Frequently Asked Questions

It’s a free tool that gives you a rough, structured estimate of what your personal injury claim may be worth, based on factors like medical bills, lost wages, injury severity, and liability. It is not a guarantee, and it is not legal advice.

Using the multiplier method — the same general framework insurance adjusters and personal injury attorneys use. Your economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, and estimated future medical costs) are multiplied by a factor between 1.5x and 5x based on injury severity, then adjusted for Illinois’s comparative negligence rules.

Case Value Assessment’s results are based on the same multiplier method used in personal injury practice, informed by documented Illinois settlement patterns and comparative negligence law — but every estimate is only as accurate as the information you provide, and no calculator can fully account for the specific facts of your case. Think of it as a structured starting point, not a final number.

Pain and suffering is estimated using a multiplier applied to your economic damages, ranging from 1.5x for injuries that resolve quickly to 5x or more for severe or permanent injuries. There’s no single exact formula — the multiplier is a widely used industry proxy, not a precise measurement.

It can’t capture what’s specific to you — the strength of your liability evidence, how the injury has actually affected your life, or how a particular insurer tends to handle claims. It also can’t fully value future lost earning capacity, which usually needs expert input.

Yes. Even early on, before treatment is finished or a claim is filed, you can get a rough range. The estimate will get more precise as more information — especially completed medical treatment — becomes available.

Illinois follows modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar: if you’re found less than 51% at fault, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you’re found 51% or more at fault, you recover nothing.

Generally two years from the date of injury for most personal injury claims, under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. Some claim types have different deadlines — don’t wait to find out which applies to you.

Usually not. Illinois allows punitive damages in some cases involving willful, wanton, or malicious conduct, but they’re barred outright in medical malpractice claims by statute. Most injury claims turn on compensatory damages instead.

Illinois requires drivers to carry liability coverage — current minimums are set by the Illinois Department of Insurance. Available coverage can significantly limit what’s actually collectible, regardless of what a claim is otherwise worth.

No. Illinois workers’ comp is a no-fault statutory system with fixed benefit schedules — there’s no pain-and-suffering multiplier, because the tradeoff for no-fault coverage is that you generally can’t sue your employer for non-economic damages.

No general cap on compensatory damages in most personal injury cases. Illinois did cap non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases, but that cap was struck down as unconstitutional by the Illinois Supreme Court, so it no longer applies. Punitive damages, where available, remain subject to separate limits.

If you have uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage on your own policy, you may be able to recover through your own insurer even if the at-fault driver has no coverage or not enough. This is worth checking early, since it can significantly change what’s actually collectible on a claim that otherwise looks strong.

Claims against government entities in Illinois follow different rules, including shorter notice deadlines that can be as short as one year — sometimes far less than the standard two-year statute of limitations. If a government vehicle, employee, or property is involved, don’t wait to look into this.

Under Illinois’s 51% bar rule, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault, as long as you’re found less than 51% responsible. For example, if your claim is worth $50,000 and you’re found 20% at fault, your recovery would be reduced to $40,000. If you’re found 51% or more at fault, you recover nothing — so an early, informal admission of fault can matter a great deal.

Yes. Commercial vehicles typically carry much higher insurance policy limits than personal auto policies, and the vehicle’s owner or employer may share liability. This doesn’t change your injury’s severity, but it can significantly affect what’s actually recoverable.

Comparative fault, limited insurance policy limits, and pre-existing conditions an adjuster tries to attribute your pain to are the three most common.

Economic damages (medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, out-of-pocket costs) and non-economic damages (pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and in some cases loss of consortium for a spouse).

Significantly. Detailed medical records, a doctor’s written prognosis for future treatment, photos, and witness statements all strengthen a claim. Vague or incomplete documentation gives an adjuster more room to dispute your numbers.

You can still use the calculator, but the result will be less precise. Ongoing or incomplete treatment often means your actual damages — and your eventual settlement — will end up higher than an early estimate suggests, since future treatment costs aren’t yet fully known.

Every case is unique. Differences in the strength of your evidence, where the case is filed, the at-fault party’s insurance policy limits, and the quality of your medical documentation all affect the outcome — which is exactly why the calculator gives a range grounded in a methodology, not a single fixed number.

Illinois allows recovery from more than one liable party, and fault can be divided among them. This can work in your favor if it means more total insurance coverage is available, but it can also complicate liability and slow down negotiations.

Not directly — property damage (vehicle repair, replacement) is typically handled as a separate claim from your injury claim, though the two are often negotiated around the same time. The severity of vehicle damage is sometimes used informally by adjusters as an imperfect proxy for injury severity, which is worth knowing if you’re negotiating a claim where the vehicle damage looks minor but your injuries are real.

You’re not at fault for the accident simply by being a passenger, which often makes your claim more straightforward from a liability standpoint. You may have a claim against the driver of your vehicle, the other driver, or both, depending on how fault is assigned.

Not automatically. The estimate is a starting reference point, not a ceiling — some cases are worth more once liability is fully established or once you know the full extent of your medical treatment. Before accepting any offer, make sure your treatment is complete or your future costs are well-documented, since a signed settlement generally closes the door on additional compensation later.

A trial can raise or lower the final result, and it typically takes considerably longer than settling. Keep Illinois’s filing deadlines in mind — waiting too long to evaluate your options can cost you the claim entirely, regardless of its value.

You can still use the calculator — your estimate isn’t affected either way. If you’re already represented, we recommend discussing your results with your current attorney rather than seeking a new one.

No. Using Case Value Assessment is private. It doesn’t notify your insurance company, the other party, or anyone else, and it has no effect on your actual claim.

No. The calculator estimates your claim’s potential value — it doesn’t estimate attorney fees or your net recovery after fees. Most Illinois personal injury attorneys work on contingency, meaning they’re paid a percentage of your recovery rather than an hourly rate; ask about fee structure directly if you connect with an attorney.

Yes. If your treatment progresses, new costs come in, or you learn more about the accident, running the numbers again with updated information will give you a more accurate picture than relying on an early estimate.

A settlement is an agreement you and the insurance company reach voluntarily, without going to trial. A verdict is a decision made by a judge or jury after a trial. Most personal injury claims settle before trial — a verdict only happens if the case doesn’t resolve through negotiation.

If you submit your contact information and consent to be contacted, you may receive a follow-up call, text message, or email from Case Value Assessment or the Mid-Atlantic Law Project to discuss your results. In some cases, and with your consent, you may also be offered a free consultation with an attorney. You are never required to hire any attorney or accept any referral.