Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Settlement Calculator

Traumatic brain injury cases produce some of the highest personal injury settlements because of lifetime care costs and permanent loss of earning capacity. Per the CDC, 64,000 TBI-related deaths occurred in 2020 and 5.3 million Americans live with long-term TBI disability. Settlement values range from $25,000 for mild concussion with full recovery to $5M–$50M for severe TBI requiring 24-hour care.

Severity Drives Settlement Value

Mild TBI (concussion) typically settles $25K–$200K if recovery is complete within 12 months. Persistent post-concussive syndrome with cognitive symptoms can reach $250K–$1M. Moderate TBI with hospitalization 1-2 weeks and lasting deficits settles $500K–$3M. Severe TBI (Glasgow Coma 3-8) with permanent impairment averages $3M–$15M. Vegetative or locked-in cases routinely exceed $20M because lifetime attendant care alone runs $200K–$400K per year for 40+ years.

Why Life-Care Plans Are Critical

The single biggest lever in TBI cases is the life-care plan — a comprehensive report by a certified life-care planner (CLCP) quantifying every projected medical visit, medication, therapy session, attendant care hour, durable medical equipment replacement, home modification, and vocational rehabilitation cost over the victim's expected lifetime. The plan typically costs $25K–$50K to commission but increases settlement value 3-10x by giving the jury concrete economic numbers. Vocational experts then quantify lost earning capacity by comparing pre-injury career trajectory to post-injury options.

Last updated May 2026. Sources: CDC TBI Center.