Legal Suite

Settlement Payout & Offer Compare Calculator

See what you actually keep from a settlement — and whether an offer is fair.

Direct answer

A settlement offer is a gross number. Attorney fees are usually taken as a percentage of the gross recovery, case costs advanced by the firm are reimbursed next, and then medical liens plus statutory recovery claims are repaid. What remains is the client share. This tool subtracts each layer so you can judge the offer honestly.

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Legal Disclaimer

ClaimLedge provides educational estimates for general informational purposes only. This tool does not create an attorney–client relationship, does not constitute legal, financial, or tax advice, and cannot predict the outcome of any specific settlement. Attorney fees, cost-splitting orders, and lien priorities are governed by your retainer agreement and state law. Before negotiating with any insurer, repaying a lien, or signing a release, consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.

Estimate Your Net Settlement Payout

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Your recovery
The headline amount before deductions — use a ClaimLedge settlement estimator above this tool to find it.
Health insurer, Medicare/Medicaid, or provider liens on your recovery. Leave blank if none.
Filing fees, expert witnesses, records, court reporters — costs you advanced before the fee split.
Attorney fee
Contingency percentages are calculated on the recovery after case costs (off the top), per standard practice.
Used only when the arrangement above is set to flat / hourly. Ignored for contingency percentages.
Offer test (optional)
Leave blank to skip the offer comparison. Entering one shows whether it is above or below your modeled net.

Calculated in your browser · Nothing submitted to ClaimLedge · Compare saves only when you choose it

Your Projected Net-to-Pocket Awaiting input

—

After attorney fees, case costs, and medical liens. This is what a settlement is actually worth to you — before any taxes that may apply.

Net-to-pocket: — · Gross: —

$0—
Gross settlement / judgment—
Case costs deducted—
Attorney fee (after costs)—
Medical liens & subrogation—
Net to you—

Offer verdict: Enter an offer above to compare.
Assumes fees are calculated off the top (costs first) and liens are repaid from your remaining share. Your retainer contract and your state's rules govern the actual order — confirm with your attorney before signing a release. This is an educational estimate, not legal advice.

Next step

Lump sum now, or payments over time

If the offer includes a structured annuity, compare its present value against the cash alternative before deciding.

Compare present value

Why the headline number is not your number

Every settlement has a sticker price and an actual value. The sticker price is what the press release or the demand letter says. The actual value is what survives contact with reality: the attorney's contingency fee, the costs advanced to build the case, and the medical liens that must be repaid out of your share.

Net-to-you = Gross − Case Costs − Attorney Fee − Medical Liens

This tool takes the gross figure from any ClaimLedge settlement estimator and runs it through that pipeline. The result is the number to anchor your expectations before someone asks you to sign a release.

The fee order matters more than people think

Most contingency retainer agreements take the fee off the top: case costs come out first, then the percentage applies to the remainder, then liens are repaid from what is left. Because the fee is computed on a lower base, this order is more favorable to you than an alternative that subtracts liens first. A minority of contracts and states use a different order — your retainer is the source of truth. The calculator assumes the common fund order and states that assumption on the result.

The offer test: what "fair" actually means

An insurer's opening offer is rarely measured against the gross demand — it is measured against what you will actually keep. An offer of $60,000 on a $120,000 gross claim with $28,000 in liens and a 33⅓% fee is not "half the claim"; it is roughly 90% of your modeled net after deductions, which changes the negotiation calculus entirely. That is the comparison this tool makes explicit.

Hypothetical example

A driver settles for a gross figure of $120,000. Their lawyer's fee is 33⅓% after $3,500 in advanced case costs (≈ $38,800), and medical subrogation of $28,000 is repaid from the remainder. The modeled net-to-pocket is roughly $49,700. If the insurer offers $60,000, that is about 21% above the modeled net — a defensible place to land without giving away the case. This is a hypothetical illustration, not a prediction; real outcomes depend on your retainer, your liens, and your venue.

What this calculator does not account for

  • Tax treatment of your specific settlement components (consult a tax professional)
  • Lien reductions your attorney may negotiate at closing
  • Multiple defendants or multiple policies with sequenced recoveries
  • Structured settlements paid over time rather than in a lump sum
  • Medicare set-asides and other post-settlement obligations
  • First, estimate your claim's gross value. If you haven't yet, use the Car Accident Settlement Estimator or Personal Injury Claim Value Calculator to establish the gross number before deducting fees and liens.
  • How do attorney fees vary? Most personal injury attorneys work on contingency (33–40%), but the exact structure depends on your agreement and state law. This calculator models the common patterns — always confirm your specific terms.

What happens next

  1. Run your claim through the matching ClaimLedge settlement estimator first — the gross figure is the starting point.
  2. Collect every lien and cost ledger item now; they shrink your net far more than negotiation gamesmanship grows it.
  3. Run any written offer through the offer test before responding. A counter near your modeled net is defensible.
  4. Ask your attorney for the exact fee-and-lien order in writing before you sign anything.

Frequently asked questions

How are attorney fees actually taken out of a settlement?

Most personal-injury lawyers work on contingency — typically 33⅓% to 40% of the recovery. Fees are usually calculated on the amount after case costs are deducted (an off-the-top 'common fund' order), then medical liens are repaid from your remaining share. Some retainer contracts and states use a different order, so check your retainer or ask your attorney for the exact split before signing a release.

What are medical liens, and do I have to repay them?

A medical lien gives a health insurer, Medicare, Medicaid, a hospital, or an employer's plan the right to reimbursement out of your settlement for treatment they paid. If your attorney negotiated a reduction (many do), the repaid amount can drop meaningfully. Liens are typically non-negotiable only until you settle — once you release the case, subrogation rights are usually locked in.

Should I accept the insurer's offer if it is close to my modeled net?

An offer at or above your modeled net-to-pocket recovery justifies serious consideration, but it is still a starting point — insurers routinely open 20–40% below a documented claim's value. Compare the offer to your gross claim value first, then run it through this tool: the number that matters is what lands in your pocket after fees and liens, not the headline figure.

Is the net amount the same as the check I receive?

No. The final check is typically issued jointly to you and your attorney (and sometimes a lienholder), and costs plus fees are deducted at closing. Your net-to-pocket figure is what remains after those deductions — before taxes, which can occasionally apply to parts of a settlement. This tool models the two largest deductions (fee and liens) transparently.

Are attorney fees taken before or after case costs?

Practice varies by firm and jurisdiction. Many firms take a percentage of the gross recovery and then reimburse advanced costs from the client's share, while others deduct costs first. The difference changes the net figure materially, so read the fee agreement line by line.

Can medical liens be negotiated down?

Often, yes. Providers and health plans frequently accept a reduction when the alternative is litigation or nothing, and the statutory recovery formulas for Medicare and Medicaid allow procurement costs to be subtracted first. Get lien balances in writing before agreeing to a settlement.

Why is my net payout so much lower than the offer?

Because the offer is a gross figure. Fees, advanced costs, lien repayments and any child support or bankruptcy claims come out before the client share is calculated. Seeing each deduction separately is the only way to judge whether an offer is fair or whether a lien is over-claimed.