How Much Of A $100K Settlement Will I Get?

So you’ve been offered a $100,000 settlement. First off – congrats! That’s a big step. 

But now you’re probably wondering, “How much of that am I actually going to walk away with?”

The short answer: not all of it. There are a few hands in the pot before that check becomes yours.

In this post, we’ll break down how much of a 100K you’ll get, so you can get a clearer picture of what your take-home amount might really look like.

How Much Of A $100K Settlement Will I Get?

You’ll walk away with somewhere between $50,000 and $65,000 from your $100K settlement.

The exact amount depends on a few big factors like attorney fees, medical bills, and other case-related expenses.

Let us do a simple example so you can see how it usually plays out. Let’s say your personal injury case settles for exactly $100,000. Here’s a rough estimate of where that money could go:

• Attorney’s fee (33%): $33,000
  
• Case costs and expenses: $3,000
  
• Medical liens or bills: $10,000
  
• Estimated amount to you: $54,000

Keep in mind, this is just one scenario. Every case is different. Your fees might be higher or lower, and your medical costs could vary a lot depending on how much treatment you needed.

Also Read: What Injury Pays the Most in a Car Accident Settlement?

We’ll go over each of those expenses in more detail next, so you can get a better idea of what each part means and how it might apply to your situation.

Lawyer’s Fees

Most personal injury lawyers don’t charge you anything upfront. Instead, they work on something called a contingency fee. That means they only get paid if you win or settle the case.  

That fee usually takes about 33% to 40% of your total settlement.

So if your case settles for $100K, your lawyer might take around $33,000 to $40,000. 

If your case was a bit more complex and went to trial, expect that fee to be on the higher end of that range.

Still, it’s not a bad deal considering you didn’t have to pay anything upfront, and your lawyer made all the payments and did all the heavy lifting.

Case Costs And Expenses

This is the stuff most people don’t think about. 

Lawsuits come with all sorts of extra costs. Filing fees. Copying medical records. Hiring expert witnesses. Paying for depositions. All those little charges add up.

Your attorney usually fronts these expenses during the case and then deducts them from your settlement once everything wraps up. 

These aren’t part of the attorney fee, they’re totally separate.

Depending on how complicated your case was, these costs can range from a few hundred bucks to several thousand. A pretty average range is $1,000 to $5,000.

Also Read: Lawyer Lied About Settlement Amount

Medical Bills, Liens And Reimbursements

If you got medical treatment after your accident, someone had to pay for it. 

Maybe your health insurance covered it. Maybe you were on Medicaid or Medicare. Or maybe your doctors agreed to treat you on a lien (basically a fancy “IOU” until the case settled).

No matter how it happened, those providers are going to want their money back.

Let’s say your total medical bills were $15,000. 

Your insurance company paid most of it, and they want to be reimbursed. Or maybe your doctor placed a lien for the full amount. Either way, that’s another chunk coming out of your settlement.

The good news? Your lawyer can often negotiate those bills down. Sometimes you can settle a $15,000 lien for $8,000 or less. But it really depends on the situation.

Factors That Can Change Your Take-Home Amount

Let’s take a look at  a few other things that can affect how much of a 100K settlement you’ll get to keep:

Also Read: Workers’ Comp Stress Claim Settlement Amounts

Severity Of Injuries And Medical Treatment

If you had serious injuries and needed surgery, physical therapy, or long-term care, your medical bills are probably a lot higher. 

And that means a bigger chunk of your settlement could go toward paying those off.

On the other hand, if your injuries were less severe and you only had a few doctor visits or some chiropractic care, your costs will be much lower. That leaves more in your pocket.

The more treatment you need, the more it eats into that $100K. 

It’s kind of a trade-off though since bigger injury means potentially bigger settlement, but also bigger expenses.

Negotiated Liens

This is where a good attorney can really make a difference. 

Medical liens are negotiable. That $10,000 bill might not actually cost you $10,000 in the end.

Attorneys often work with providers or insurance companies to cut those bills down. They might get your lien reduced by thousands, and that savings goes straight into your pocket – not theirs.

So even if your medical bills are high, there’s still hope that you’ll get to keep more of your settlement. It all comes down to how well those liens are handled.

Did The Case Settle Early Or Went To Trial?

If your case settled early (like before a lawsuit was even filed) your costs will be a lot lower. 

Less time, fewer expenses, no trial experts, no depositions. That usually means more money for you in the end.

But if your case went all the way to trial, everything gets more expensive. Lawyers might spend months prepping for court. They may bring in expert witnesses, do multiple depositions, and file a ton of paperwork. All of that adds up fast.

Also Read: How Much Of A 50K Settlement Will I Get?

So while going to trial can sometimes win you more, it can also cut deeper into your payout once the dust settles.

Bottom Line

You’ll get anywhere around $50,000 to $65,000 from a $100K settlement after your attorney takes their fee, case costs are covered, and medical bills or liens are paid off.

That said, how much you get from a $100,000 settlement really depends on the details of your case. 

It could be a little more or less depending on how things shake out, like how high your medical bills were or how much your lawyer was able to negotiate things down.