Oregon Personal Injury Settlement Calculator
Get a rough estimate of what a Oregon 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 Oregon 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 Oregon's fault rule, because how fault is shared directly changes what you can recover.
Oregon's Fault Rule: modified comparative negligence (51% bar)
ORS 31.600 codifies modified comparative negligence: a claimant recovers only if their fault "was not greater than the combined fault" of all defendants/third parties/settling persons. Equal fault (50%/50%) still allows recovery; the claimant is barred only when their fault is GREATER than the combined fault of others (i.e., 51%+). Any award is reduced in proportion to the claimant's percentage of fault. This is the modified-51 ("not greater than") variant, not modified-50.
Source: Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 31.600, 31.360, 12.110.
Damage Caps in Oregon
No cap on general personal-injury damages. Oregon does NOT have a general statutory cap on noneconomic damages in ordinary PI cases; the former $500,000 cap (ORS 31.710) has been heavily limited and held unconstitutional as applied in personal-injury/wrongful-death contexts by the Oregon Supreme Court (e.g., Lakin v. Senco, Busch/Vasquez line, Horton v. OHSU). Punitive damages are allowed (60% of any punitive award is paid to the state Criminal Injuries Compensation/Crime Victims fund under ORS 31.735). Government claims face Oregon Tort Claims Act damage limits (ORS 30.260-30.300) and a 180-day notice requirement.
Dog-Bite Liability in Oregon
ORS 31.360 imposes STRICT LIABILITY for ECONOMIC damages only: the plaintiff need not prove the owner could foresee the dog would cause injury, and the owner cannot raise lack-of-foreseeability as a defense (provocation and other defenses remain available). For NON-ECONOMIC damages (pain/suffering), the victim must still prove a traditional theory — negligence, violation of an animal-control law (e.g., leash law), or the common-law "one-bite"/scienter rule that the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous. Strict for one damage category, fault/scienter for the other = mixed. CONFIRMED against oregonlegislature.gov ORS 31.360 text.
Note for dog-bite claims: in Oregon 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 Oregon
Oregon generally requires a personal-injury lawsuit to be filed within 2 years of the injury (the statute of limitations). ORS 12.110(1): assault, battery, false imprisonment, or "any injury to the person or rights of another, not arising on contract" must be commenced within 2 years. Oregon applies a discovery rule (clock starts when injury was or reasonably should have been discovered). Minors: the period is generally tolled until age 18 (effectively until ~age 20). Claims against government entities require written tort-claim notice within 180 days under the Oregon 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.
- Oregon is a MODIFIED COMPARATIVE NEGLIGENCE state (51% bar): an injured person can recover if 50% or less at fault, but recovers nothing if their fault is GREATER than the combined fault of all others (51%+); the award is reduced by the plaintiff's fault share (ORS 31.600).
- The personal-injury statute of limitations is 2 YEARS from the injury/discovery (ORS 12.110); wrongful death is generally 3 years (ORS 30.020).
- Dog bites are MIXED: strict liability for ECONOMIC damages (medical bills, lost income, substitute services) under ORS 31.360, but NON-ECONOMIC damages require proving negligence, an animal-control violation, or the owner's knowledge of the dog's dangerousness.
- Provocation remains a defense to a dog-injury claim, and the owner may raise any other available defense (ORS 31.360).
- General personal-injury damages are uncapped; the old noneconomic cap (ORS 31.710) has been limited/struck down as applied by the Oregon Supreme Court. Claims against government bodies carry a 180-day notice deadline and Oregon Tort Claims Act caps.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is my Oregon 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 Oregon'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 Oregon settlement?
Yes. ORS 31.600 codifies modified comparative negligence: a claimant recovers only if their fault "was not greater than the combined fault" of all defendants/third parties/settling persons. Equal fault (50%/50%) still allows recovery; the claimant is barred only when their fault is GREATER than the combined fault of others (i.e., 51%+). Any award is reduced in proportion to the claimant's percentage of fault. This is the modified-51 ("not greater than") variant, not modified-50.
How long do I have to file in Oregon?
Generally 2 years from the injury. ORS 12.110(1): assault, battery, false imprisonment, or "any injury to the person or rights of another, not arising on contract" must be commenced within 2 years. Oregon applies a discovery rule (clock starts when injury was or reasonably should have been discovered). Minors: the period is generally tolled until age 18 (effectively until ~age 20). Claims against government entities require written tort-claim notice within 180 days under the Oregon 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 Oregon 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.