Two methods, one set of numbers. See what both produce before negotiating.
Rough estimate only. Not legal advice - consult an attorney.
The multiplier method takes your medical bills and multiplies by a severity factor between 1.5 and 5. The per-diem method prices each day of recovery and totals them up. This calculator runs both so you can compare before you sit down with an adjuster.
| Severity tier | Multiplier applied |
|---|---|
| Minor | 1.5x medical bills |
| Mild | 2x medical bills |
| Moderate | 3x medical bills |
| Serious | 4x medical bills |
| Severe / permanent | 5x medical bills |
Browse the full set of pain, suffering, and compensation calculators.
Pain and suffering covers the human cost of an injury: physical pain, disrupted sleep, anxiety, the activities you gave up and the moments you missed. There is no invoice for any of it. So the legal system settled on two methods to assign a number, and neither is official. This calculator runs both at once so you can see what each produces and decide which frames your situation better.
Want each method separately? See the standalone multiplier tool and the standalone per-diem tool.
The multiplier method and the per-diem method start from different logic and rarely land on the same figure. Showing both gives you a realistic range to work with instead of a single number that might not match what an adjuster proposes.
Whichever one is better supported by your specific facts. A long, clearly bounded recovery period favors the per-diem number; a severe or permanent injury favors the multiplier number. You do not have to pick just one before you start talking to an adjuster.
For the multiplier method, yes, since it is applied directly to your bills. For the per-diem method, medical bills do not factor in at all. That is one reason the two methods can diverge sharply for the same injury.
You can use it as your own reference point, but treat it as a starting figure, not a demand. An adjuster will run their own calculation, and a personal injury attorney can help you decide which number to actually present.