Maine Personal Injury Settlement Calculator
Get a rough estimate of what a Maine personal injury or dog-bite 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.
There is no formula that predicts a settlement. This tool uses the common "multiplier method" to show the factors that drive value and a wide range — actual outcomes depend on the facts, insurance limits, the venue, and negotiation. Consult a Maine personal-injury 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. Most personal-injury cases settle out of court; most attorneys work on a contingency fee (commonly around a third, but the rate is set by your agreement and some states regulate or cap it), and 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 settlement — every case is different and the number depends on the facts, the available insurance, the venue, and negotiation. What this calculator does is apply the multiplier method, the rough starting point insurers and attorneys use: it adds up your economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, property damage), then estimates pain and suffering as a multiple of those damages (about 1.5× for minor injuries up to 5× or more for catastrophic ones), and shows a wide range. It is a way to understand value, not a guarantee.
It then applies Maine's fault rule, because how fault is shared directly changes what you can recover.
Maine's Fault Rule: modified comparative negligence (50% bar)
Maine's comparative negligence statute, 14 MRS Sec. 156, reduces a plaintiff's damages by their share of fault but bars recovery entirely if the claimant is found "equally at fault" or more — i.e., at 50% or above. This makes Maine a modified-50 (barred at 50%+) state, NOT pure-comparative. Note a Maine quirk: the statute directs the jury to reduce total damages "by dollars and cents, and not by percentage" to the extent the jury thinks just and equitable, rather than a strict mechanical percentage reduction. Maine retains joint and several liability among multiple defendants (each defendant jointly and severally liable for the full amount, with special interrogatories available to allocate percentages).
Damage Caps in Maine
No cap on general personal-injury (bodily injury) damages in Maine. Notable statutory caps exist outside ordinary PI: (1) Wrongful death (18-C MRS Sec. 2-807) caps loss of comfort, society and companionship (including emotional distress) at $750,000 (CPI-adjusted for deaths after 2023) and punitive damages at $250,000 — economic damages (medical, lost earnings) are uncapped. (2) Maine Tort Claims Act (14 MRS Sec. 8105) caps recovery against governmental entities (commonly $400,000 per occurrence). Maine has NO general cap on medical-malpractice damages for living plaintiffs.
Dog-Bite Liability in Maine
7 MRS Sec. 3961(2): "When a dog injures a person who is not on the owner's or keeper's premises at the time of the injury, the owner or keeper of the dog is liable in a civil action to the person injured for the amount of the damages." This imposes strict liability for off-premises dog injuries — no proof of prior viciousness (no one-bite rule) and no proof of owner negligence required. The statute also limits the comparative-fault defense: the injured person's fault may not reduce recovery unless the court determines that the injured person's fault exceeded the fault of the owner/keeper. (For on-premises injuries or injuries by other animals, the general negligence standard of 7 MRS Sec. 3961(1) applies, which is why some sources describe Maine as effectively mixed; for the typical off-premises dog bite it is strict liability.)
Deadline to File a Claim in Maine
Maine generally requires a personal-injury lawsuit to be filed within 6 years of the injury (the statute of limitations). Maine has NO special personal-injury limitations period — it is one of the few states where general PI claims fall under the general 6-year civil statute of limitations, 14 MRS Sec. 752 ("All civil actions shall be commenced within 6 years after the cause of action accrues... except as otherwise specially provided"). This is unusually long. Important carve-outs: medical malpractice / professional negligence against health-care providers is 3 years from the act or omission (24 MRS Sec. 2902); wrongful death is 2 years (6 years if death by homicide) under 18-C MRS Sec. 2-807; and tort claims against governmental entities have their own notice/limitation rules (14 MRS ch. 741, Maine Tort Claims Act). Miss it and your claim is usually barred no matter how strong it is, so do not wait to talk to an attorney.
- Modified comparative negligence at 50%: under 14 MRS Sec. 156 a plaintiff who is found 'equally at fault' (50% or more) recovers nothing; below that, damages are reduced by the plaintiff's share.
- Unusually long deadline: general PI suits get the 6-year statute of limitations (14 MRS Sec. 752) because Maine has no separate, shorter PI limitations period.
- Dog bites are strict liability when the victim is off the owner's/keeper's premises (7 MRS Sec. 3961(2)) — no prior-bite knowledge needed; victim's comparative fault only reduces recovery if it exceeds the owner's fault.
- No cap on ordinary bodily-injury damages; caps apply only to wrongful death ($750k non-economic / $250k punitive, 18-C MRS Sec. 2-807) and claims against government (Maine Tort Claims Act, 14 MRS Sec. 8105).
- Maine keeps joint and several liability among co-defendants, so a plaintiff can collect the full judgment from any one liable defendant.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is my Maine injury claim worth?
No one can tell you a number in advance. A rough estimate adds your economic damages (medical bills, lost wages) and applies a pain-and-suffering multiplier, then adjusts for fault under Maine's modified comparative negligence (50% bar) rule. The real value depends on the facts, the insurance available, and negotiation — an attorney is the only way to value your specific case.
Does my own fault reduce my Maine settlement?
Yes. Maine's comparative negligence statute, 14 MRS Sec. 156, reduces a plaintiff's damages by their share of fault but bars recovery entirely if the claimant is found "equally at fault" or more — i.e., at 50% or above. This makes Maine a modified-50 (barred at 50%+) state, NOT pure-comparative. Note a Maine quirk: the statute directs the jury to reduce total damages "by dollars and cents, and not by percentage" to the extent the jury thinks just and equitable, rather than a strict mechanical percentage reduction. Maine retains joint and several liability among multiple defendants (each defendant jointly and severally liable for the full amount, with special interrogatories available to allocate percentages).
How long do I have to file in Maine?
Generally 6 years from the injury. Maine has NO special personal-injury limitations period — it is one of the few states where general PI claims fall under the general 6-year civil statute of limitations, 14 MRS Sec. 752 ("All civil actions shall be commenced within 6 years after the cause of action accrues... except as otherwise specially provided"). This is unusually long. Important carve-outs: medical malpractice / professional negligence against health-care providers is 3 years from the act or omission (24 MRS Sec. 2902); wrongful death is 2 years (6 years if death by homicide) under 18-C MRS Sec. 2-807; and tort claims against governmental entities have their own notice/limitation rules (14 MRS ch. 741, Maine Tort Claims Act).
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. Treat any number here as a ballpark and consult a Maine personal-injury 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 personal-injury claim can only be assessed by a licensed attorney reviewing your specific facts.