Personal Injury | August 22, 2025 by JOSHUA D. ANDERSON

What to Know About Car Accident Settlement Amounts

No matter how minor, car accidents are frustrating. Even a fender bender can cause thousands of dollars’ worth of damage, and more serious accidents can cause significant damage, not just to your car, but also to you.

If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you likely have the right to pursue compensation from the at-fault driver, but you probably have a lot of questions, like, how much compensation can you expect? Will you have to go to court? How likely is it that your case will settle?

What Is the Average Car Accident Settlement Amount in Washington State?

As a rule, information about car accident settlements is private, so there’s no good way to estimate or calculate car accident settlement amounts in Washington State. However, Martindale-Nolo surveyed people who received auto accident settlements between 2015 and 2020. During that time, the nationwide average settlement amount for a car accident injury was $29,700, while the average without injuries was $16,700 — a 78% difference. What’s more, a whopping 98% of respondents received a settlement instead of going to court.

How Are Car Accident Settlements Calculated?

Washington State allows car accident victims to pursue compensation for two types of damages in a car accident settlement: economic and noneconomic. 

As the name implies, economic damages are quantifiable dollar amounts, like medical expenses, lost wages, or repairing your car. As a rule, these are generally easy to calculate (you have a bill, you know what your hourly wage is, etc.). That said, not all economic damages are a simple calculation.

Noneconomic damages are more difficult to quantify, but are no less valuable. It includes things like how your quality of life has been impacted after the car accident or the loss of consortium. 

The extent of your economic and noneconomic damages plays a major role in how quickly your car accident case settles and how much your final settlement amount is.

Medical Expenses

Even minor injuries may require a visit to the doctor, which results in medical bills. More severe injuries can take a long time to heal and often require additional medical treatment. For example, you may need a wheelchair or crutches to get around and physical therapy to rebuild your strength after breaking a leg, resulting in additional medical bills that can add up.

Catastrophic injuries, such as spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injuries that cause memory loss, often require long-term medical care that can exceed what your insurance company can and will cover. Even if your insurance covers your immediate and medium-term needs, severe injuries can be life-changing, requiring ongoing care and treatment for the rest of your life.

Lost Wages

Minor injuries may result in a day or two of missed work, while more serious injuries may mean a few weeks off. If you don’t have paid time off or didn’t have enough to cover your absence, you can be paid for those lost wages. Even if you have unlimited paid time off and were paid for every day you missed after the accident, you can seek compensation for using that paid time.

Lost Earning Capacity

Some injuries make it impossible for you to return to your chosen career, and other injuries are so impactful that you’re unable to work at all. In this situation, the typical car accident settlement compensates you for your future lost earnings, e.g., the inability to financially support yourself and your family.

Pain and Suffering

Pain and suffering is a noneconomic damage that values how the car accident and your injuries have impacted your quality of life. For example, some soft tissue injuries can cause long-term nerve damage. The resulting pain and discomfort impact your ability to live comfortably, and this long-term pain and suffering has value.

Your Injuries

Finally, the nature and extent of your injuries will significantly influence the final settlement amount. A severe injury that causes lifelong changes is likely to receive far more compensation than a minor injury that doesn’t cause long-term damage.

Other Factors That Can Impact Your Car Accident Settlement

While the extent of your injuries often has the largest impact on the total average car accident settlement amount, additional factors outside of the economic and noneconomic damages can influence your final car accident settlement. 

Insurance Policy Limits

As the injured party, you have the right to make a car accident claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance policy. However, you may find that their insurance policy limit isn’t enough to cover your damages.

For example, in Washington State, the minimum amount of bodily injury coverage a driver must have is $25,000 (for one person in one accident). However, if your injuries and resulting medical expenses total more than that, the insurance company isn’t required to pay over and above the policy limit, meaning you may not be fully compensated for your damages and losses.

Uninsured Drivers

Though every driver is supposed to have insurance coverage, that’s not always the case. If the at-fault driver doesn’t have any insurance, there’s no insurance company to make a claim with. Though you can file a car accident lawsuit against the at-fault driver, if they lack significant personal assets, you may not get a large settlement.

Who’s at Fault

Washington is a comparative fault state, meaning that even if you’re at fault for the accident, you can pursue compensation from your insurance company. However, your final settlement amount will be reduced by your percentage of fault. So, if your insurance company settles for $100,000 but you’re 25% at fault for the accident, you’ll only get $75,000.

How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

One other important note from the Martindale-Nolo survey was that respondents who hired a personal injury lawyer to assist them with their case received an average settlement that was nearly three times larger than those who didn’t hire a car accident lawyer ($44,600 compared to $13,900).

Pursuing a personal injury claim after a car accident may be the only way to ensure you receive the fair compensation you’re entitled to. While you can file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company yourself, hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer ensures you have someone who understands the complexities of personal injury law in Washington State and will negotiate a fair and just settlement for your damages and losses.

For over 50 years, the experienced legal team at Anderson Law Injury Attorneys has helped car accident victims pursue the personal injury settlement they deserve. We’ll fight for your rights and negotiate with the insurance company so you can focus on healing. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation and learn more about your options. There’s no fee unless you win.

The information contained on this website is intended for informational purposes only, and is not legal advice. Nothing in this website establishes an attorney-client relationship between us. Different facts can dramatically affect a legal opinion. You should consult an attorney for legal advice that pertains to your personal situation.