A settlement estimate is most useful when you’re trying to understand categories of damages—for example, how treatment costs and documented pain typically factor into negotiations.
It’s less useful when:
- You’re still treating and the final diagnosis isn’t confirmed yet
- There’s a disagreement about why the dog attacked
- The bite involved a child, an elderly victim, or a person with reduced ability to recover
- Insurance is pressuring you to sign quickly or provide a recorded statement
In those situations, an estimate can accidentally lead people to understate the claim or accept a number before the record is complete.


