Spreadsheet checks before running Damages Allocation in Delaware

What the checker catches

Run this scenario in DocketMath using the Damages Allocation calculator.

Before you run Damages Allocation in Delaware (US-DE) with DocketMath, a spreadsheet sanity-check can prevent the most common allocation failures—especially those caused by missing data, wrong sign conventions, and inconsistent time windows.

This Delaware-focused checker is designed around the idea that damages allocation inputs often get contaminated upstream (from exports, manual edits, or spreadsheet merges). It verifies the parts of your spreadsheet that most directly affect allocation outputs.

Spreadsheet problems it flags (and why they matter)

• Missing or non-numeric damages buckets

  • Example: a column for “compensatory” is blank for one quarter, or a cell contains “—”.
  • Allocation math breaks when totals are computed across mixed data types.

• Negative amounts where you expect positives

  • Damages allocations typically assume you’re entering amounts owed, not accounting reversals.
  • If your spreadsheet encodes charge-backs as negative numbers, you may silently distort the allocation.

• Inconsistent date ranges

  • If the checker detects that date boundaries don’t align across columns (e.g., liability dates start earlier in one sheet than in another), your time-based allocation may reflect different periods.

• Totals that don’t reconcile

  • The checker can compare:

    • Sum of line items vs. “Total Damages”
    • Subtotals vs. grand totals
  • When these don’t match, downstream allocation can still run—producing a result that looks clean but is built on inconsistent inputs.

• Incorrect claim-type assumptions about Delaware’s limitations period

  • Delaware’s general statute of limitations period for most civil claims is 2 years, under Title 11, §205(b)(3).
  • No claim-type-specific sub-rule was found for this workflow, so the checker uses the general/default period (2 years) rather than trying to “branch” by claim category.
  • This matters because damages allocation often uses a limitations window to decide what portion is potentially recoverable within time.

Delaware-specific limitation assumption the checker uses

• General SOL (Delaware): 2 years
• Statute: **Title 11, §205(b)(3)
• Source: https://delcode.delaware.gov/title11/c002/index.html?utm_source=openai

(Gentle note: this is a calculator input-checker for internal consistency. It’s not legal advice, and you should confirm the applicable limitations analysis in your own matter.)

When to run it

Run the checker before Damages Allocation—every time you change inputs, time windows, or column structure. In practice, that means placing it right after you complete the spreadsheet import/export and right before you click the allocation calculator.

Run the checker before importing a spreadsheet into the Damages Allocation workflow. It is especially helpful when you have multiple entries or when a teammate provided the inputs.

Best timing in a typical workflow

• After data ingestion

  • When you’ve pulled line items from a system (billing, case management, CRM export) into the damages spreadsheet.
• After any manual cleanup

  • Examples: deleting rows, correcting vendor names, reformatting dates, converting text numbers.
• **After you confirm your jurisdiction is Delaware (US-DE)

  • The checker’s assumptions are jurisdiction-aware. Switching jurisdictions without regenerating inputs can create “wrong-but-plausible” outputs.

Checklist: run it when you changed any of the following

Try the checker

You can run DocketMath’s Delaware-aware Damages Allocation flow here: /tools/damages-allocation.

Before you submit, here’s what to do to get the most reliable output:

Upload the spreadsheet, review the warnings, and then run the calculation once the inputs are clean: Try the checker.

1) Confirm you’re using Delaware rules (US-DE)

• Set jurisdiction to US-DE in the tool.
• The checker will apply the 2-year general SOL under 11 Del. C. §205(b)(3) as the default window (no claim-type-specific branching detected for this workflow).

2) Feed clean, consistent spreadsheet inputs

Use the checker-friendly approach:

• Ensure every damages line item is numeric (no text placeholders).
• Decide on one sign convention (usually positives for amounts).
• Keep the same date boundaries across all damages buckets.

3) Validate outputs by reconciling key figures

Even if the tool runs successfully, do a quick reconciliation:

• Does Total Damages equal the sum of the line items?
• Does the time-windowed portion behave consistently with your date inputs?
• If you adjust a single quarter’s damages, does the allocation shift in the expected direction?

What changes when the checker finds issues?

The most common outcomes:

• The tool may block the run until numeric/date issues are fixed.
• Alternatively, it may allow the run but highlight mismatches—meaning you can correct the spreadsheet before results become difficult to trust.

Quick input sanity table (practical targets)

Related reading

• Damages Allocation Guide for Alabama — Comparative Fault Rules
• Damages Allocation Guide for Alaska — Comparative Fault Rules
• Damages Allocation Guide for American Samoa — Comparative Fault Rules