Abstract This work shows preliminary results on the process of design verification for a multi-modal compliant mechanism using computational and experimental comparisons. The technology solution replaces the conventional stiff-hinged tooltip of a laparoscopic surgical grasper with a monolithic contact-aided compliant mechanism tooltip that exhibits multi-modal stiffness properties for enhancing haptic feedback and safety during soft tissue grasping. A finite element model is developed to predict the force transmission behavior of the compliant mechanism undergoing large deformations, beam buckling, and intentional contact during its operational conditions. The authors define and compare metrics of mechanism performance (actuation force and pinch force as a function of input displacement) to verify the accuracy of predicting these nonlinear behaviors using Finite Element Modeling. The computational predictions show a −8.89% change in actuation force between the first and second stiffness regions and +70.60% change between the second and third stiffness regions, as compared to 3.69% and +90.32% corresponding to the experiments, respectively. The computational predictions of pinch force show a change of −21.57% versus a change of −21.52% for the experiment between stiffness regions 1 and 2; and a change of +17.09% compared to +15.19% between stiffness regions 2 and 3 for the simulation and experiments, respectively. Overall, the computational tool was capable of modeling the nonlinear behaviors of this multi-model compliant mechanism. Future work will refine the computational model to improve prediction accuracy and study the influence of physical and geometric parameters on mechanism performance.