Unlike medical bills or lost wages, "pain and suffering" doesn't come with a receipt. It covers the physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life that an injury causes, and it's harder to put a number on.

Insurers and attorneys often estimate it using a multiplier method — taking your total economic damages (medical bills, lost income) and multiplying them by a factor, commonly somewhere between 1.5 and 5, depending on how severe and long-lasting the injury is.

Several factors affect that number: the severity and permanence of the injury, how much it disrupted your daily life and relationships, your age, and how clearly the harm can be documented through medical records and testimony.

There's no fixed formula an insurance company is required to follow, which is exactly why having strong documentation — and someone experienced negotiating against insurers — makes a real difference in what you're ultimately offered.