How TortAdvisor Compiles Settlement & Verdict Estimates
This page explains where our settlement ranges, fault-rule summaries, and statute-of-limitations data come from, how we verify them, and what these figures are — and are not — intended to tell you.
On This Page
Overview
TortAdvisor publishes free reference content on settlement ranges, state fault rules, and filing deadlines for personal injury and mass tort claims. Because these figures directly affect the decisions readers make about their legal options, we hold ourselves to a documented, repeatable process for sourcing, verifying, and updating them. This page is that process, in plain language, and it applies to every settlement-range and legal-rule page on this site.
Two questions decide most how tortadvisor compiles claims: whether the harm can be linked to the product or conduct alleged, and whether there is still time to file.
Where Our Data Comes From
We draw on four categories of sources, in order of preference:
How tortadvisor compiles claims are not decided on sympathy. They are decided on documents, and those documents are usually held by someone other than the claimant.
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Government & regulatory data | NHTSA (crash statistics), FMCSA (trucking regulations), U.S. Coast Guard (recreational boating statistics), state departments of insurance |
| Primary legal sources | State statutes and codes, read directly rather than relied on secondhand, using official state legislature or code publisher sites |
| Legal-research aggregators | Casefleet, Justia, Nolo, and Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. — used to cross-check primary statutes and catch recent amendments |
| Industry & insurance data | Insurance Information Institute, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and current-year consumer insurance guides (e.g., WalletHub, Kiplinger, Liberty Mutual) for no-fault state classifications |
Every external source we cite is linked directly from the relevant page’s “Sources & Citations” section so you can verify it yourself.
How We Estimate Settlement & Verdict Ranges
TortAdvisor does not operate a live case database, and we do not have access to confidential settlement terms. Dollar ranges shown on our pages are editorial estimates compiled by reviewing publicly reported settlements and verdicts, insurance-industry payout data, and ranges published by personal injury law firms and courts, then presenting a conservative low-to-high range for each accident or injury type.
These ranges are a starting point for understanding the scale of a claim type, not a prediction for any individual case. Actual results depend on facts specific to each case, including injury severity, liability, available insurance limits, and the jurisdiction. We label every settlement-range table with an asterisk and a link back to this page so readers always know how the number was produced.
The value of how tortadvisor compiles claims is not fixed at the moment of injury. It moves as evidence is gathered, as the science is tested in court and as defendants settle or refuse to.
How We Verify Legal & Statutory Information
Statutes of limitations, fault systems, and negligence rules change: legislatures amend them, and secondary sources are not always current. Before publishing a state-by-state legal chart, our process is to check the current statute text directly (or a source that links directly to it), then cross-reference that reading against at least one independent aggregator.
This process is not theoretical — it has caught real, recent changes. For example, Florida’s personal-injury statute of limitations was shortened from four years to two years by HB 837, effective March 24, 2023, and Louisiana’s general delictual prescription period was extended from one year to two years by Act 423, effective July 1, 2024. Older articles across the web (including on some competitor sites) still cite the pre-amendment figures. We check for changes like these before publishing and again during scheduled reviews.
Anyone researching how tortadvisor compiles claims should treat published figures with care. A number reported in the press is usually an aggregate, a single verdict or an estimate, and only rarely a per-claim value for how tortadvisor compiles claims.
Update Cadence & Corrections
Pages with state-by-state legal data display a “Last Updated” date in the meta bar near the top of the page. We review these pages on an ongoing basis and immediately when we become aware of a relevant law change. If you are an attorney, paralegal, or reader who believes a figure on this site is outdated or incorrect, please tell us using the contact form on our About & Editorial Policy page — we review every submission and correct confirmed errors promptly.
Where how tortadvisor compiles claims are coordinated before a single judge, that judge manages discovery and the questions common to everyone. Individual questions of exposure, injury and damages still belong to each claim.
What This Data Is Not
- It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
- It is not a guarantee or prediction of the outcome or value of any specific case.
- It is not a substitute for reading the current text of the statute that applies to your situation.
- It is not a live, continuously updated case database — settlement ranges are periodically compiled editorial estimates.
Always confirm current law and case-specific guidance with a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before making a legal decision.
This page describes how how tortadvisor compiles claims generally work. It is not legal advice, and the only way to know how any of it applies to a particular situation is to ask a licensed attorney in the relevant state about how tortadvisor compiles claims.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the data on TortAdvisor a substitute for legal advice?
No. Everything on this site, including settlement ranges and state-law summaries, is general information for educational purposes. It is not legal advice, and you should consult a licensed attorney in your state before making any decision about a legal claim.
How often is settlement and legal data updated?
Pages display a “Last Updated” date in the meta bar. We review data-heavy pages on an ongoing basis and update them promptly when we identify a relevant law change or new publicly reported settlement data.
How do I report an error or suggest a correction?
Use the contact form on our About & Editorial Policy page and select “Editorial Job” or describe the issue in the comments field. Our editorial team reviews every submission.
Have Questions About Your Case?
If you’ve been injured and want to understand your options, tell us about your situation. There’s no cost and no obligation to find out if you have a claim.
This page describes TortAdvisor’s editorial methodology for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. TortAdvisor is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation. Confirm current legal requirements with a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before making any legal decision.
