How to run Settlement Allocator in DocketMath for Georgia

Step-by-step

Run this scenario in DocketMath using the Settlement Allocator calculator.

This guide walks you through running Settlement Allocator in DocketMath for Georgia (US-GA) using the calculator at /tools/settlement-allocator. The goal is to help you generate allocation outputs you can review and reuse in a workflow—not to provide legal advice.

Before you start, confirm your timeframe assumptions. For Georgia, the general/default statute of limitations (SOL) period is 1 year under O.C.G.A. § 17-3-1. Also, no claim-type-specific sub-rule was found for this calculator setup, so the allocator should use the general period as the default consistently.

1) Open the Settlement Allocator tool

1. Go to: /tools/settlement-allocator
2. Select jurisdiction: US-GA (Georgia) if the tool prompts you.

If the tool already defaults to Georgia, still verify the jurisdiction indicator near the calculator controls so you know the run is using the right state logic.

2) Enter the settlement and case timing inputs

Settlement Allocator generally needs timing and settlement amount inputs to compute allocation results. In the DocketMath UI, use the available fields to provide:

• Settlement amount (total dollars)
• Relevant event date (the date the tool uses as the “start” reference for limitation calculations)
• Date of filing or claim submission (or the tool’s closest equivalent)
• Any additional flags the UI requests (for example, toggles that affect the allocation approach)

Practical input tips:

• Use exact dates in YYYY-MM-DD format when possible (avoid approximate dates unless the tool clearly supports them).
• Pay close attention to field labels. A “date of filing” field and a “date of injury/event” (or “start date”) field are not interchangeable—and using the wrong one can change whether the tool considers the filing timely.

3) Confirm the SOL settings for Georgia

In DocketMath’s Georgia run, the calculator should apply the general SOL period of 1 year from O.C.G.A. § 17-3-1.

If you see an option like “SOL basis,” “default SOL,” or similar, set it to the general/default selection rather than leaving it at a different default.

4) Review allocation outputs

After you enter the inputs:

1. Click Calculate (or the tool’s equivalent action).
2. Review the results panels/tables the tool generates.

What to look for:

• Time-window calculations: the tool will determine whether the provided filing/submission date falls within the modeled 1-year reference window.
• Dollar allocation breakdown: the output should show how the total settlement amount is partitioned according to the allocator’s logic (for example, based on timing or other categories, depending on how the tool is designed).

If the tool provides a “timely vs. not timely” indicator or similar text, use that to sanity-check your date inputs before copying anything into your work product.

5) Export or copy outputs into your workflow

Depending on the interface, you may be able to:

• Copy a summary
• Download results
• Export a table into your notes or a spreadsheet

When saving or pasting outputs:

• Keep the jurisdiction tag (US-GA) in the filename or notes.
• Record the SOL basis you used (general/default 1-year under O.C.G.A. § 17-3-1) so the output remains auditable later.
• If your workflow includes versioning, note the date you ran the calculator and the input values used.

Reminder: Settlement Allocator outputs are computed results based on the inputs you provide and the tool’s Georgia/default SOL logic. They are not a substitute for legal analysis of your specific facts, claims, defenses, or exceptions.

Common pitfalls

Below are frequent mistakes users make when running Settlement Allocator for Georgia in DocketMath, plus ways to reduce them.

1. Using inconsistent date roles

   • Example: entering “date of event/start” into a “date of filing” field (or vice versa).
   • Impact: the tool’s within 1-year determination changes, which can materially shift the allocation output.

2. Assuming a claim-type-specific SOL rule exists in the tool

   • For this Georgia setup, no claim-type-specific sub-rule was found, so the calculator uses the general/default 1-year period under O.C.G.A. § 17-3-1.
   • Impact: if your real-world claim depends on a different SOL analysis, the output may not reflect that nuance.

3. Entering the settlement amount in an unexpected format

   • Use only the formatting the tool expects (for example, numbers only vs. currency symbols, and whether commas are allowed).
   • Impact: the tool may misread the amount or trigger validation errors that cause unintended results.

4. Not re-checking jurisdiction selection

   • DocketMath may retain prior tool settings from earlier runs.
   • Impact: you could accidentally run a non-Georgia logic path and still get results that look plausible.

5. Copying results after changing inputs

   • If you adjust dates or settlement amount, you need to run Calculate again.
   • Impact: it’s easy to paste stale outputs that don’t match your current inputs.

Try it

Use this quick run to confirm you understand how inputs change outputs in DocketMath for Georgia.

Open the Settlement Allocator calculator and follow the steps above: Run the calculator.

Capture the source for each input so another team member can verify the same result quickly.

Quick validation checklist

How to interpret output changes (practical examples)

When you run the calculator multiple times with one change at a time, you should see effects that line up with the modeled timing and amount logic:

• Move the filing date later by 30–60 days

  • Expected effect: the tool may move from “within” to “outside” a 1-year window (depending on your date values).
  • Allocation result: may change because the modeled timeliness affects the calculation.

• Increase the settlement amount

  • Expected effect: the dollar figures in the breakdown should increase in line with the total.
  • Allocation percentages/splits may remain the same if the tool’s split logic is based primarily on timing rather than amount.

• Shift the event/start date earlier vs. later

  • Expected effect: the computed 1-year reference window shifts.
  • Allocation result: may flip timeliness and therefore change the output.

If your outputs don’t change after you alter an input, double-check:

• whether the edited field is actually connected to the calculation,
• whether the tool cached a previous value,
• whether you received any validation or parsing warnings.

When you’re ready, open the tool directly: /tools/settlement-allocator.

Related reading

• Settlement Allocator Guide for Alabama
• Settlement Allocator Guide for Arizona
• Settlement Allocator Guide for Colorado