Montana Personal Injury Settlement Calculator
Get a rough estimate of what a Montana 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 Montana 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 Montana's fault rule, because how fault is shared directly changes what you can recover.
Montana's Fault Rule: modified comparative negligence (51% bar)
MCA 27-1-702 is a modified comparative negligence statute. A plaintiff may recover only if their contributory negligence/fault "was not greater than" the fault of the party (or combined parties) against whom recovery is sought — i.e., recovery is allowed up to and including 50% fault, but barred at 51% or more. Damages are reduced in proportion to the plaintiff's share of fault.
Damage Caps in Montana
No cap on general personal-injury (tort) damages — economic and noneconomic damages for ordinary PI are uncapped. Notable exceptions: punitive damages are capped at the lesser of $10 million or 3% of the defendant's net worth (MCA 27-1-220); medical-malpractice noneconomic (past+future) damages are capped at $250,000 per single incident of malpractice (MCA 25-9-411).
Dog-Bite Liability in Montana
MCA 27-1-715 imposes STRICT LIABILITY ("regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner's knowledge of the viciousness") for a bite of a person/service animal in a public place, or lawfully on a private place — but ONLY when located "within an incorporated city or town." Outside incorporated municipalities the statute does not apply, so liability reverts to Montana common-law negligence/scienter (one-bite) principles. Hence the rule is best classified as MIXED (strict in incorporated city/town; common-law negligence/one-bite elsewhere). Confirmed against primary statutory text.
Note for dog-bite claims: in Montana the strict-liability track may cover only certain damages, so the pain-and-suffering figure the estimator shows might require separately proving negligence. Read the underlying dog bite laws by state.
Deadline to File a Claim in Montana
Montana generally requires a personal-injury lawsuit to be filed within 3 years of the injury (the statute of limitations). MCA 27-2-204(1): general tort/personal-injury actions ("liability not founded upon an instrument in writing") = 3 years. Shorter 2-year window applies to libel, slander, assault, battery, false imprisonment, or seduction (27-2-204(3)). Wrongful death generally 3 years (extended to 10 years where death results from homicide). Medical malpractice has its own SOL under MCA 27-2-205. Miss it and your claim is usually barred no matter how strong it is, so do not wait to talk to an attorney.
- Montana follows modified comparative negligence: a plaintiff recovers reduced damages so long as they are no more than 50% at fault; at 51%+ fault recovery is barred (MCA 27-1-702).
- The personal-injury statute of limitations is 3 years from the date of injury (MCA 27-2-204).
- Dog-bite liability is split: strict liability applies for bites within an incorporated city or town (MCA 27-1-715); outside municipal limits, a victim must prove negligence or the owner's prior knowledge of viciousness (common-law one-bite).
- General personal-injury damages are not capped in Montana; punitive damages are limited to the lesser of $10M or 3% of net worth (MCA 27-1-220), and medical-malpractice noneconomic damages are capped at $250,000 (MCA 25-9-411).
- Montana applies several-liability for multiple defendants and reduces a plaintiff's award by their own percentage of fault (MCA 27-1-702 / 27-1-703).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is my Montana 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 Montana's modified comparative negligence (51% 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 Montana settlement?
Yes. MCA 27-1-702 is a modified comparative negligence statute. A plaintiff may recover only if their contributory negligence/fault "was not greater than" the fault of the party (or combined parties) against whom recovery is sought — i.e., recovery is allowed up to and including 50% fault, but barred at 51% or more. Damages are reduced in proportion to the plaintiff's share of fault.
How long do I have to file in Montana?
Generally 3 years from the injury. MCA 27-2-204(1): general tort/personal-injury actions ("liability not founded upon an instrument in writing") = 3 years. Shorter 2-year window applies to libel, slander, assault, battery, false imprisonment, or seduction (27-2-204(3)). Wrongful death generally 3 years (extended to 10 years where death results from homicide). Medical malpractice has its own SOL under MCA 27-2-205.
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 Montana 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.