Over 10 million data points
National Crash
Find out in a few minutes, from public records and our proprietary database.
Why your state changes the number.
The same crash and the same injuries can be worth very different amounts depending on where they happened. Four rules do most of the work.
Your share of the blame
If you were partly at fault, most states cut your award by your share. In 5 places (Alabama, District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia), any fault can bar recovery.
Example: $50,000 in damages, you were 30% at fault
- Pure comparative$35,000
- Modified, 51% bar$35,000
- Modified, 50% bar$35,000
- Contributory$0
The clock
Every state sets a deadline to file an injury lawsuit. Miss it, and the claim is usually gone, whatever it was worth.
Longest
6 years
Maine, Minnesota, North Dakota
The other driver's policy
Insurance usually pays the claim, and state minimums set how small a policy can be. A serious injury can cost far more than the minimum covers.
- Lowest minimum per personFlorida$0
- Highest minimum per personAlaska, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, Virginia$50,000
Who pays first
In 12 no-fault states, your own insurance pays first for medical bills and lost pay. Claims against the other driver usually start once an injury passes the state's threshold.
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Kansas
- Kentucky (choice)
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New Jersey (choice)
- New York
- North Dakota
- Pennsylvania (choice)
- Utah
What else moves an estimate.
State law sets the frame. The details of your crash fill it in. Each estimate weighs these against our proprietary data from hundreds of thousands of cases.
- Working with a lawyer
- Of everything here, this moves an estimate the most. Your estimate shows the range for cases like yours with a lawyer and without one.
- When you got care
- Care on the day of the accident ties your injuries to the crash. Insurers often point to a delay in care to argue an injury is minor.
- The injury itself
- What the injury is, and how long it lasts, shapes most claims. Lasting symptoms usually count for more than injuries that heal quickly.
- Medical bills
- Medical bills are usually a large part of a claim, including care you'll likely still need.
- Missed work
- Lost wages can be claimed, and so can lost earning ability if your injury limits your work.
- Who caused it
- Clear fault on the other driver usually makes a claim stronger. Most states reduce what you can recover by your share of the blame.
- A police report
- A police report helps show what happened and who was involved.
How we built this report.
Each state's rules come from published legal and insurance references, with recent law changes checked against the statute text. Crash deaths come from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's analysis of federal crash records, checked against NHTSA data. We cross-checked each law against at least two sources.
Case estimates are built on our proprietary data from hundreds of thousands of cases.
Laws change. Check the date, and confirm your deadline with a lawyer licensed in your state.
Last updated November 2026
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, IIHS state-by-state fatality facts (2023 deaths and rates)·NHTSA, FARS Encyclopedia: fatalities and fatality rates by state, 2023·Justia, Comparative & Contributory Negligence Laws: 50-State Survey·AccidentClaimLawyers.com, Accident claim laws by state (deadlines, fault, negligence, minimums)·QualitySpace, US 50-state auto insurance minimum liability limits (2026)·800 Perkins, Statute of limitations by state for personal injury claims·Alabama Department of Insurance, State auto insurance laws (list of tort and no-fault states)·NAIC, Compulsory motor vehicle insurance chart (PIP and minimums)·Justia, Ala. Code § 6-2-38 (two-year limit for personal injury)·LexisNexis, Louisiana Tort Law, Dec. 2025 (Acts 2025, No. 15 on comparative fault)·Nolo via AllLaw, Louisiana personal injury statutes of limitations (two years, injuries after July 1, 2024)·Insurance Information Institute, Uninsured motorists (Insurance Research Council estimate, 2023)·Insurance Information Institute, Auto insurance facts and statistics (ISO bodily injury claim severity, 2015-2024)·NHTSA National Center for Statistics and Analysis, Traffic Safety Facts 2023: A Compilation of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Data·NHTSA, NHTSA Quick Facts 2023·PlainRoadSafety, All states: road fatality data by state (cross-check against FARS)
Frequently asked questions.
- Is the estimate a guarantee?
- No. It's a range for cases like yours, not a case valuation or legal advice. Only a lawyer who knows the details can put a number on your case.
- What's the difference between at-fault and no-fault states?
- In at-fault states, the driver who caused the crash pays through their insurance. In the 12 no-fault states, your own insurance pays first for medical bills and lost pay, and a claim against the other driver usually depends on how serious the injury is.
- What if I was partly at fault?
- Most states reduce what you can recover by your share of the blame. Some bar recovery past 50% or 51%, and a few bar it for any fault at all. Open your state's file above to see its rule.
- How long do I have to file?
- It depends on the state, from 1 year to 6 years for most injury lawsuits, counted from the crash. Exceptions apply, such as claims against a government agency, so talk to a lawyer soon if time is short.
See what your case could be worth.
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