The average settlement for a car accident where you’re not at fault varies depending on whether the crash involved an injury or just property damage. Settlements typically range from a few thousand dollars to $100,000 or more.
These figures can fluctuate based on the severity of your injuries, pain and suffering, lost wages, the cost of vehicle repairs, and other case-specific details.
You’ll need the help of an attorney to determine how much money you’re entitled to. They can accurately calculate your economic damages (e.g., medical bills, lost wages, etc) and non-economic damages (e.g., pain and suffering, trauma, emotional anguish, etc).
It’s also worth pointing out that your level of fault can impact your settlement. Many states use the pure comparative negligence or modified comparative negligence rule.
Under the pure comparative negligence rule, you can seek compensation, as long as you’re not 100% at fault for a car accident. For example, if you’re 60% at fault, and your damages equal $50,000, you’re eligible for $30,000 in compensation from the other driver’s insurance company.
Under the modified comparative negligence rule, you can only seek compensation from the other driver’s insurance company if your level of fault is below 50% or 51%, depending on which state you’re in. For example, if you’re found 20% at fault and your damages equal $100,000, you can recover $80,000.