Find out how much compensation you could be entitled to claim if you have suffered an injury in an accident that wasn't your fault.
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When you make a personal injury claim, one of the most important things you might want to know is how much compensation you could receive. The answer is not always straightforward, especially if you suffered multiple injuries, psychological trauma, or have ongoing symptoms.
If your claim is successful, you may receive compensation for two types of damages. General damages cover the pain, suffering, and loss of amenity caused by the injury and are more difficult to calculate. Below you can see various examples of what some claims could be worth.
Special damages cover the financial losses and expenses related to your injury or illness. They are generally easier to assess and cover things like medical expenses, costs of care and assistance and lost wages if you have to take some time off work.
A compensation calculator can give you a rough idea about your compensation prospects. Nonetheless, you should also contact a professional solicitor who will be able to provide a more accurate assessment.
For a free consultation with a legal adviser, call 0800 470 0472 or request a call back. They can let you know if you may have a valid case, how much compensation you could claim and answer any questions you may have.
Compensation Calculator
Use our simple compensation calculator to find out how much compensation you could be entitled to. It only takes a couple of minutes.
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Did you have to take time off work?
If you had to take time off work because of your injuries, you can include any lost earnings, overtime, bonuses and commission payments in your claim.
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Table of Contents
How are compensation claims calculated?
Calculating compensation for a personal injury is a very detailed and complex process. Each claim is unique, and even if two people get the same injuries in the same accident, they will almost certainly receive different compensation awards because their individual needs would differ.
The compensation award aims to restore you, as far as money can, to the position that you were in before your accident or illness. To calculate the value of your claim, your solicitor will carefully consider how your injury has affected every aspect of your life.
The value of a claim is usually proportional to the extent of your injury or illness. Therefore, the more severe the harm, the larger the settlement you could expect to receive. For example, a simple arm fracture will not be worth the same compensation as a severe spinal cord injury.
To calculate compensation for your injury, your solicitor will consider two types of damages:
- General damages – awarded to compensate for the direct physical and psychological effects of your accident and the way it affected your day-to-day life.
- Special damages – compensation for the out-of-pocket expenses and financial losses you incurred as a direct result of your accident.
Your personal injury solicitor will calculate how much compensation you could receive based on general damages and your past and future financial losses. The other side may also present a settlement offer, and negotiations will continue until you can agree on a compensation award that suits both parties.
An accident claims calculator is a rough guide to the compensation award you might be entitled to get. To see an estimate of how much your claim might be worth, you can enter your details into our compensation calculator.
How much compensation will I receive?
If you make a personal injury claim, your solicitor will calculate how much compensation you could receive by adding together:
General damages
General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity, which may include:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental anguish and psychological trauma
- Changes in the quality of life or reduced life expectancy
- Loss of prospects and enjoyment of life
- Inability to pursue a hobby or social event
- Physical injury or impairment, including scarring and disfigurement
Special damages
Special damages are awarded to compensate for the financial losses and expenses you incurred, such as:
- Prescriptions and medical treatment
- Adaptations to your property to accommodate a disability
- Care and assistance during recovery
- Travel expenses
- Rehabilitation, physical therapy and psychological counselling
- Loss of earnings and earning capacity
- Special equipment such as prostheses or hearing aids
- Missed career or educational opportunities
Your solicitor will consider how various aspects of your life were affected by your injury or illness to calculate compensation for your damages.
Compensation examples by injury type
The compensation figures below are rounded guideline amounts based on the 18th Edition of the Judicial College Guidelines. The actual amount you could claim will depend on the type and severity of your injury, your recovery, any long-term symptoms and your financial losses.
Back, neck and shoulder injuries
| Injury Type | Description | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Back Injuries | A minor back injury recovering fully within 3 months | Up to £3,200 |
| A minor back injury recovering fully within 3-12 months | £3,200 - £5,800 | |
| A minor back injury recovering fully within 1-2 years | £5,800 - £10,000 | |
| A minor back injury recovering fully within 2-5 years | £10,000 - £17,000 | |
| A moderate back injury with ongoing pain and disruption to everyday life | £17,000 - £37,000 | |
| A moderate back injury causing constant pain, discomfort and substantial osteoarthritis risk | £37,000 - £51,000 | |
| Back injuries causing chronic conditions and permanent disabilities | £51,000 - £92,000 | |
| A serious back injury causing nerve root damage, loss of sensation and some impairment to mobility, bladder, bowel and sexual function | £98,000 - £117,000 | |
| A severe back injury with spinal cord and nerve root damage, causing pain, disability and bladder, bowel and sexual impairment | £120,000 - £213,000 | |
| Neck Injuries | A minor neck injury recovering fully within 3 months | Up to £3,200 |
| A minor neck injury recovering fully within 3-12 months | £3,200 - £5,800 | |
| A minor neck injury recovering fully within 1-2 years | £5,800 - £10,000 | |
| A moderate neck injury that may have accelerated or worsened a pre-existing condition | £10,000 - £18,000 | |
| A moderate neck injury causing spondylosis, serious movement limits, permanent or recurring pain and possible further surgery | £18,000 - £33,000 | |
| A neck injury causing immediate severe symptoms and possibly requiring spinal fusion | £33,000 - £51,000 | |
| A neck injury causing chronic conditions and permanent disability | £60,000 - £74,000 | |
| A neck injury causing serious cervical spine damage and substantial loss of neck movement | £87,000 - £173,000 | |
| A severe neck injury with incomplete paraplegia or permanent spastic quadriparesis | In the region of £196,000 | |
| Shoulder Injuries | A minor shoulder injury recovering fully within 3 months | Up to £3,200 |
| A minor shoulder injury recovering fully within 3-12 months | £3,200 - £5,800 | |
| A minor shoulder injury recovering fully within 1-2 years | £5,800 - £10,000 | |
| A clavicle fracture | £6,800 - £16,000 | |
| A moderate shoulder injury with limited movement and discomfort for more than two years | £10,000 - £17,000 | |
| A serious shoulder injury causing permanent symptoms | £17,000 - £25,000 | |
| A severe shoulder injury causing significant neck and/or arm symptoms | £25,000 - £63,000 |
Brain, head and facial injuries
| Injury Type | Description | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Brain Damage | A brain injury with full recovery within three years | £2,900 - £17,000 |
| Brain damage with good recovery and return to work and social life, but possible ongoing concentration or memory issues | £20,000 - £57,000 | |
| Moderate brain damage likely to affect the senses, with some dependence on others | £57,000 - £289,000 | |
| Brain damage causing serious disability, substantial dependence on others and reduced life expectancy | £289,000 - £373,000 | |
| Brain damage causing severe physical and cognitive disability, full-time nursing care and significantly reduced life expectancy | £373,000 - £534,000 | |
| Damage To Teeth | Loss or damage to back teeth (valued per tooth) | £1,400 - £2,300 |
| Loss or serious damage to one front tooth | £2,900 - £5,200 | |
| Loss or serious damage to two front teeth | £5,800 - £10,000 | |
| Loss or serious damage to several front teeth | £12,000 - £15,000 | |
| Chronic tooth pain with general deterioration of the teeth | Up to £50,000 | |
| Fractured Cheekbone | A simple cheekbone fracture not requiring surgery, with complete recovery | £3,100 - £4,000 |
| A simple cheekbone fracture requiring surgery, with complete recovery | £5,800 - £8,500 | |
| A serious cheekbone fracture requiring surgery and causing ongoing paraesthesia or some disfigurement | £13,000 - £21,000 | |
| Fractured Jaw | A simple jaw fracture requiring immobilisation, with complete recovery | £8,500 - £12,000 |
| A serious jaw fracture causing permanent issues such as difficulty eating or jaw paraesthesia | £24,000 - £40,000 | |
| Very serious multiple jaw fractures requiring prolonged treatment and causing permanent issues | £40,000 - £60,000 | |
| Fractured Nose | A simple undisplaced nose fracture with complete recovery | £2,300 - £3,300 |
| A displaced nose fracture not requiring surgery, with complete recovery | £3,300 - £4,200 | |
| A displaced nose fracture requiring surgery, with complete recovery | £5,200 - £6,700 | |
| Serious or multiple nose fractures requiring surgery and/or causing permanent airway damage, breathing difficulty, nerve damage or deformity | £14,000 - £31,000 | |
| Scarring To The Face | Minor facial scars with very little impact on appearance | £2,300 - £4,700 |
| One or more small facial scars with no major impact on appearance | £5,200 - £18,000 | |
| Facial scarring where plastic surgery has reduced, or could reduce, the worst impact, with some additional psychological effects | £12,000 - £40,000 | |
| Facial scarring causing substantial disfigurement and significant psychological impact | £24,000 - £64,000 | |
| Facial scarring in a young person, with very disfiguring cosmetic impact and severe psychological consequences | £39,000 - £129,000 |
Arm, hand and wrist injuries
| Injury Type | Description | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Arm Injuries | A simple forearm fracture | £8,700 - £25,000 |
| A less severe arm injury with an expected near-full recovery | £25,000 - £52,000 | |
| A serious fracture of one or both forearms causing permanent functional or cosmetic disability | £52,000 - £79,000 | |
| A severe arm injury falling just short of amputation | £127,000 - £173,000 | |
| Hand Injuries | A minor hand injury recovering within six months, such as fractures | Up to £6,300 |
| A moderate hand injury, including crush injuries, penetrating wounds or soft tissue damage | £7,500 - £18,000 | |
| A serious hand injury with significant loss of function | £38,000 - £82,000 | |
| Serious damage to both hands causing permanent cosmetic disability and major loss of function | £74,000 - £112,000 | |
| Total or effective loss of one hand | £127,000 - £145,000 | |
| Total or effective loss of both hands | £186,000 - £266,000 | |
| Wrist Injuries | A minor wrist fracture or soft tissue damage recovering within a year | £4,700 - £6,300 |
| An uncomplicated Colles’ fracture of the wrist | In the region of £9,800 | |
| A wrist fracture or soft tissue injury taking more than a year to recover | £8,000 - £14,000 | |
| A wrist injury causing some permanent disability, such as ongoing pain and stiffness | £17,000 - £32,000 | |
| A serious wrist injury causing significant permanent disability, but with some useful movement remaining | £32,000 - £52,000 | |
| A severe wrist injury causing complete loss of wrist function | £63,000 - £79,000 |
Leg, knee and foot injuries
| Injury Type | Description | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Ankle Injuries | A minor ankle fracture, sprain or ligament injury recovering fully or leaving only mild symptoms | Up to £18,000 |
| An ankle fracture or ligament tear causing some permanent symptoms, such as difficulty walking on uneven ground | £18,000 - £35,000 | |
| A severe ankle injury requiring extensive treatment and causing permanent walking difficulty | £41,000 - £66,000 | |
| A very severe ankle injury causing deformity and risk of future amputation | £66,000 - £92,000 | |
| Foot Injuries | A foot injury with complete recovery or only minor ongoing symptoms | Up to £18,000 |
| Displaced metatarsal fractures causing permanent deformity and ongoing symptoms | £18,000 - £33,000 | |
| A serious foot injury causing ongoing pain or risk of future arthritis | £33,000 - £52,000 | |
| A severe foot injury, such as fractures of both heels or feet, with restricted mobility | £55,000 - £93,000 | |
| A very severe foot injury causing permanent severe pain or serious disability | £111,000 - £145,000 | |
| Amputation of one foot | £111,000 - £145,000 | |
| Amputation of both feet | £224,000 - £266,000 | |
| Knee Injuries | A knee injury that recovers fully or leaves minimal ongoing symptoms | Up to £18,000 |
| A moderate knee injury causing minor instability or weakness | £20,000 - £35,000 | |
| A significant knee injury causing ongoing pain, restricted movement or instability | £35,000 - £57,000 | |
| A leg fracture extending into the knee joint, causing constant pain, limited movement and risk of osteoarthritis | £69,000 - £92,000 | |
| A serious knee injury with joint disruption, ligament damage and osteoarthritis, causing pain and loss of function | £92,000 - £127,000 | |
| Leg Injuries | A femur fracture | £12,000 - £19,000 |
| A fractured tibia or fibula, or a soft tissue injury | Up to £16,000 | |
| A leg fracture or soft tissue injury causing some permanent issues, such as impaired mobility or a limp | £24,000 - £37,000 | |
| Multiple or complicated fractures or severe crush injuries to one leg | £37,000 - £52,000 | |
| Serious compound or comminuted leg fractures or ligament damage requiring prolonged treatment and causing permanent issues | £52,000 - £72,000 | |
| A very serious leg injury causing permanent mobility problems and need for crutches or mobility aids | £72,000 - £117,000 | |
| A severe leg injury falling just short of amputation | £127,000 - £180,000 | |
| Amputation of one leg below the knee | £129,000 - £176,000 | |
| Amputation of one leg above the knee | £138,000 - £182,000 | |
| Amputation of both legs below the knee | £266,000 - £357,000 | |
| Amputation of both legs | £318,000 - £373,000 |
You can use our compensation calculator to get a better idea of how much compensation you could receive for your injury.
Frequently Asked Questions
Every person is unique and suffers in different ways, which makes it difficult to calculate just how much compensation each claimant should receive for pain and suffering. Even if two people had the same injury, they would likely have different pain thresholds, and the impact of the injury on their daily life may differ for each person.
Nonetheless, the award for general damages mostly depends on the type and severity of your injury or illness. To calculate compensation, your solicitor will use medical evidence such as the treatments you received and your recovery prospects.
They may also consult with expert witnesses such as mental health professionals and physicians. They will help determine the full extent of your injuries and work out how much compensation would be fair for your pain and suffering.
The valuation of general damages, also known as compensation for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA), is broadly subjective. Usually, judges, solicitors and insurers will refer to the guidelines published by the Judicial College. These set out various brackets of compensation for different types of injuries. They may also refer to previous cases where a claimant received a settlement for similar injuries.
You can use the accident claims calculator to get a better idea of how much compensation you could receive for your pain and suffering.
If you suffered an injury or illness due to someone else’s negligence, you might be able to make a compensation claim. There are many different types of claims, of which the most common are:
- Road traffic accidents
- Accidents at work
- Medical negligence claims
- Slips, trips and falls
- Criminal injury claims
- Accidents in public
While the official guidelines for general damages do not consider the cause of your injury, this could, as a matter of fact, affect your personal injury compensation calculation and final award. The circumstances of your accident might affect how much compensation you will get in several ways. For example:
- Compensation deductions due to split liability are more common in road traffic accidents.
- If you suffered an injury in the workplace, your compensation award may still be reduced if you were partly responsible, but employers are expected to take reasonable steps to protect employees from foreseeable risks.
- If you suffered an injury due to a criminal attack, you would likely claim compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). The CICA tariffs differ from the general damages tables usually used to calculate compensation, and the maximum of any awards paid to a victim cannot exceed £500,000.
- If you were involved in a hit-and-run or a road accident with an uninsured driver, your claim would be handled by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB).
- If you had a holiday accident abroad, the value of your claim might need to be assessed according to foreign laws.
While there is no legal definition for multiple injuries, a multiple injury claim will generally include:
- More than one body part injured in the same accident
- Injuries that resulted in permanent scarring or deformity
- An illness that affects more than one part of the body
- An injury or disease that results in long-term or permanent health problems or complications
- In addition to a physical injury, psychological damage such as post-traumatic stress disorder
If you suffered multiple injuries in an accident, calculating the value of your claim is more complicated. In this case, the individual compensation awards for each injury are not simply added together.
Instead, the most severe injury will usually be valued first, with additional compensation added for other injuries where they have a separate impact. For example:
- General damages for a severe hip injury that leads to mobility issues could be between £36,770 and £49,270;
- For a mild knee injury, you would usually receive £11,700;
- If you suffer both a severe hip injury and a mild knee injury, you would typically receive an award for the hip injury plus an additional amount to reflect the separate impact of the knee injury.
If the effect of other less significant injuries on your life is minimal, your final compensation may only be slightly more than the award for the most severe injury. However, if the effect of multiple injuries on your life is significant, the compensation may be considerably larger to reflect this.
Before calculating a suitable settlement, your solicitor will ensure that all your injuries are assessed to recover the compensation you may be entitled to for your pain and suffering.
After an accident, even a mild injury such as a sprained ankle or wrist can disrupt your daily activities and keep you from going to work. More severe injuries may take a lot of time to heal and even cause you to lose your ability to work.
If your injury was due to someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to recover damages for your personal and financial losses. Lost wages can be a substantial part of the damages you can recover in a personal injury claim.
You may also be able to claim compensation for lost wages if you missed work to look after a loved one who suffered an injury due to another party’s negligence. The award for lost wages will usually cover:
- Net monthly pay
The net monthly pay refers to your income after tax, National Insurance and other deductions.
- Overtime
You can include any lost overtime pay in your claim, supported by evidence that you usually work overtime hours, and that this would have been available to you during your recovery had you not been injured.
- Commissions
If you usually receive commissions, you need to be able to prove what your missed commission would have likely been through historical earnings.
- Bonuses
Your compensation claim can include any bonuses you missed out on during recovery. To support this, you need relevant proof, such as a report from your employer detailing what additional compensation you have likely missed.
- Holiday or sick days
If you had to use your sick days or holiday time during recovery, you may be able to claim compensation for the fair value of each day.
- Any other work-related losses such as lost perks, promotions or loss of pension
If your injuries were so severe that you could not return to work, you could also claim compensation for future lost wages. To calculate a settlement for loss of earning capacity, your solicitor will consider your long-term lost pay, promotions and any other benefits you will miss due to the accident.
To support your claim for lost wages, you should:
- Keep your payslips
- Keep a record of historical overtime and commissions
- Record the days you were unable to work
- Provide correspondence about promotions, pay increases, bonuses and other perks you might have missed
- Provide copies of past years’ income tax returns if you are self-employed
Calculating compensation for a personal injury can be complicated. Our compensation calculator can let you know how much compensation you could receive and what you could claim.
Possibly, depending on how much compensation you win for a personal injury, this might affect the means-tested benefits you could receive from the state, such as:
- Income Support and Housing Benefit
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Cold Weather Payment
- Council Tax Support
- Sure Start Maternity Grant
- Universal Credit
Means-tested benefits are awarded based on your income and capital. Personal injury compensation may be disregarded for a limited period, but it can affect your eligibility if it remains part of your assessable capital after that period.
If you have between £6,000 and £16,000 in your bank account, you may receive reduced benefits. If you have more substantial capital, it is likely that you will entirely lose your entitlement to means-tested benefits.
If your compensation award is large enough to impact your benefits, you could potentially set up a personal injury trust. A PI trust can help protect your settlement so the funds are not treated as your personal capital for means-tested benefits.
Furthermore, a trust may help protect your right to receive social care funding and keep your compensation separate from your personal finances.
To set up a personal injury trust, you must appoint at least two trustees who will have control over your funds and will have to authorise all cheques and transactions. However, they cannot use your compensation as their personal property or for their benefit.
Based on the circumstances of your accident and whether you are claiming on a no win no fee basis, some of the following may be deducted from your compensation award:
The success fee deduction
Most personal injury claims are funded through a conditional fee agreement (commonly known as no win no fee) between the claimant and their solicitor. This arrangement means that you do not have to pay them any upfront solicitor fees, and they will not charge for their work if your claim is unsuccessful.
This service allows people to pursue compensation without paying solicitor fees upfront. However, your solicitor will charge a success fee of up to 25% of your settlement if they win your case. You will agree on the success fee before starting the claim.
The ATE insurance premium
If you want to claim on a no win no fee basis, your solicitor may advise you to take out an After the Event (ATE) insurance policy. ATE insurance can help cover certain legal costs you may otherwise have to pay if your claim fails, such as court and expert witness fees.
The ATE policy is usually self-insuring, meaning you do not have to pay the premium upfront. If you win compensation, the cost of the ATE premium may be deducted from your award.
Contributory negligence deduction
If you were partly to blame for your injuries, such as not wearing your seatbelt in a road traffic accident caused by someone else, you may still be entitled to make a personal injury claim. Your compensation would be reduced to reflect your share of responsibility.
Your solicitor will work with the other side’s lawyer to apportion blame between you and the defendant. That percentage will be used to calculate compensation for your injuries. For example, if you were 25% to blame for your injuries, you would receive 25% less compensation than you would have if the other party were 100% at fault.
Tax deduction
Whether you have settled in or out of court, you do not usually have to pay tax on your compensation award. The money is awarded to you to cover the costs incurred because of the injury and help you get back to the financial situation you had before your accident.
However, your compensation award might gain interest from when your accident happened until your case settles. In this case, the party paying the interest will deduct tax before you receive the money, and you will incur no further tax deductions.
You can use our accident claims calculator to find out how much compensation you might be entitled to for your personal injury. Once you speak to a solicitor, they will be able to tell you what might be deducted from your compensation award following a successful claim.
How long it takes to receive your compensation mostly depends on the claims process. Once you are awarded damages for your injury, you should usually receive the money within one to four weeks after accepting the final settlement.
Several factors will affect how long your claim might take to settle, such as:
- The type and extent of your injury or illness
- The cause of your injury
- Whether you have ongoing or permanent symptoms
- The time needed to gather evidence for your claim
- Whether you know the defendant’s identity
- Whether the other side admits liability for your injuries
A straightforward road traffic accident claim may settle within 4 to 9 months, while a complex claim for a brain injury with ongoing symptoms may take several years to conclude.
There are several things you could do to avoid unnecessary delays and get your compensation faster. These include contacting a solicitor as soon as possible and gathering as much evidence as you can from day one. You should:
- Seek medical care immediately after the accident
- Take photographs of the accident scene and your injuries
- Get the contact details of anyone else involved in the accident and any witnesses
- Keep a diary of all the financial losses and expenses related to the accident
If the other side admits liability for your injuries, or they are likely to be found liable if your case goes to court, you can also ask for interim payments. An interim payment is a sum of money advanced to you from the final compensation award to cover urgent bills that you cannot otherwise afford.
If the defendant denies responsibility for your accident and you have to take the case to court, this can add several months or longer to your claim.
Friendly legal advisors are available to discuss your personal injury claim today.
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