California Car Accident Settlement Calculator
Get a rough estimate of what a California car-accident injury claim might be worth, based on your medical bills and losses. This is an estimate to understand the factors — not a prediction or an offer.
This is a rough estimate, not a prediction or an offer.
No tool can predict a settlement. This uses the common "multiplier method" to show the factors that drive value and a wide range — actual outcomes depend on the facts, the available insurance limits, the venue, and negotiation. Consult a California car-accident attorney about your case.
Enter your medical bills and losses to see an estimated range
The multiplier method (pain-and-suffering as a multiple of your medical bills) is a common starting point, not a guarantee. A real recovery is also capped by the available insurance (the at-fault driver's limits, or your own UM/UIM coverage). Most car-accident cases settle; an attorney is the only way to value your specific claim. This tool is not legal advice and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
How the Estimate Works
No tool can predict a car-accident settlement — every case is different and the number depends on the facts, the available insurance, the venue, and negotiation. This calculator applies the multiplier method: it adds your economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage), then estimates pain and suffering as a multiple of your medical bills (about 1.5× for minor injuries up to 5× or more for catastrophic ones), and shows a wide range. It then applies California's fault rule and flags the insurance limits that cap a real payout.
California Is an at-fault (tort) state
California is a traditional at-fault (tort) state. It has NO no-fault/PIP system and is not among the 12 traditional no-fault states. Liability follows fault: the at-fault driver (and their insurer) is responsible for the other party's bodily-injury and property damage. Fault liability rests on Civil Code section 1714 (everyone responsible for injury caused by want of ordinary care). California applies pure comparative negligence (Li v. Yellow Cab Co., 13 Cal.3d 804 (1975)), so a plaintiff's recovery is reduced by their own percentage of fault but is never barred. An injured party deals directly with the at-fault driver's liability carrier and can sue for both economic damages and pain & suffering without crossing any statutory injury threshold.
Minimum Insurance & UM/UIM in California
A settlement is only collectible up to the available insurance. California's minimum required liability coverage is $30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident for bodily injury and $15,000 for property damage. Many drivers carry only the minimum, so a large claim can exceed the at-fault driver's policy. Minimum liability limits are 30/60/15 effective January 1, 2025: $30,000 bodily injury/death per person, $60,000 bodily injury/death per accident, $15,000 property damage per accident. These were raised from the prior 15/30/5 by Senate Bill 1107 (2022), codified at Vehicle Code section 16056 and Insurance Code section 11580.1b. Alternatives to a liability policy: a $75,000 cash deposit with DMV, a DMV self-insurance certificate, or a $75,000 surety bond (Veh. Code sections 16054-16056). Limits are scheduled to rise again to 50/100/25 on January 1, 2035.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM): if the other driver had no insurance or fled the scene, your recovery comes from your own UM/UIM coverage. In California, UM/UIM is must be offered (you may reject it in writing). UM/UIM is not mandatory to carry but must be offered. Under Insurance Code section 11580.2, every bodily-injury liability auto policy must include uninsured-motorist (and underinsured-motorist) coverage unless the insured rejects it IN WRITING. The named insured may reject UM/UIM entirely or reduce it down to the statutory financial-responsibility minimums, but the rejection/reduction must be in writing. Default offered limit equals the policy's BI liability limit (insurer not required to offer above $30,000/$60,000).
Fault & Your Recovery: pure comparative negligence
California follows pure comparative negligence. Your award is reduced by your share of fault, but you can still recover something even if you were mostly at fault.
Deadline to File a California Car-Accident Claim
California generally requires a car-accident injury lawsuit to be filed within 2 years of the crash (the statute of limitations). Two-year personal-injury statute of limitations under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 (action for assault, battery, or injury to or death of an individual caused by another's wrongful act or neglect). Property-damage-only claims have a longer 3-year limit (CCP section 338). A claim against a public entity (e.g., government vehicle) requires a government tort claim within 6 months under the Government Claims Act (Gov. Code sections 910, 911.2). Miss it and your claim is usually barred no matter how strong it is, so do not wait to talk to an attorney.
- California is a pure at-fault (tort) state - there is no no-fault/PIP system, so you file against the at-fault driver's liability insurer (or your own UM/UIM if they are uninsured).
- Minimum liability limits rose to 30/60/15 on January 1, 2025 ($30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident bodily injury, $15,000 property damage) under SB 1107 - up from the old 15/30/5, and they are set to rise again to 50/100/25 in 2035.
- Pure comparative negligence applies: your damages are reduced by your share of fault but you can recover even if you are mostly at fault (Civil Code section 1714; Li v. Yellow Cab).
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage must be offered by your insurer and is included unless you reject or reduce it in writing (Insurance Code section 11580.2).
- You generally have 2 years to file a bodily-injury lawsuit (CCP section 335.1) and 3 years for vehicle property damage (CCP section 338); claims against a government entity require a tort claim within 6 months.
- Prop 213 (Civil Code section 3333.4) bars an uninsured driver - or a DUI driver - from recovering pain-and-suffering (non-economic) damages even when the other driver was at fault.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is my California car accident claim worth?
No one can tell you a number in advance. A rough estimate adds your economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage) and applies a pain-and-suffering multiplier, then adjusts for fault under California's pure comparative negligence rule. The real value also depends on the available insurance limits — an attorney is the only way to value your specific case.
Is California a no-fault state?
California is a traditional at-fault (tort) state. It has NO no-fault/PIP system and is not among the 12 traditional no-fault states. Liability follows fault: the at-fault driver (and their insurer) is responsible for the other party's bodily-injury and property damage. Fault liability rests on Civil Code section 1714 (everyone responsible for injury caused by want of ordinary care). California applies pure comparative negligence (Li v. Yellow Cab Co., 13 Cal.3d 804 (1975)), so a plaintiff's recovery is reduced by their own percentage of fault but is never barred. An injured party deals directly with the at-fault driver's liability carrier and can sue for both economic damages and pain & suffering without crossing any statutory injury threshold.
Does my own fault reduce my California settlement?
Yes. California follows pure comparative negligence. Your award is reduced by your fault percentage but never eliminated.
How long do I have to file in California?
Generally 2 years from the crash. Two-year personal-injury statute of limitations under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 (action for assault, battery, or injury to or death of an individual caused by another's wrongful act or neglect). Property-damage-only claims have a longer 3-year limit (CCP section 338). A claim against a public entity (e.g., government vehicle) requires a government tort claim within 6 months under the Government Claims Act (Gov. Code sections 910, 911.2).
Is this calculator accurate?
It is a rough estimate to show the factors that drive value — not a prediction or an offer. Real settlements vary enormously and are capped by the available insurance. Treat any number here as a ballpark and consult a California car-accident attorney.
Disclaimer
This estimator is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a prediction of any outcome. RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm. The value of a car-accident claim can only be assessed by a licensed attorney reviewing your specific facts.