AI calculators typically work by looking at patterns: injury type, treatment timeline, and whether time off work is reported. That can produce a range that seems reasonable.
Where the estimate often breaks down is in the details that matter in California claims, especially when the insurer disputes parts of the case. For example:
- Your medical timeline may be more complex than a tool can recognize (multiple visits, evolving diagnoses, or gaps in documentation).
- Your work restrictions may be clear in your doctor’s notes but not captured well in a short form you enter into a calculator.
- Your wage loss may include shift patterns or irregular hours that are harder for an AI tool to model correctly.
- The dispute posture (agreed vs. contested issues) changes settlement leverage, and AI tools generally can’t see that.
In other words, AI can’t reliably “read” the evidence that will be reviewed in your specific file.


