Nebraska Personal Injury Settlement Calculator

What Is a Nebraska Personal Injury Settlement Calculator?

The Nebraska Personal Injury Settlement Calculator is a free online tool that estimates the value of your potential settlement after an accident.

It uses the financial details you provide — such as medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and injury severity — to calculate both economic and non-economic damages. It then adjusts your total based on Nebraska’s comparative fault rule and any insurance policy limits that may apply.

In plain terms, it helps answer the question:

“What might I realistically recover after an accident in Nebraska?”

How the Calculator Works (Step-by-Step)

Here’s how each field in the calculator contributes to your estimate:

1. Your Estimated Percentage of Fault (0–50%)

Nebraska follows a modified comparative fault rule.
If you are 51% or more at fault, you cannot recover any damages.
If you are 50% or less at fault, your settlement is reduced by your percentage of fault.

Example:
If your damages total $100,000 but you’re 20% at fault, your payout becomes $80,000.

2. Medical Expenses (Past & Future)

This includes hospital bills, doctor visits, physical therapy, surgery, medication, and future medical costs.
These are direct, “economic” damages — easily documented and crucial to your claim.

3. Lost Wages (Past & Future)

If you missed work or lost future earning potential, include that here.
It covers both lost income and reduced earning ability due to long-term injury.

4. Property Damage

This covers repair or replacement costs for vehicles or other personal property damaged in the accident.

5. Injury & Recovery Severity

This is where the calculator estimates non-economic damages, like pain, suffering, and emotional distress.
Each severity level has a built-in multiplier:

Your total medical expenses and lost wages are multiplied by this number to estimate pain and suffering compensation.

6. At-Fault Party’s Insurance Policy Limit (Optional)

Even if your damages are high, insurance policy limits can cap how much you actually recover.
For example, if your damages total $200,000 but the at-fault driver’s insurance limit is $100,000, that’s usually the maximum payout you can receive — unless you pursue additional legal options.

7. Attorney’s Fee Percentage

Most personal injury attorneys in Nebraska work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they take a percentage of your settlement only if you win.

Common fee structures:

• 33.3% before litigation (standard)
• 40% after a lawsuit is filed
• 0% if you represent yourself

The calculator subtracts this fee from your estimated settlement to show your net recovery — what you actually keep.

8. Case Costs & Medical Liens

After a case settles, you may need to pay case costs, medical liens, or insurance reimbursements.
This field helps you estimate your final take-home amount after those expenses.

Example Calculation

Let’s say:

• You were 20% at fault
• Medical bills: $15,000
• Lost wages: $5,000
• Property damage: $8,000
• Injury severity: Moderate (3× multiplier)
• Policy limit: $100,000
• Attorney fee: 33.3%
• Case costs: $2,500

Step 1: Economic Damages

Medical + Wages + Property = $28,000

Step 2: Non-Economic Damages

(Medical + Wages) × 3 = $60,000

Step 3: Total Before Adjustments

$28,000 + $60,000 = $88,000

Step 4: Fault Adjustment (20%)

$88,000 × 0.20 = $17,600 reduction
Adjusted total: $70,400

Step 5: Attorney Fee (33.3%)

$70,400 × 0.333 = $23,443 fee

Step 6: Subtract Costs ($2,500)

Net Recovery: $44,457

This means you could walk away with around $44,000 after all deductions.

Nebraska’s 51% Fault Rule

Under Nebraska’s Modified Comparative Negligence Law, your recovery depends on your share of fault:

• 0–50% at fault → You can still recover damages, reduced by your fault percentage.
• 51% or more at fault → You recover nothing.

The calculator automatically enforces this rule.
If you enter a fault percentage over 50%, it will show $0 recovery, along with an explanation.

What the Calculator Results Show

Once you click “Calculate Estimate,” you’ll see:

• Economic Damages: The total of medical costs, lost wages, and property damage.
• Non-Economic Damages: Pain and suffering, based on your injury severity.
• Final Settlement: The total after adjusting for fault and policy limits.
• Attorney’s Fee and Case Costs: Automatically subtracted to show your net recovery.
• Reduction Message: Notes if your amount was reduced due to fault or policy limits.

Important Disclaimer

The calculator gives a rough estimate only — it’s not legal advice.
Every personal injury case is different. Factors like medical documentation, witness credibility, insurance negotiation tactics, and legal representation can all impact your actual settlement.

For a precise evaluation, consult a licensed Nebraska personal injury attorney.

Why Use the Nebraska Personal Injury Settlement Calculator?

• It’s free and instant — no waiting for a quote.
• It’s simple — you don’t need to be a lawyer to use it.
• It’s educational — helps you understand how damages and Nebraska’s laws interact.
• It’s realistic — shows what your case could actually yield after deductions.

By entering accurate details, you’ll get a clear, data-backed picture of what your settlement might look like — before you step into negotiations.