How to use this guide
Start with the evidence track, then move into the practice area, results, or attorney review that fits the facts.
Guide focus
personal-injury
Frequently Asked Questions
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Not a Simple Calculator
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01
Not a Simple Calculator
Online "settlement calculators" are often misleading marketing gimmicks. Real case value depends on complex factors: liability limits, venue (where the lawsuit is filed), and specific medical outcomes.
02
The Honest Truth
No lawyer can tell you exactly what your case is worth on day one. If they do, they are guessing—or worse, just telling you what you want to hear to sign you up.
03
1. Economic Damages (The Math)
These are the hard numbers we can prove with receipts.
- Past Medical Bills: The actual cost of ER visits, surgeries, and therapy.
- Future Medical Costs: The projected cost of future surgeries or replacement prosthetics (Life Care Plan).
- Lost Wages: Money you lost while off work.
- Loss of Earning Capacity: If you can never return to your high-paying oil field job.
04
2. Non-Economic Damages (The Human Cost)
This is "Pain and Suffering," but it's more than that. It includes:
- Physical Pain: The agony of burn debridement or nerve damage.
- Mental Anguish: PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
- Loss of Consortium: The impact on your relationship with your spouse.
- Permanent Disfigurement: Scars or amputation.
05
3. Liability & Coverage (The Cap)
This is one of the most often overlooked factors. A serious injury claim must be evaluated against available insurance, defendant assets, comparative fault, and collectability.
- Insurance Limits: A minimum policy in Oklahoma is only $25,000. Big commercial trucks often have $750,000 or $1,000,000+.
- Comparative Fault: If a jury finds you 40% at fault, your award is reduced by 40%. If you are 51% at fault, you get nothing.
06
The "Multiplier" Myth
You may have heard that case value is based on a simple multiplier. That shortcut is unreliable. Real valuation depends on injury severity, permanency, treatment, work restrictions, comparative fault, venue, coverage, and the proof available to present those losses.
Review the Record Early
Evidence can change quickly. Attorney review can help identify records, deadlines, and preservation issues.