Pain and Suffering Calculator

Estimate The Value of Your Personal Injury Case

One of the many challenges victims have after an auto accident, slip and fall accident, dog attack, or any other type of personal injury accident is properly determining how much their claim may be worth. While the calculations are different for each type of injury, it’s important to understand the awards can vary greatly; in Arizona, juries determine the amount of punitive damages although it is possible to estimate what amounts may be appropriate. Below is a basic pain and suffering calculator to help determine common values of your personal injury claim may be worth.

How to use the calculator: Move the slider side to side or input a value in the appropriate box to adjust amounts. The total is automatically updated.

The first thing you need to determine is what the accident has cost you out of pocket. With a car accident, the first cost you will incur is the damages to your vehicle. In most cases, you should request multiple estimates for repairs.

You will have to determine your out-of-pocket medical costs. Keep in mind, your medical insurance company may want reimbursement for any costs they've paid. Therefore, your medical costs should include all costs including ambulance transportation from the accident to the emergency room, emergency room treatment including laboratory tests, x-rays, pain medications and all other costs associated with the treatment. If you were admitted to the hospital, the cost of your care while you were hospitalized is also added into the total. Follow-up care, including prescription drugs, rehabilitation, any equipment such as braces, crutches, etc. should also be included.

Another overlooked calculation you need to be aware of is the cost for future lost wages. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you could be facing months away from work or you may be unable to return to work. Even if you have a long-term disability policy, you may still be entitled to compensation for lost wages. This number will be calculated based on the length of time you are expected to be out of work and may be reduced by disability payments and/or social security disability.

If you were involved in an accident involving a drunk driver, a driver under the influence of drugs or a driver who was distracted due to cell phone usage, your out-of-pocket costs may be multiplied by as little as one times or as many as four times. These multipliers are generally used to calculate "pain and suffering" which you incurred as a result of the accident. Your attorney should discuss this portion of your settlement with you to determine if a multiplier should be used and if so, what value to assign. However, one can easily assume if they had minor injuries and high medical bills their multiplier would be low (1) and if their injuries were serious and their medical bills low or in line with the necessary treatment their multiplier would be higher (4).

Now your out of pocket expenses look like this:

Car Repairs + Medical Costs + Lost Wages + Future Medical Expenses and Lost Wages =Monetary Damages (x Special) = Base Monetary Damages

After you've calculated the actual out of pocket expenses, you'll still have to determine what you may be awarded in non-monetary damages. In most car accident cases, this amount is considered pain and suffering. The more serious the injury, the higher this amount may be. In addition to physical pain awards, there are other categories you may be able to claim. Some of the common claims include:

• Loss of consortium - if you have suffered a physical disability that impedes bodily function.
• Scarring and disfiguration - a scar on your back or legs will have a far lower value than a scar to your face. Loss of functions as a result of an accident including blindness, deafness, paralysis, etc., will all have a higher value than tissue damage that causes long-term pain.
• Emotional distress - victims of car accidents often suffer long-term anxiety problems, trouble sleeping, depression and other manifestations of emotional problems. These are non-monetary damages and may require treatment.

Remember, while you can estimate these amounts, your attorney will have to advise you as to how these long-term issues impact your claim. You can estimate them for the purposes of determining an overall award, but without the help of an attorney the amount will only be an estimate.

The calculation is easy:

Base Monetary Damages = Non-Monetary Damages = Estimated Value of Settlement

Wrongful death claims are much different than personal injury claims when the victim has survived. To determine the value of these claims you will need to have the following information:

Wrongful Death: Damages to Decedent

• Medical Bills: Medical bills related to the care of the decedent after an injury and prior to death.
• Lost Wages: All income the person would have earned had they survived the accident as well as any benefits lost due to death.
• Property Damage: The costs of repair or replacement of the property damaged in the accident (vehicle, etc.).
• Pain and suffering: Value of the pain and suffering the decedent endured prior to losing their life from injuries suffered in an accident.
• Funeral and Burial Expenses: Includes all expenses related to funeral and burial including purchasing a burial plot, funeral home and other expenses.

Wrongful Death: Damages to Surviving Family Members

There are typically damages awarded to family members who lose a loved one due to negligence. These losses are paid directly to the surviving family members while the damages to the decedent are often paid to the estate. Some of these include:

• Household Contributions – any home services the decedent provided such as housekeeping, child care, running errands, etc. may be assigned a dollar value.
• Losses Associated with Relationship – loss of companionship and consortium may be awarded to a spouse. Children of the decedent may also be awarded loss of guidance, care and inheritance.
• Pain and Suffering – Family members often suffer emotionally after the untimely death of a loved one. In addition to financial losses, family members suffer grief but may also feel bitter, suffer from survivor's guilt and a whole range of other emotional problems.

The calculation for wrongful death is:

Damages Awarded to Decedent + Damages Awarded to Family (x Special) = Award

Dog bites can be devastating for the victim. Too often, the victims suffer not just physical injuries but also suffer emotional harm. The calculations for a dog bite injury are fairly simple and look like this:

• Medical Care: All care associated with the dog attack including hospitals, doctors and mental health care. Medications for pain, anxiety are also covered under personal injury statutes. Follow up care, in some cases, plastic surgery is often required after a dog attack. These expenses would also be included in any medical claim.
• Damage to Personal Property: Dog bites may occur when a person is walking down the street. The cost of clothing that is damaged in the attack may be reimbursed by the responsible party. This includes any clothing the victim was wearing during the attack. If the attack occurred on the victim's property, repairs to the property including landscaping, fence repairs, etc. may also be included.
• Pain and Suffering: The more serious the injury, the higher the likelihood there will be an award for pain and suffering. Dog bite victims tend to suffer long-term mental health issue which make them wary of being near/around dogs after an attack.
• Lost Wages: If the person attacked was an adult, they are entitled to recover the amount of wages and benefits they lost while recovering from an attack.
• Non-Monetary Damages: Scarring and disfigurement after common. The more severe the scarring or disfigurement, the higher the award is likely to be.

The formula for dog bites is:

Medical Care (current and future) + Damages to Property = Pain and Suffering + Lost Wages + Non-Monetary Damages (x Special) = Total Award

It is important to note that each case is different and the calculations provided here are for estimate purposes only. It is nearly impossible to determine the exact amount of a monetary award in personal injury cases without a full review of the case and the circumstances surrounding the case.

Use the form below to request a case evaluation for accidents throughout Arizona