Most people look for a calculator because they want quick clarity. That’s understandable. But in practice, a “numbers tool” is only as useful as the information you can accurately provide.
Here’s what most calculators can do reasonably well:
- Provide a starting point for categories of damages (medical care, wage loss, and other losses)
- Help you understand which details tend to move the valuation up or down
- Give you a checklist of inputs you may need to gather
Here’s what they typically cannot do:
- Confirm liability (who was at fault and why, under Illinois standards)
- Resolve disputes about timing, causation, or the severity of injuries
- Predict how long your treatment will last or whether you’ll need additional care
For Addison riders, the “shouldn’t” matters because many disputes turn on specifics—like whether a driver failed to yield at an intersection, whether lane positioning was clear, or whether braking patterns and roadway conditions contributed to the collision.


