In 2024 the average injury claim cost insurers $28,278 (Triple-I). Many are smaller. Ask a real person what usually happens next. Free, and you can say no.Average injury claim in 2024: $28,278 (Triple-I). Many are smaller. Asking is free.
If anyone is badly hurt or in danger, call 911 first. CrashFirst is not an emergency service.
Before you call
Published figures, with the source under each. They describe other people’s claims, not yours.
| State | Bodily injury liability losses insurers recorded for 2022 crashes | Claims | Average per claim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $736.6 million | 32,324 | $22,787 |
| Alabama | $586.4 million | 27,735 | $21,144 |
| Oklahoma | $381.4 million | 20,452 | $18,647 |
| South Carolina | $1.03 billion | 58,248 | $17,626 |
Source: NAIC, 2022/2023 Auto Insurance Database Report, Table 8B (losses and claims, printed p. 42) and Table 8D (average per claim, printed p. 44). “Recorded” means incurred: money paid plus the insurers’ own estimates for claims still open, plus adjustment expenses, for private passenger auto. It covers bodily injury liability written with its own limit, so the real total is higher. It is what these claims cost insurers, not what any one person received.
These are averages and totals across many claims. They describe what insurers and courts have done, not what any one claim is worth. Every case is different, and most claims end in a settlement, which is often far less than a headline verdict. CrashFirst is not a law firm and cannot tell you what your claim is worth.
What is a car accident claim worth? The full numbers, and what goes into a claim
Sound like you?
Bills often arrive before any claim is settled. The average medical cost for a crash survivor treated in a hospital was $7,314 in NHTSA's 2019 estimate.
See who may payAmong hospital-treated crash survivors, NHTSA's 2019 estimate puts the average lost wages at $10,071.
Keep a simple logA total loss is its own process, separate from any injury claim. Here is how it works in plain words.
How a total loss worksYou can say you aren't ready to talk. Write down the adjuster's name, company, date and any claim number.
What to write downThe fault rule decides a lot, and it differs by state. In Alabama even slight fault can bar a claim; in Tennessee you can recover if your share is less than the other side's.
Compare the four statesAn estimated 21.3% of Tennessee drivers, 16.8% in Alabama, 12.0% in Oklahoma and 10.3% in South Carolina were uninsured in 2023.
Check your own policyFigures above: NHTSA; Triple-I / IRC. Each describes many people, not you.
The rules depend on where the crash happened. Most injury claims have a deadline, and the fault rule differs (exceptions apply).
| State | Usual injury deadline | Fault rule | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | 1 year | Recover if your share is less than the other side’s | Tennessee · Memphis |
| Alabama | 2 years | Contributory negligence: even slight fault can bar recovery | Alabama · Birmingham |
| Oklahoma | 2 years | Recover unless your share is greater than the other side’s | Oklahoma · Tulsa |
| South Carolina | 3 years | Recover if your share is not greater than the other side’s | South Carolina · Columbia |
Real questions, plain answers
Most people have no idea whether what happened to them is something an attorney can help with. You don't have to work that out alone.
We can't tell you whether you have a case, and no website can. A participating attorney can look at your situation and tell you. Ask them up front whether the first conversation is free.
What we doA person listens, answers your questions about the process, and connects you with an attorney only if you want that.
After a crash everything feels urgent and nothing feels clear. Here is the short version.
What we doWe can talk you through what usually comes next, in plain words.
General information, not legal advice. Every situation is different.
A real person, not a lawyer. Free.
They call fast, and it can feel like you have to answer right then.
It's okay to say you aren't ready to talk yet. Write down the adjuster's name and company, the date and any claim number, and keep anything they send you. Whether and when to give a statement is a question for an attorney.
What we doTell us what was said and we explain how the process works. A participating attorney can tell you how it affects your situation.
The bills keep coming while you are still recovering.
Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma and South Carolina are at-fault states: the at-fault driver's liability insurance may cover injury claims, up to its limits, usually when a claim is resolved rather than as bills arrive. Meanwhile your health insurance or optional medical payments (MedPay) coverage may pay. It depends on the policies and the facts. Ask each provider for an itemized bill.
What we doWe can explain how people usually keep track, and a participating attorney can tell you what applies to you.
Lost pay adds up fast, and it worries people as much as the injury does.
Keep a simple log of the days you missed, ask your employer for a note of your dates and pay, and keep recent pay stubs.
What we doWe can talk through what to write down. A participating attorney can tell you what may apply in your case.
That is frustrating, and you still have options to look into.
Check your own policy for uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. The rules on UM offers differ by state, and in some states you can only decline it in writing, so you may have it without remembering. Read your state's rules: Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma, South Carolina.
What we doWe can point you to what to look for on your policy page. A participating attorney can tell you how it applies.
You already have enough bills.
You never pay CrashFirst. Participating attorneys pay us a set fee for each connection, fixed when we connect you. It never changes with what happens in your case or whether you hire anyone.
What we doAny fee you agree with an attorney is between you and them. Ask about it before you decide.
Fair. Nobody enjoys one.
No pressure and no cold calls: we only call because you asked. Your number is not sold to a list, and you can say no thanks at any time.
What we doYou decide whether to talk to an attorney, and whether to hire one. Or neither.
If it's not for you, that's the end of it.
If you ask for a call
You ask once. Someone from our team calls, usually in about 15 minutes during call-back hours, and it costs you nothing. No inbox, no chatbot, no waiting room.
Your number, under a minute. Name is optional.
They are not a lawyer and do not give legal advice. They ask what happened, answer questions about how claims work and tell you what usually comes next. Call-back hours: 8am to 8pm Central.
If you want, we connect you with a participating local attorney, who decides whether to take your case. Talk or don't. Hire or don't. Say no at any point and we stop.
How we're paid
Participating attorneys pay us a set fee for each connection, fixed when we connect you. It never changes with what happens in your case or whether you hire anyone.
CrashFirst is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. Any fee you agree with an attorney is between you and them.
How it works, in plain EnglishQuestions people ask before they call
No. The numbers on this page are averages and totals across many claims, from insurers, researchers and courts. They describe what happened to other people. Every case is different, and CrashFirst cannot tell you what your claim is worth or promise any result. Most claims end in a settlement, and a settlement is often far less than a headline verdict. A participating attorney is the person who can look at your facts.
Each figure has its source under it: Triple-I and ISO, the Insurance Research Council, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the NAIC, NHTSA and the Urban Institute. Some are old (the court-award figure is from 2005 trials) and we say so next to the number. Our claim-value guide shows the exact lines and what each does and does not mean.
No. You never pay CrashFirst. Participating attorneys pay us a set fee for each connection, fixed when we connect you. It never changes with what happens in your case or whether you hire anyone. Any fee you agree with an attorney is between you and them, so ask before you decide.
Asking takes under a minute. Someone from our team usually calls in about 15 minutes, during call-back hours (8am to 8pm Central). If you ask outside those hours, we call when we open. The call lasts as long as you want it to.
No. We listen and answer questions about the process. Talking to a participating attorney is your choice, hiring one is your choice, and you can say no thanks at any time.
It depends on the state where the crash happened. Tennessee lets you recover if your share of the blame is less than the other side's, reduced by your share. Oklahoma bars recovery only if your share is greater than the other side's, and South Carolina if it is greater than the defendant's; both reduce what you recover by your share. Alabama is different: under contributory negligence, even a small share of fault can bar recovery. We can't say how it applies to you, but a participating attorney can. Details: Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma, South Carolina.
Talking to an insurer first doesn't stop you from asking questions now. We can't tell you how what you said affects a claim, but a participating attorney can. Write down who you spoke to, when, and the claim number.
Yes. You can ask for a call without one. Reports can usually be requested later. Our crash report guides show how: Memphis, Birmingham, Tulsa, Columbia.
No. CrashFirst is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. We listen, then connect you with a participating local attorney if you want one.
No. The box only lets us text you and use automated technology. Leave it empty and a person calls you, nothing else. You can also call us directly at (877) 781-1888.
Our team. A participating attorney sees it only if you ask us to connect you. Your number is never sold to a list or shared without your OK. You can ask us to delete your information anytime.
Free call from a real person. You can say no.
