Mild (Concussion, recovery in months)
Moderate (Persistent symptoms, cognitive impact)
Severe (Permanent disability, 24/7 care)
Estimated Economic Damages:
Estimated Non-Economic Damages:
Total Estimated Settlement Range:
*This is a rough estimate for educational purposes and not legal advice.
How TBI Settlements are Calculated
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) settlements are complex because they often involve long-term consequences that aren't immediately visible. Legal professionals typically use two primary categories to determine the value of a claim: Economic and Non-Economic damages.
1. Economic Damages (Special Damages)
These are the objective financial losses incurred due to the injury. They include:
Past Medical Bills: Emergency room visits, surgeries, and diagnostic imaging.
Future Care: TBIs often require lifelong cognitive therapy or neurological monitoring.
Lost Earning Capacity: If the victim can no longer perform their previous job duties.
2. Non-Economic Damages (General Damages)
This covers "Pain and Suffering." Since you cannot put a price tag on a receipt for emotional distress or loss of cognitive function, insurers use a Multiplier Method. The total economic damages are multiplied by a factor (usually between 1.5 and 5) based on the severity of the brain injury.
3. The Impact of Comparative Fault
Most states follow "Comparative Negligence" rules. If you are found to be 20% at fault for the accident that caused your TBI, your total settlement award is reduced by 20%. Our calculator accounts for this deduction automatically.
Example Calculation
Imagine a victim with $100,000 in medical bills and $50,000 in lost wages (Total Economic: $150,000). If the TBI is moderate, a multiplier of 3 might be applied for pain and suffering ($450,000). If the victim had 0% fault, the estimated settlement would be $600,000.
function calculateTBISettlement() {
var med = parseFloat(document.getElementById("medicalExpenses").value) || 0;
var wages = parseFloat(document.getElementById("lostIncome").value) || 0;
var rehab = parseFloat(document.getElementById("rehabCosts").value) || 0;
var multiplier = parseFloat(document.getElementById("tbiSeverity").value);
var fault = parseFloat(document.getElementById("faultPercentage").value) || 0;
// Calculate Economic Damages
var totalEconomic = med + wages + rehab;
// Calculate Non-Economic Damages (Pain and Suffering)
var nonEconomic = totalEconomic * multiplier;
// Combined Gross Value
var grossTotal = totalEconomic + nonEconomic;
// Apply Comparative Fault
var faultDeduction = (fault / 100) * grossTotal;
var finalTotal = grossTotal – faultDeduction;
// Format as currency
var formatter = new Intl.NumberFormat('en-US', {
style: 'currency',
currency: 'USD',
maximumFractionDigits: 0
});
// Range calculation (20% variance for negotiation)
var lowEnd = finalTotal * 0.85;
var highEnd = finalTotal * 1.15;
// Update UI
document.getElementById("econResult").innerText = formatter.format(totalEconomic);
document.getElementById("nonEconResult").innerText = formatter.format(nonEconomic);
document.getElementById("finalResult").innerText = formatter.format(lowEnd) + " – " + formatter.format(highEnd);
document.getElementById("tbi-result").style.display = "block";
document.getElementById("tbi-result").scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' });
}