Massachusetts Car Accident Settlement Calculator
Get a rough estimate of what a Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts's fault rule and flags the insurance limits that cap a real payout.
Massachusetts Is a no-fault (PIP) state
Massachusetts is one of the 12 traditional no-fault states. Under MGL c. 90 § 34M, every auto policy must carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP), and an owner/operator with PIP who would otherwise be liable in tort is exempt from tort liability for bodily-injury damages to the extent the injured party is entitled to recover PIP benefits. Your own PIP insurer pays first medical bills and lost wages regardless of fault; to step outside no-fault and sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering, the victim must clear the MGL c. 231 § 6D threshold.
Serious-injury threshold. In a no-fault state your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) pays your medical bills and lost wages first, regardless of fault. You can only step outside no-fault and sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering if your injuries clear the state's threshold. MGL c. 231 § 6D sets a $2,000 MONETARY threshold: a plaintiff cannot recover for pain, suffering, mental anguish, or emotional distress in a motor-vehicle case unless reasonable and necessary medical/dental expenses exceed $2,000 — OR the injury falls into a verbal-style exception: causes death, results in a fracture, loss of a body member, permanent and serious disfigurement, or loss of sight/hearing (as defined in c. 152 § 36). Note PIP itself uses a separate $500 figure in § 34M for the deductible/coordination determination, but the tort-recovery gate is the $2,000 of § 6D.
PIP: PIP is one of the four compulsory coverages. Mandatory PIP limit is $8,000 per person per accident (MGL c. 90 §§ 34A, 34M), covering medical expenses, up to 75% of lost wages, and replacement-services costs, payable regardless of fault. Policyholders may elect PIP deductibles of $100–$8,000, which can reduce or coordinate the PIP benefit (e.g., with private health insurance for the portion above $2,000).
Minimum Insurance & UM/UIM in Massachusetts
A settlement is only collectible up to the available insurance. Massachusetts's minimum required liability coverage is $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $30,000 for property damage. Many drivers carry only the minimum, so a large claim can exceed the at-fault driver's policy. Minimums increased effective July 1, 2025 (for policies written or renewing on/after that date), up from the long-standing 20/40/5 limits. Compulsory Bodily Injury to Others is now $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident; compulsory Damage to Someone Else's Property (property damage) is $30,000. Source: Mass.gov Division of Insurance "Basics of Auto Insurance" and the 2025 mandatory-coverage-limits notice.
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 Massachusetts, UM/UIM is required to carry. Uninsured Motorist coverage (Bodily Injury Caused by an Uninsured Auto) is one of the four COMPULSORY coverages in Massachusetts, required to be carried at minimum $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident (effective July 1, 2025, up from 20/40, since § 113L ties compulsory UM limits to the liability minimums). Underinsured Motorist (UIM) is optional but must be made available; UM hit-and-run claims also flow through this coverage.
Fault & Your Recovery: modified comparative negligence (51% bar)
Massachusetts follows modified comparative negligence (51% bar). Your award is reduced by your share of fault, and you recover nothing once you are 51% or more at fault.
Deadline to File a Massachusetts Car-Accident Claim
Massachusetts generally requires a car-accident injury lawsuit to be filed within 3 years of the crash (the statute of limitations). MGL c. 260 § 2A: tort actions, including auto personal-injury claims, must be commenced within three years after the cause of action accrues. Miss it and your claim is usually barred no matter how strong it is, so do not wait to talk to an attorney.
- Massachusetts is a true no-fault state: your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP, $8,000) pays first for medical bills and lost wages after a crash, no matter who was at fault.
- To sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering you must clear MGL c. 231 § 6D — over $2,000 in reasonable medical expenses, OR an injury that causes death, a fracture, loss of a body part, permanent serious disfigurement, or loss of sight/hearing.
- Minimum liability limits rose on July 1, 2025 to 25/50 bodily injury and $30,000 property damage; older policies were 20/40/5.
- Uninsured Motorist bodily-injury coverage (25/50) is mandatory in Massachusetts, not just offered — it protects you against uninsured and hit-and-run drivers.
- Massachusetts uses modified comparative negligence (51% bar): you can recover only if you are not more than 50% at fault, and your award is reduced by your share of fault (MGL c. 231 § 85).
- You generally have 3 years from the accident to file a personal-injury lawsuit (MGL c. 260 § 2A).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is my Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts's modified comparative negligence (51% bar) rule and the no-fault serious-injury threshold. The real value also depends on the available insurance limits — an attorney is the only way to value your specific case.
Is Massachusetts a no-fault state?
Massachusetts is one of the 12 traditional no-fault states. Under MGL c. 90 § 34M, every auto policy must carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP), and an owner/operator with PIP who would otherwise be liable in tort is exempt from tort liability for bodily-injury damages to the extent the injured party is entitled to recover PIP benefits. Your own PIP insurer pays first medical bills and lost wages regardless of fault; to step outside no-fault and sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering, the victim must clear the MGL c. 231 § 6D threshold.
Does my own fault reduce my Massachusetts settlement?
Yes. Massachusetts follows modified comparative negligence (51% bar). You recover nothing once you are 51% or more at fault.
How long do I have to file in Massachusetts?
Generally 3 years from the crash. MGL c. 260 § 2A: tort actions, including auto personal-injury claims, must be commenced within three years after the cause of action accrues.
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 Massachusetts 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.