How do I calculate a settlement for a car accident?

It depends so much on the details of the accident and the manner of your injuries that to discuss ANY figures for compensation at this point would be foolish.  You shoudl locate a lawyer experienced in 'personal injury' cases in your geographical area in Colorado and hire them to handle the case for you, to maximize your recovery for the losses you clearly have suffered.  I suggest not picking a lawyer off of a TV ad or Yellow Pages ad, but ask friends and family if they know a lawyer and get a referral from a lawyer you can trust.  Good luck.

There isn't any set formula for determining compensation for pain and suffering.  I would ask for a very high amount such as quadruple the amount of your medical bills, but NOT EXPECTING TO GET ANYTHING CLOSE TO THAT HIGH FIGURE.  The high amount is only for negotiation.  The insurance company will respond with a lower figure and you can attempt to negotiate upward from their response.  If negotiations reach a point where you are dissatisfied with settlement offers from the insurance carrier, you can file a lawsuit against the other driver for negligence.  If a lawsuit is filed, the case may or may not need to go through all phases of litigation before an acceptable settlement is reached.