Your First Calculation

This guide walks you through the fastest path to getting value from Claim Cal. In a few minutes you will create a case, build a damages schedule, run an economic loss analysis, and set up a settlement tracker.

Step 1: Create a Case

From the Cases dashboard, click + New Case. Enter a case name (the only required field) and select the relevant state. You can add a client name, matter reference, and other details later. Click Create and you are taken straight into the case.

Every calculation you do in Claim Cal lives inside a case. Think of it as a folder that holds all the work for a single claim.

Step 2: Build a Damages Schedule

Open the Damages Calculator tab on the case page.

1. Click Add Head of Damage to add your first line item -- for example, "General Damages"
2. Enter an amount. For past losses, enter the date of loss and the calculator will work out pre-judgment interest automatically using the RBA cash rate + 4%
3. For future losses, enter the number of years and the calculator applies the prescribed discount rate to produce a present value
4. Add more heads as needed -- medical expenses, out-of-pocket costs, attendant care, economic loss, and so on
5. The running Grand Total updates as you go

The idea is to get things down on the page quickly, rough and ugly, then dial it in. You do not have to get things right the first time.

When you are ready, click Export to Word to generate a formatted damages schedule as a .docx file you can drop straight into correspondence or submissions.

Step 3: Analyse Economic Loss

Open the Economic Loss Analyser tab.

1. Set the claimant's date of birth, date of injury, and retirement age
2. Add an earnings period for pre-injury earnings -- enter the gross weekly amount or use ABS Average Weekly Earnings data for the relevant occupation
3. The analyser splits the calculation into past loss (date of injury to today) and future loss (today to retirement), applying tax, superannuation, and the discount rate
4. Use modifiers to adjust for vicissitudes, residual earning capacity, or other contingencies
5. Review the chart for a visual breakdown of the loss over time

The result is a defensible economic loss figure you can feed into the Damages Calculator as a line item, or export on its own.

Step 4: Track a Settlement

Open the Settlement Tracker tab -- this one is designed for live use at mediations and settlement conferences.

1. Enter the total claim value (or pull it from your damages schedule)
2. Log each offer as it comes in -- plaintiff or defendant, the amount, and any notes
3. The tracker calculates the take-home for each offer after deducting legal costs, disbursements, and any other agreed expenses
4. The gap analysis shows how far apart the parties are and the movement between rounds
5. Use plaintiff mode or defendant mode depending on which side you are acting for

Having take-home figures in front of you during a mediation means your client can make informed decisions in real time instead of relying on rough mental arithmetic.

What Next?

You now have a working case with all three tools. From here you can:

• Refine your damages schedule and export it for use in negotiations or court
• Update earnings periods in the economic loss analyser as new wage data becomes available
• Come back to the settlement tracker during your next mediation

For deeper guidance on each tool, see the dedicated help sections:

• Damages Calculator
• Economic Loss Analyser
• Settlement Tracker