A personal injury settlement is an agreement regarding damages that is worked out between the accident victim and defendant prior to a judge or jury awarding damages to the plaintiff following any hearing about personal injury claims. The majority of personal injury cases settle before trial. A personal injury compensation settlement can be reached at any stage of the case prior to the final verdict or ruling. Settlement amounts depend on many factors including the severity of the injury, the age of the victim, the medical expenses and other losses of the victim and state law. Therefore, there is no typical, minimum or maximum settlement amount in the United States. Personal injury settlements can occur through informal attorney negotiations or more formal mediations.