Most AI calculators work by taking a few inputs (age, incident type, relationship to the decedent, and some financial figures) and producing a “range.” In Palo Alto, the facts that matter most are often the ones a calculator can’t see—such as:
- How the collision happened at a particular intersection or roadway segment (visibility, traffic controls, lane changes, turning patterns)
- Whether a driver was speeding, distracted, or impaired—and what the available records actually show
- Evidence collected in the first days after the incident, before it becomes harder to obtain
- Whether other parties may share responsibility, such as employers, property owners, or vehicle-related defendants
Even a sophisticated model can’t interpret police reports, medical causation, or witness credibility. And it can’t account for how insurers in California typically value cases when fault is contested.


