One of the first questions people ask after an accident is some version of "how much is my case worth?" The honest answer is that it depends on four things, and only one of them is how badly you were hurt. The other three are liability clarity, insurance policy limits, and your attorney's ability to document your damages. Understanding all four is the difference between a fair settlement and leaving money on the table.
Insurance adjusters don't pull settlement numbers out of thin air. They use a formula — documented medical costs multiplied by a severity multiplier, plus lost wages. The multiplier ranges from 1.5x for minor soft-tissue injuries to 5x or higher for serious permanent injuries.
So if your documented medical bills total $12,000 and your injuries are moderate, the insurer's starting calculation might be $12,000 × 2.5 = $30,000, plus whatever you lost in wages. That's their internal number. Their first offer to you will be lower. Often significantly lower.
Experienced personal injury attorneys know these internal ranges — they've settled hundreds of cases and know what comparable cases actually resolved for in your city's courts. That knowledge is worth something real.
1. Liability clarity. The single most important factor. A rear-end collision at a red light where the other driver admits fault is a clear liability case. Compare that to an intersection accident where both drivers claim the other ran a light. Disputed liability cases settle for dramatically less, even with identical injuries, because the insurer has leverage.
2. Documented medical costs. "I was in pain for three months" is worth less than $18,000 in emergency room, physical therapy, and specialist bills. Documentation is everything. Attend every recommended appointment. Don't stop treatment until your doctor says you've reached maximum medical improvement. Gaps in treatment are used by defence attorneys to argue your injuries weren't serious.
3. Policy limits. You cannot recover more than the at-fault driver's insurance policy limit, regardless of what a jury might award. Most state minimum coverage requirements are $25,000–$50,000 — woefully low for serious injuries. Before negotiating, your attorney will check for underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy.
4. Future damages. Ongoing medical costs, long-term impairment, reduced earning capacity, and pain and suffering are all compensable in most states. These future damages are where seriously injured plaintiffs often recover the most — and where unrepresented claimants leave the most on the table by settling too early.
Soft tissue / whiplash, full recovery: $8,000–$25,000. Common and disputed. Insurers settle them quickly and cheaply when they can.
Broken bones, surgery required: $50,000–$150,000. Objective evidence significantly increases settlement value.
Traumatic brain injury or spinal injury: $150,000–$500,000+. Serious neurological injuries with long-term consequences routinely settle at policy limits or proceed to trial.
Wrongful death: $500,000–$3,000,000+. Depends heavily on the deceased's income, age, and dependents.
For what attorneys charge on contingency in your city, see our personal injury guides for Los Angeles, New York, and Dallas.