Liability WorksSlip and fall settlements typically run $15,000 to $85,000, inside a premises liability band of about $10,000 to $2,000,000. How notice sets the number.Product Liability Settlements: Ranges, Defect Types, and Strict LiabilityTypical product liability settlements run $30,000 to $100,000, but average awards in larger cases top $7,000,000. See strict liability, defect types, and punitive damages.Workplace Injury Settlements: The Two Tracks You Need to UnderstandWorkplace injuries follow two tracks: no-fault workers comp (costliest cause averages $91,433) and a third-party tort claim, $464,000 average in a Texas study.
Methods, process, and the law
The multiplier method, taxes, negligence rules, demand letters, and negotiation.
The Multiplier Method: How Pain and Suffering Gets a NumberHow the multiplier method values pain and suffering at 1.5 to 5 times economic damages, how the per diem daily rate compares, and which one pays more.Average Personal Injury Settlement: Why the Number MisleadsWhat the average personal injury settlement really tells you, the cited ranges by injury severity, and how to build your own case value from damages to net.Are Personal Injury Settlements Taxable?Physical-injury compensatory damages are generally excluded from income under IRC Section 104(a)(2). Punitive damages, interest, and some wages are taxable.How Long Does a Personal Injury Claim Take?Many claims settle within about a year, while cases that proceed can take 2 to 5 years. Roughly 95% settle before trial. See what drives the timeline here.Comparative Negligence: How Your Fault Share Reduces a SettlementComparative negligence reduces your injury settlement by your share of fault. Learn pure vs modified comparative, the 50% bar and the 51% bar, with examples.Contributory Negligence: The Rule Where 1% Fault Means ZeroContributory negligence bars all recovery if you are even 1% at fault. It survives in Alabama, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and DC. Here is how it works.How to Write a Personal Injury Demand LetterA personal injury demand letter opens settlement talks. See the structure, how to itemize damages, and how to counter the insurer's first offer and close.When to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer (and What It Costs)Hire a personal injury lawyer for serious injuries, contested fault, or a stalling insurer. Fees run about 33% to 40%, and about 95% of cases settle.