How to Calculate “Pain and Suffering” Damages
What is “pain and suffering”, and how do you put a dollar amount on it? The most common method to calculate pain and suffering damages is the multiplier method.
The Multiplier Method
An insurance company will review everything in your injury claim, including all medical records and bills, documentation about lost wages, and pictures, and assign a multiplier between 1.5-5. The worse your physical injuries are, the greater the multiplier. For example, let’s say you were injured in a car accident and required minor medical care for whiplash and bruising. Your medical care may only total $2,000, and the insurance company may assign a multiplier on the low end since your injuries weren’t catastrophic, say 1.5. They would then multiply your medical bills by 1.5 to equal $3,000 for pain and suffering.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, if your injuries require a lot of medical treatment, say multiple surgeries or permanent disability, your multiplier may increase to 5.
A lot of the time, insurance companies will pay more for pain and suffering if the medical treatment lasts longer, and less for medical treatment that doesn’t last very long. A personal injury lawyer can help you get the most money for pain and suffering damages by providing the right evidence to the insurance adjuster. Don’t let them get away with a lowball settlement offer. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, please call or text Carrollton Injury Law today at 972-787-0325 for a FREE injury claim evaluation.
Personal Injury Claims are All We Do
At Carrollton Injury Law, personal injury claims are all we do. We are committed to getting you the most money back for your injuries, and we believe that consistent communication leads to a more efficient and successful financial recovery in the end. We reach out to you regularly to update you on the status of your claim, and we want to be continually informed about everything happening on your end – your medical treatment for painful injuries, your limitations in life due to someone else’s negligence, your lost wages from missing work, your disfigurement or scarring, your permanent impairment, and your pain and suffering – everything you’re going through. All of this information is vital to the successful handling of your personal injury claim.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury as a result of an accident, please call or text Carrollton Injury Law today at 972-787-0325 for a FREE injury claim evaluation. We look forward to showing you how we put Personal back into Personal Injury Law.
