Montana Car Accident Settlement Calculator
Get a rough estimate of what a Montana 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 Montana 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 Montana's fault rule and flags the insurance limits that cap a real payout.
Montana Is an at-fault (tort) state
Montana is a traditional at-fault (tort) state. The at-fault driver's liability insurance pays the injured party's damages; there is no statutory no-fault/PIP regime requiring victims to recover from their own insurer first. Montana is NOT one of the no-fault states.
Minimum Insurance & UM/UIM in Montana
A settlement is only collectible up to the available insurance. Montana's minimum required liability coverage is $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $20,000 for property damage. Many drivers carry only the minimum, so a large claim can exceed the at-fault driver's policy. Mandatory minimum liability limits are 25/50/20: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 bodily injury per accident (two or more persons), and $20,000 property damage per accident, per MCA 61-6-103(1)(b). Note Montana's property-damage minimum is $20,000 (not $25,000). Every vehicle owner must maintain this liability coverage.
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 Montana, UM/UIM is must be offered (you may reject it in writing). Uninsured motorist (and underinsured motorist) coverage must be included in every motor-vehicle liability policy issued in Montana unless the insured rejects it in writing. Under MCA 33-23-201, coverage at limits not less than the 61-6-103 liability minimums must be provided unless the named insured rejects the coverage in writing. CSI guidance confirms UM is included unless the insured signs a form declining it. This is the must-be-offered / rejectable-in-writing model, not a mandatory-to-carry rule.
Fault & Your Recovery: modified comparative negligence (51% bar)
Montana 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 Montana Car-Accident Claim
Montana generally requires a car-accident injury lawsuit to be filed within 3 years of the crash (the statute of limitations). Personal-injury (auto tort) actions must be commenced within 3 years under MCA 27-2-204 (liability not founded on a written instrument). Property-damage claims to vehicles also fall under the general 3-year tort/injury period. Wrongful death tied to homicide can extend to 10 years; assault/battery/libel/slander carry a 2-year period — not applicable to ordinary negligence auto claims. Miss it and your claim is usually barred no matter how strong it is, so do not wait to talk to an attorney.
- Montana is a traditional at-fault (tort) state, not a no-fault state — the at-fault driver's insurance pays your damages, and there is no injury threshold to clear before suing for pain and suffering.
- Minimum liability insurance is 25/50/20: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $20,000 for property damage (MCA 61-6-103). Note the property-damage minimum is $20,000, slightly lower than many states' $25,000.
- Montana follows modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar (MCA 27-1-702): you can recover if you are 50% or less at fault, but your award is reduced by your share, and you recover nothing if you are 51% or more at fault.
- You generally have 3 years from the crash date to file a personal-injury or property-damage lawsuit (MCA 27-2-204). Missing this deadline usually bars the claim.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage is automatically included unless you reject it in writing (MCA 33-23-201) — keep it to protect against drivers who have no insurance or too little.
- PIP/no-fault coverage is not required in Montana; medical-payments coverage is optional add-on protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is my Montana 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 Montana's modified comparative negligence (51% bar) rule. The real value also depends on the available insurance limits — an attorney is the only way to value your specific case.
Is Montana a no-fault state?
Montana is a traditional at-fault (tort) state. The at-fault driver's liability insurance pays the injured party's damages; there is no statutory no-fault/PIP regime requiring victims to recover from their own insurer first. Montana is NOT one of the no-fault states.
Does my own fault reduce my Montana settlement?
Yes. Montana 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 Montana?
Generally 3 years from the crash. Personal-injury (auto tort) actions must be commenced within 3 years under MCA 27-2-204 (liability not founded on a written instrument). Property-damage claims to vehicles also fall under the general 3-year tort/injury period. Wrongful death tied to homicide can extend to 10 years; assault/battery/libel/slander carry a 2-year period — not applicable to ordinary negligence auto claims.
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 Montana 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.