A claimant's medical treatment for a soft tissue injury lasted 3 months. They have $4,500 in medical bills and missed 2 weeks of work at $1,000/week. They also claim pain and suffering. How does a bodily injury adjuster approach a fair settlement value?

BODILY INJURY SETTLEMENT CALCULATION: SPECIAL DAMAGES (economic): Medical bills $4,500 + Lost wages $2,000 = $6,500; GENERAL DAMAGES (pain and suffering): Multiplier method: soft tissue, short duration (3 months), full recovery → 1.5x-2x special damages = $9,750-$13,000; TOTAL SETTLEMENT VALUE RANGE: $6,500 + $9,750 = $16,250 to $6,500 + $13,000 = $19,500; ADJUSTMENTS: Liability (was insured 100% at fault?); pre-existing conditions; quality of medical treatment; gap in treatment; subjective complaints vs objective findings; Litigation exposure (is claimant represented? Venue?); SETTLEMENT RANGE: File a reserve that accounts for the full range of potential jury verdict plus litigation costs; offer settlement at the fair end of the evaluated range. Note: multiplier method is a heuristic — each case has unique facts.