Michigan Personal Injury Settlement Calculator
Get a rough estimate of what a Michigan 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 Michigan 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 Michigan's fault rule, because how fault is shared directly changes what you can recover.
Michigan's Fault Rule: modified comparative negligence (50% bar)
Michigan uses a HYBRID comparative-fault scheme, not a single clean rule. Under MCL 600.2957 and MCL 600.2959, damages are reduced by the plaintiff's percentage of fault. The critical threshold is when the plaintiff's fault is GREATER THAN the aggregate fault of all others (i.e., more than 50%): at that point NONECONOMIC damages (pain and suffering) are BARRED entirely, but ECONOMIC damages remain recoverable (reduced by the plaintiff's fault percentage, even up to 99%). Because settlement value in most PI cases is dominated by noneconomic damages, the practical bar sits at 50%+, so 'modified-50' is the closest single classification for an estimator. But the estimator should treat economic damages as PURE-comparative (always recoverable, just reduced) and noneconomic damages as barred at >50% fault. Fault is a question of fact for the jury.
Damage Caps in Michigan
No cap on general personal-injury damages (economic or noneconomic) in ordinary negligence cases. Notable exceptions: MEDICAL MALPRACTICE noneconomic damages are capped under MCL 600.1483 (an inflation-adjusted two-tier cap — roughly mid-$0.5M for the lower tier and high-$0.9M-$1M+ for the higher tier as of recent annual SCAO adjustments, which change yearly). Michigan has no separate statutory punitive-damages regime (true punitive damages are generally unavailable; only 'exemplary' damages for injury to feelings in limited cases).
Dog-Bite Liability in Michigan
MCL 287.351 (Dog Bite Act, Act 73 of 1939): if a dog bites a person without provocation while that person is on public property or lawfully on private property (including the dog owner's own property), the owner is liable for damages REGARDLESS of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner's knowledge of it. This is strict liability for bites — no 'one free bite' required. Defenses: provocation by the victim, or that the victim was not lawfully on the property (e.g., entered to commit an unlawful/criminal act). Note: strict liability under the statute applies to BITES; non-bite injuries (e.g., knockdowns) proceed under common-law negligence/strict-liability standards instead.
Deadline to File a Claim in Michigan
Michigan generally requires a personal-injury lawsuit to be filed within 3 years of the injury (the statute of limitations). MCL 600.5805(2) sets the general 3-year limit for actions to recover damages for injury to a person or property. Discovery-rule and minority/insanity tolling (MCL 600.5851) may extend it. Auto/no-fault PIP claims have their own 1-year rules under MCL 500.3145 — do not conflate with the 3-year tort limit. Miss it and your claim is usually barred no matter how strong it is, so do not wait to talk to an attorney.
- Statute of limitations for personal injury and property damage is 3 years from the date of injury (MCL 600.5805(2)). Assault/battery/false imprisonment is shorter at 2 years.
- Comparative fault is hybrid: economic damages are always recoverable (reduced by plaintiff's fault %, even if majority at fault), but noneconomic damages are barred once the plaintiff is more than 50% at fault (MCL 600.2959).
- Dog bites are strict liability under MCL 287.351 — the owner is liable regardless of any prior knowledge of viciousness, subject to provocation and lawful-presence defenses.
- General personal-injury damages are NOT capped. Michigan caps apply mainly to medical-malpractice noneconomic damages and to certain governmental/auto no-fault contexts.
- Michigan is a no-fault auto-insurance state (MCL 500.3101 et seq.): for car-accident injuries, a separate 1-year notice/limitations regime applies to PIP benefits (MCL 500.3145), and tort recovery for noneconomic loss generally requires a 'serious impairment of body function' threshold.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is my Michigan 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 Michigan'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 Michigan settlement?
Yes. Michigan uses a HYBRID comparative-fault scheme, not a single clean rule. Under MCL 600.2957 and MCL 600.2959, damages are reduced by the plaintiff's percentage of fault. The critical threshold is when the plaintiff's fault is GREATER THAN the aggregate fault of all others (i.e., more than 50%): at that point NONECONOMIC damages (pain and suffering) are BARRED entirely, but ECONOMIC damages remain recoverable (reduced by the plaintiff's fault percentage, even up to 99%). Because settlement value in most PI cases is dominated by noneconomic damages, the practical bar sits at 50%+, so 'modified-50' is the closest single classification for an estimator. But the estimator should treat economic damages as PURE-comparative (always recoverable, just reduced) and noneconomic damages as barred at >50% fault. Fault is a question of fact for the jury.
How long do I have to file in Michigan?
Generally 3 years from the injury. MCL 600.5805(2) sets the general 3-year limit for actions to recover damages for injury to a person or property. Discovery-rule and minority/insanity tolling (MCL 600.5851) may extend it. Auto/no-fault PIP claims have their own 1-year rules under MCL 500.3145 — do not conflate with the 3-year tort limit.
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 Michigan 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.