New York Car Accident Settlement Calculator
Get a rough estimate of what a New York 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 New York 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 New York's fault rule and flags the insurance limits that cap a real payout.
New York Is a no-fault (PIP) state
New York is one of the 12 traditional no-fault (PIP) states. Under NY Insurance Law Article 51, an injured "covered person" first recovers economic losses (medical bills, lost earnings, other expenses) from their own insurer's mandatory no-fault/PIP coverage regardless of fault. Ins. Law 5104(a) bars suing the at-fault driver for non-economic loss (pain and suffering) unless the victim sustains a "serious injury" as defined in Ins. Law 5102(d). It is a true no-fault state, NOT a choice or add-on state — the only choice states are NJ, PA, and KY.
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. Verbal/descriptive threshold. To step outside no-fault and sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering, the victim must show a "serious injury" under NY Ins. Law 5102(d): death; dismemberment; significant disfigurement; a fracture; loss of a fetus; permanent loss of use of a body organ/member/function/system; permanent consequential limitation of use of a body organ or member; significant limitation of use of a body function or system; or a non-permanent medically determined injury/impairment that prevents the person from performing substantially all of their usual daily activities for at least 90 of the 180 days immediately following the accident. The right to sue and the no-recovery-without-serious-injury bar are set in Ins. Law 5104.
PIP: Mandatory no-fault Personal Injury Protection of at least $50,000 per person ("basic economic loss," NY Ins. Law 5102(a)). PIP covers reasonable medical expenses, 80% of lost earnings up to $2,000/month for up to 3 years, and up to $25/day in other reasonable expenses, plus a $2,000 death benefit — all without regard to fault. Coverage is required statewide.
Minimum Insurance & UM/UIM in New York
A settlement is only collectible up to the available insurance. New York's minimum required liability coverage is $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $10,000 for property damage. Many drivers carry only the minimum, so a large claim can exceed the at-fault driver's policy. Minimum liability is 25/50/10: $25,000 bodily injury per person / $50,000 per accident / $10,000 property damage per accident. New York also mandates higher death-related limits: $50,000 for death of one person and $100,000 for death of two or more persons in a single crash. Authority: NY Vehicle & Traffic Law 311(4)(a) and Ins. Law 3420(f).
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 New York, UM/UIM is required to carry. Uninsured Motorist (UM) bodily-injury coverage is mandatory on every NY policy at the same minimum limits as liability (25/50), per NY Ins. Law 3420(f)(1). Supplementary Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (SUM) coverage, which adds underinsured-motorist protection up to the policy's own BI limits, must be OFFERED by the insurer and can be purchased/rejected (Ins. Law 3420(f)(2)) — but baseline UM coverage itself cannot be waived.
Fault & Your Recovery: pure comparative negligence
New York 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 New York Car-Accident Claim
New York generally requires a car-accident injury lawsuit to be filed within 3 years of the crash (the statute of limitations). 3-year statute of limitations for personal injury (including auto-accident negligence) under CPLR 214(5). Property-damage claims also carry a 3-year limit under CPLR 214(4). Wrongful-death actions have a separate 2-year limit (EPTL 5-4.1). Miss it and your claim is usually barred no matter how strong it is, so do not wait to talk to an attorney.
- New York is a no-fault state: after a crash, you first claim medical bills and lost wages from your own insurer's mandatory $50,000 PIP coverage, regardless of who caused the accident.
- You can only sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering if your injury meets the 'serious injury' threshold in Ins. Law 5102(d) (e.g., a fracture, significant disfigurement, permanent or significant limitation of use, or a 90/180-day disability).
- Required minimum liability coverage is 25/50/10, with higher 50/100 limits for death claims.
- Uninsured motorist bodily-injury coverage is mandatory at 25/50; underinsured (SUM) coverage must be offered and can be added up to your policy limits.
- New York follows pure comparative negligence — your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault but is never barred, even if you are mostly at fault (CPLR 1411).
- Lawsuits for accident injuries must generally be filed within 3 years (CPLR 214(5)); wrongful-death claims within 2 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is my New York 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 New York's pure comparative negligence 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 New York a no-fault state?
New York is one of the 12 traditional no-fault (PIP) states. Under NY Insurance Law Article 51, an injured "covered person" first recovers economic losses (medical bills, lost earnings, other expenses) from their own insurer's mandatory no-fault/PIP coverage regardless of fault. Ins. Law 5104(a) bars suing the at-fault driver for non-economic loss (pain and suffering) unless the victim sustains a "serious injury" as defined in Ins. Law 5102(d). It is a true no-fault state, NOT a choice or add-on state — the only choice states are NJ, PA, and KY.
Does my own fault reduce my New York settlement?
Yes. New York follows pure comparative negligence. Your award is reduced by your fault percentage but never eliminated.
How long do I have to file in New York?
Generally 3 years from the crash. 3-year statute of limitations for personal injury (including auto-accident negligence) under CPLR 214(5). Property-damage claims also carry a 3-year limit under CPLR 214(4). Wrongful-death actions have a separate 2-year limit (EPTL 5-4.1).
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 New York 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.