Sorry, but there simply isn't a "guide" that you can refer to.  Some parts of this equation are simple.  You can start by doing some math and determining whether the amount offered fully compensates you for your actual, out-of-pocket expenses like medical bills and lost wages. Beyond that, the goal of "making the victim whole" or putting the victim in the position he was in before the accident requires quite a bit of guesswork.  For example, how do you know if you are being adequately compensated for your physical pain and suffering, especially if your are dealing with injuries that may continue to cause pain and suffering for some time to come? 

About the best you can do is rely on the research and the experience of your attorney.  The more experience your attorney has, the more cases she has tried and/or settled, the more information she should be able to give you about other, similar cases and how much they settled for (without divulging confidential information, of course). That does not mean you should simply do whatever your attorney suggests.  It sounds like you have some doubts about your lawyer's recommendation.  So ask her to explain, in detail, what information she is relying on in making her recommendation about whether to settle. Good luck.  For more information or to post a question, visit our MA Personal Injury Discussion Forum.