If you’ve ever been hurt in an accident, you know that not all injuries are visible. The physical pain can be intense, but the emotional impact can sometimes hurt even more. How do you put a dollar amount on sleepless nights, anxiety, or not being able to play with your kids like you used to? That’s where pain and suffering damages come into play in a personal injury claim.
Pain and suffering aren’t as easy to calculate as medical bills or lost wages. It’s more personal. It’s about what you’ve been through and how your life has changed. And that’s exactly why it’s so important to understand how lawyers figure out what this kind of damage is worth.
Law firms like Mayor Law, LLC, help clients fight for fair compensation by using trusted methods to estimate these non-economic damages. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, but most experienced lawyers lean on two key methods when it comes to calculating pain and suffering.
Method 1: The Multiplier Method
This is one of the most common ways lawyers calculate pain and suffering.
Here’s how it works: They start by adding up all of your actual financial losses. That includes things like hospital bills, physical therapy, medications, and any wages you lost because you couldn’t work.
Once they have that number, they multiply it by a certain figure, usually between 1.5 and 5. The more serious the injury and its impact on your daily life, the higher the multiplier.
Example: If your medical bills and lost income total $20,000 and your lawyer uses a multiplier of 3, your pain and suffering would be valued at $60,000.
This method is simple but powerful. It gives the court or insurance company a structured way to look at your suffering and connect it to your overall recovery journey.
Method 2: The Per Diem Method
The second approach is called the “Per Diem” method, which translates to “per day.”
With this method, a daily dollar amount is assigned to the pain and suffering you experience. That amount is then multiplied by the number of days you’ve been dealing with the effects of the injury—starting from the day of the accident until the point of maximum recovery.
Example: If the daily rate is set at $200 and you suffer for 180 days, then your pain and suffering compensation would be $36,000.
But where does the daily rate come from? Often, lawyers base it on your actual daily wage or what a reasonable person might accept as daily compensation for physical pain and emotional distress. It’s a practical and relatable method that works well in many cases.
Which Method Is Better?
There’s no perfect formula, and not every method works for every case. Some insurance companies prefer the multiplier method because it’s tied to actual financial losses. Others find the per diem method more reasonable when the injury has a clear timeline.
Experienced lawyers decide which method makes the most sense depending on the situation, how long the recovery takes, and how deeply the injury affects a person’s life. In some cases, they might even use a mix of both to reach a fair estimate.
Why This Matters for Your Case
When you’re filing a personal injury claim, knowing how pain and suffering are calculated can make a big difference. It helps you understand the value of your case and why your lawyer is asking for a certain amount.
It also prepares you for the negotiation process. Insurance companies may push back on large figures, but with a solid method in place, your lawyer can defend your claim with confidence.
Final Thoughts
Pain and suffering might not come with a receipt, but that doesn’t mean it should be ignored. Whether your injury affects you for a few months or for the rest of your life, it’s real and deserves fair compensation.
By using trusted methods like the multiplier or per diem approach, lawyers help give your pain a voice—and a value. If you’re ever injured and unsure of what to do next, reaching out to a lawyer is one of the smartest steps you can take.
