How Much Is My Case Worth?

Online "settlement calculators" are often misleading marketing gimmicks. Real case value depends on complex factors: liability limits, venue, and specific medical outcomes.

The Three Pillars of Value

In Oklahoma, the value of a personal injury case is driven by three main factors:

1. Economic Damages (The Math)

These are the hard numbers we can prove with receipts:

• Past Medical Bills: The actual cost of ER visits, surgeries, and therapy.
• Future Medical Costs: The projected cost of future surgeries or replacement prosthetics (Life Care Plan).
• Lost Wages: Money you lost while off work.
• Loss of Earning Capacity: If you can never return to your high-paying oil field job.

2. Non-Economic Damages (The Human Cost)

This is "Pain and Suffering," but it includes more:

• Physical Pain: The agony of burn debridement or nerve damage.
• Mental Anguish: PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
• Loss of Consortium: The impact on your relationship with your spouse.
• Permanent Disfigurement: Scars or amputation.

3. Liability & Coverage (The Cap)

This is the most overlooked factor. Even if you have $10 Million in damages, you cannot collect it if the defendant is broke or uninsured.

• Insurance Limits: A minimum policy in Oklahoma is only $25,000. Big commercial trucks often have $750,000 or $1,000,000+.
• Comparative Fault: If a jury finds you 40% at fault, your award is reduced by 40%. If you are 51% at fault, you get nothing.

The "Multiplier" Myth

You may have heard that case value is "3x your medical bills." This is an outdated rule of thumb that insurance adjusters rarely use anymore. Severe injuries (like paralysis) can have multipliers of 10x or 20x. Minor soft tissue injuries might only get 1x.