North Dakota Car Accident Settlement Calculator
Get a rough estimate of what a North Dakota 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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota's fault rule and flags the insurance limits that cap a real payout.
North Dakota Is a no-fault (PIP) state
North Dakota is one of the traditional no-fault (PIP) states. Under the Auto Accident Reparations Act (NDCC ch. 26.1-41), every secured (insured) person's own no-fault carrier pays basic economic-loss benefits regardless of fault, and tort claims for noneconomic loss (pain and suffering) against another driver are barred unless the "serious injury" threshold is met.
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. NDCC 26.1-41-01 defines "serious injury" as an accidental bodily injury that results in death, dismemberment, serious and permanent disfigurement, or disability beyond 60 days (verbal prongs), OR that results in medical expenses in excess of $2,500 (monetary prong). Meeting any one prong opens the door to a pain-and-suffering tort claim, so North Dakota has both a verbal description and a dollar medical-bill threshold.
PIP: Basic no-fault benefits (PIP) are mandatory under NDCC ch. 26.1-41. The minimum is $30,000 per person, covering economic losses such as medical expenses, lost income (work loss), replacement services, and funeral expenses, paid by the injured person's own insurer without regard to fault.
Minimum Insurance & UM/UIM in North Dakota
A settlement is only collectible up to the available insurance. North Dakota's minimum required liability coverage is $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage. Many drivers carry only the minimum, so a large claim can exceed the at-fault driver's policy. North Dakota mandates 25/50/25 liability: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 property damage per accident, in addition to the required $30,000 PIP and UM/UIM coverage (NDCC ch. 26.1-40 and ND Insurance Department auto-insurance requirements).
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 North Dakota, UM/UIM is required to carry. North Dakota requires drivers to carry BOTH uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage at minimum limits of $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident (matching the BI liability minimum). UM/UIM is mandatory coverage, not merely an offer the insured can reject, per the ND Insurance Department.
Fault & Your Recovery: modified comparative negligence (50% bar)
North Dakota follows modified comparative negligence (50% bar). Your award is reduced by your share of fault, and you recover nothing once you are 50% or more at fault.
Deadline to File a North Dakota Car-Accident Claim
North Dakota generally requires a car-accident injury lawsuit to be filed within 6 years of the crash (the statute of limitations). North Dakota's general personal-injury statute of limitations is 6 years under NDCC 28-01-16 (actions for injury to the person not arising on contract). This is among the longest PI limitations periods in the country and applies to car-accident bodily-injury claims. Property-damage claims also fall under the 6-year period. Miss it and your claim is usually barred no matter how strong it is, so do not wait to talk to an attorney.
- North Dakota is a true no-fault state: after a crash your own insurer pays PIP (basic no-fault) benefits up to $30,000 per person regardless of who caused the accident (NDCC ch. 26.1-41).
- You can step outside no-fault and sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering only if you have a 'serious injury' — death, dismemberment, serious/permanent disfigurement, disability beyond 60 days, OR more than $2,500 in medical expenses (NDCC 26.1-41-01).
- Minimum mandatory liability insurance is 25/50/25: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, $25,000 property damage.
- Uninsured AND underinsured motorist coverage are both required at $25,000/$50,000, protecting you if the other driver has no or insufficient insurance.
- North Dakota uses a modified comparative negligence (50% bar) rule: you can recover only if your fault is less than the other party's, and your damages are reduced by your share of fault (NDCC 32-03.2-02).
- You generally have 6 years from the accident to file a personal-injury lawsuit (NDCC 28-01-16) — one of the longest deadlines in the nation — but PIP/insurance claims must be reported far sooner under your policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is my North Dakota 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 North Dakota's modified comparative negligence (50% 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 North Dakota a no-fault state?
North Dakota is one of the traditional no-fault (PIP) states. Under the Auto Accident Reparations Act (NDCC ch. 26.1-41), every secured (insured) person's own no-fault carrier pays basic economic-loss benefits regardless of fault, and tort claims for noneconomic loss (pain and suffering) against another driver are barred unless the "serious injury" threshold is met.
Does my own fault reduce my North Dakota settlement?
Yes. North Dakota follows modified comparative negligence (50% bar). You recover nothing once you are 50% or more at fault.
How long do I have to file in North Dakota?
Generally 6 years from the crash. North Dakota's general personal-injury statute of limitations is 6 years under NDCC 28-01-16 (actions for injury to the person not arising on contract). This is among the longest PI limitations periods in the country and applies to car-accident bodily-injury claims. Property-damage claims also fall under the 6-year period.
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 North Dakota 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.