NYC Personal Injury Settlement Calculator
New York City — 5 boroughs, GML §50-e 90-day Notice of Claim, Labor Law §240 absolute liability, NYC verdicts 42% above statewide average. $272M Tribeca crane collapse 2025
How much is a personal injury settlement worth in NYC? Minor $30K-$80K. Moderate (surgery required) $150K-$350K. Catastrophic $1M-$15M+.
⚖ NYC: GML §50-e 90-day Notice of Claim. Prior Written Notice required for sidewalks. Labor Law §240 absolute liability construction. NYC verdicts 42% above statewide average.
Your Injury
Your Estimated Settlement
$39,000 — $69,000
Pain and suffering = $15,000 in medical bills × 3.0 severity multiplier. Your bills are already included in that figure, so they are not added again.
What you'd actually take home
- Estimated settlement
- $54,000
- Attorney fee (33–40%)
- −$18,000 to −$21,600
- Roughly yours
- $32,400 – $36,000
Not included: case costs (court filing, expert witnesses, medical records) and any medical liens or health-insurance reimbursement. Those come out of your share too, so treat the figure above as an upper bound.
Keep this estimate — it is gone when you close the tab.
National Car Accident Payout Benchmark — all 50 states
Across all 50 states, this benchmark is based on 60,820 real payments totaling $2.3B from federal and municipal traffic accident claims nationwide.
Average
$39K
Median
$5K
25th %ile
$3K
90th %ile
$35K
Source: U.S. Treasury Judgment Fund, NYC Comptroller and City of Chicago claim records. These are nationwide figures pooled across all 50 states, not figures for any single state — do not read them as a state-level average. Actual payouts may vary based on individual circumstances.
How Your Estimate Compares to Insurance Claims Data
Based on bodily injury liability claims reported to the NAIC across 50 states (2020–2022):
National Avg
$29K
National Avg
$29K
3-Year Change
+18.4%
Your estimate is in a similar range to the average BI claim nationally, which is common for moderate injury cases.
Source: NAIC Auto Insurance Database Report (2022/2023 edition), 2020-2022 claim years. Figures are average paid bodily-injury liability claims, not total case values.
Editorially Reviewed — Content reviewed for accuracy using published legal research, government data, and verified court records. See our methodology
Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
NYC Personal Injury — 5 Borough Landscape
New York City personal injury cases go through NY Supreme Court (Civil Term) across 5 boroughs: Manhattan (New York County), Brooklyn (Kings), Bronx, Queens, Staten Island (Richmond). Each borough has distinct jury demographics — Bronx + Brooklyn historically most plaintiff-friendly ('Bronx effect').
Municipal rules that catch plaintiffs: (1) GML §50-e Notice of Claim: 90 days to file against NYC/MTA/NYCTA/Board of Ed — FATAL if missed. (2) NYC Admin Code §7-201 Prior Written Notice: City liable for sidewalks ONLY if received prior written notice. (3) Admin Code §7-210: abutting property owners liable for most private sidewalk defects. (4) §50-h examination: pre-lawsuit oral exam required before filing.
Labor Law §240 Scaffold Law: absolute liability on owners + general contractors for gravity-related construction injuries — no comparative fault defense. Unique to NY — produces 5-20× higher verdicts than other states. NYC settlement ranges 2025: minor soft-tissue $50K-$120K; herniated disc surgery $180K-$280K; medical malpractice average $565K; construction fatality $2M-$15M+. Notable 2025: $272.5M Tribeca crane collapse (largest construction accident settlement in US history); $82M subway platform verdict; $130M birth injury verdict.
NYC Personal Injury FAQs
How much is a personal injury settlement worth in NYC?
Minor $30K-$80K. Moderate (surgery required) $150K-$350K. Catastrophic $1M-$15M+. NYC cases settle 42% above NY statewide average due to higher medical costs + plaintiff-sympathetic juries.
How do I sue NYC for a sidewalk injury?
File Notice of Claim (GML §50-e) with NYC Comptroller within 90 days. Identify adjacent property owner — under Admin Code §7-210, abutting owner (not City) typically liable unless sidewalk is adjacent to City building/park/highway. Miss 90-day window = claim barred.
What's the statute of limitations for NYC personal injury?
3 years for private parties (CPLR §214). 1 year 90 days for MTA/NYCTA/City entities. 2.5 years for medical malpractice (CPLR §214-a). Notice of Claim (90 days) is SEPARATE from SOL + runs FIRST.
Do I need a local NYC attorney?
YES. Notice of Claim requirement, §50-h examination, Labor Law §240/241 doctrine, borough-specific voir dire strategy, PWN sidewalk rule — all require local practice expertise.
How long do NYC PI cases take?
Simple pre-trial settlements: 12-18 months. Litigated cases to trial: 3-5 years post-COVID backlog. §50-h examination alone takes 60-90 days after NOC.
Why are NYC verdicts higher than other cities?
Higher medical costs, higher lost wages, plaintiff-sympathetic Bronx + Brooklyn juries, Labor Law §240 absolute liability, high-income decedent damages, no cap on pain & suffering. 'Bronx effect' — per-capita verdicts higher than anywhere in US.
What is the §50-h hearing?
Pre-lawsuit examination before NYC Comptroller where claimant answers under oath. Mandatory before filing formal lawsuit against NYC entity. Failure to appear = case dismissal. Typically within 90 days after NOC. Attorney present + represents you.
What makes NYC construction cases unique?
Labor Law §240 (Scaffold Law) imposes strict liability on property owners + GCs for elevation-related accidents. Owners CANNOT use comparative fault as defense. Unique to NY — not replicated anywhere else. Produces verdicts 5-20× higher than comparable construction cases in other states.