Frequently Asked Questions
"How Much Is My Case Worth?"
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.
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Factors Affecting Your Settlement
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.
The Three Pillars of Value
In Oklahoma, the value of a personal injury case is driven by three main factors:
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.
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.
3. Liability & Coverage (The Cap)
This is the most often overlooked factor. Even if you have $10 Million in damages, you cannot collect it if the defendant is broke or uninsured.
- 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.
The "Multiplier" Myth
You may have heard that case value is "3x your medical bills." This is an outdated rule of thumb that insurance adjusters rarely use anymore. Severe injuries (like paralysis) can have multipliers of 10x or 20x. Minor soft tissue injuries might only get 1x.