Arkansas Personal Injury Settlement Calculator

What the Arkansas Personal Injury Settlement Calculator Does

This calculator uses real-world legal logic based on Arkansas’s modified comparative fault rule and standard damage calculation methods to estimate your potential settlement.

It considers both economic damages (your measurable financial losses) and non-economic damages (pain, suffering, and emotional distress). Then it adjusts the total based on your percentage of fault, insurance limits, and attorney’s fees, giving you a realistic picture of your net recovery — what could end up in your pocket.

How the Calculator Works

Here’s how each input affects your result:

1. Percentage of Fault

Arkansas follows a modified comparative fault rule.
That means:

• You can only recover money if you’re 49% or less at fault.
• If you’re 50% or more responsible, you get nothing.

Example:
If your damages are $100,000 and you’re 20% at fault, your recovery is reduced by 20%, leaving you with $80,000.

2. Medical Expenses

These are your past and future medical costs — doctor visits, hospital bills, therapy, surgery, and medication. They form the foundation of your economic damages.

3. Lost Wages

If your injury kept you from working (or will in the future), this number represents your lost income.

4. Property Damage

Covers costs to repair or replace damaged property — often your vehicle in car accident cases.

5. Injury Severity Multiplier

This is where non-economic damages (like pain and suffering) come into play.
The calculator uses an injury severity multiplier to estimate those less tangible losses:

Your non-economic damages = (medical + wage losses) × multiplier

6. Insurance Policy Limits

Even if your damages exceed the at-fault driver’s insurance coverage, you can’t recover more than the policy limit unless other sources of compensation exist.
The calculator caps your estimate at that amount when provided.

7. Attorney’s Fees

Most personal injury lawyers in Arkansas work on a contingency fee basis:

• 33.3% before litigation
• 40% after litigation begins
• 0% if you handle it yourself (not recommended for serious injuries)

The calculator automatically subtracts this percentage from the estimated settlement.

8. Case Costs & Liens

Legal expenses, filing fees, and medical liens are deducted next. These represent real-world costs that reduce your net payout.

Behind the Scenes: The Formula Simplified

Here’s the basic logic the calculator follows:

Economic Damages = Medical Expenses + Lost Wages + Property Damage
Non-Economic Damages = (Medical + Lost Wages) × Severity Multiplier
Total Settlement = (Economic + Non-Economic) – Fault Reduction
Apply Insurance Limit (if any)
Subtract Attorney Fees & Costs
Net Recovery = Final Take-Home Amount

It also provides contextual notes, such as fault-based reductions or policy limit caps, so you understand why the number changes.

Example Calculation

Let’s say:

• Medical bills: $15,000
• Lost wages: $5,000
• Property damage: $8,000
• Fault: 10%
• Severity: Moderate (3.0 multiplier)
• Attorney fee: 33.3%
• Case costs: $2,500

Step 1: Calculate Economic Damages
15,000 + 5,000 + 8,000 = $28,000

Step 2: Non-Economic Damages
(15,000 + 5,000) × 3.0 = $60,000

Step 3: Total Damages Before Fault
$28,000 + $60,000 = $88,000

Step 4: Apply Fault Reduction (10%)
$88,000 × 0.9 = $79,200

Step 5: Subtract Fees and Costs
Attorney fee (33.3%): $26,376
Case costs: $2,500
Estimated Net Recovery = $50,324

That’s your ballpark figure — and a realistic one based on Arkansas law.

Understanding Arkansas’s Comparative Fault Rule

Under Arkansas Code § 16-64-122, if you share any part of the blame for an accident, your recovery is reduced by that percentage.
However:

• If you’re 49% or less at fault, you can still collect damages.
• If you’re 50% or more, you get nothing.

This rule ensures fairness but also makes accurate fault estimation crucial in settlement negotiations.

Why Use This Calculator

Quick, visual estimate of your potential payout
Based on Arkansas-specific legal principles
Shows how fault, attorney fees, and costs impact recovery
Helps prepare you before talking to a lawyer
Transparent, easy-to-understand formula

Important Disclaimer

This calculator gives an informational estimate only.
It is not legal advice and doesn’t account for all variables in a real case.
Your actual settlement depends on evidence, insurance negotiations, and the skill of your attorney.

If you’re seriously injured, consult a licensed Arkansas personal injury lawyer. They can help gather evidence, negotiate with insurers, and ensure you get the compensation you deserve.