How much compensation can I claim for my injury?
Estimating how much compensation you could receive for an injury can be complicated and several factors must be taken into account.
In the following article, we explain how personal injury compensation is calculated, how your solicitor will add up the different parts of your compensation award, and how much (money) might be deducted from your compensation.
The article refers to the Fifteenth Edition of the official guidelines used to assess general damages. This is the latest edition as used by the courts in 2021.
Quick answers
How will my compensation be calculated?
Will the cause affect my compensation?
Will anything be added to my compensation?
How will my injury compensation be calculated?
Your compensation will be calculated by adding together:
- General damages - awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA), and;
- Special damages - awarded for any financial losses or costs you have incurred.
General damages
‘General damages’ is the term used for compensation awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA). General damages are calculated based on the type of injury or illness, and the severity.
How is it possible to calculate 'pain and suffering'?
'Pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA)' is the term for the impact an injury or illness has had on your life. Your solicitor will start the calculation by referring to guideline tables published by the Judicial College.
The Judicial College's personal injury compensation guidelines act as pain and suffering settlement examples, to help injury lawyers negotiate with insurance companies. The guidelines include amounts for physical injuries compensation and mental health-affecting compensation.
General Damages Court Guidelines - 2021 Compensation Tables
The following tables refer to the guidelines used to assess general damages compensation.
As part of the injury claims process, these tables would be used by solicitors, or the courts, as a starting point when calculating your compensation.
For a more accurate injury compensation calculation, please click here:
Alternatively, please click on the relevant '+' symbol to see the general damages guidelines.
| Head injury, brain injury and epilepsy | ||
|---|---|---|
| Brain damage | ||
| Less severe brain damage | £13,070 to £36,740 | |
| Minor brain or head injury | £1,880 to £10,890 | |
| Moderate brain damage | £36,740 to £186,890 | |
| Moderately severe brain injury | £186,890 to £240,590 | |
| Very severe brain damage | £240,590 to £344,640 | |
| Post-traumatic stress disorder | ||
| Less severe post-traumatic stress disorder | £3,370 to £6,980 | |
| Moderate post-traumatic stress disorder | £6,980 to £19,750 | |
| Moderately severe post-traumatic stress disorder | £19,750 to £51,070 | |
| Severe post-traumatic stress disorder | £51,070 to £85,880 | |
| Psychiatric damage generally | ||
| Less severe psychiatric damage | £1,310 to £5,000 | |
| Moderate psychiatric damage | £5,000 to £16,270 | |
| Moderately severe psychiatric damage | £16,270 to £46,780 | |
| Severe psychiatric damage | £46,780 to £98,750 | |
| Epilepsy | ||
| Established grand mal | £87,010 to £128,060 | |
| Established petit mal | £46,780 to £112,130 | |
| Other epileptic conditions | £9,080 to £22,440 | |
| Injury to the face and senses | ||
|---|---|---|
| Deafness or tinnitus | ||
| Either slight hearing loss or slight tinnitus | Up to £5,980 | |
| Mild tinnitus with some hearing loss | £10,750 to £12,700 | |
| Moderate tinnitus and hearing loss | £12,700 to £25,350 | |
| Moderate to severe tinnitus | £12,700 to £25,350 | |
| Severe tinnitus and partial hearing loss | £25,350 to £38,850 | |
| Slight or occasional tinnitus with slight hearing loss | £6,280 to £10,750 | |
| Total deafness | £77,430 to £93,540 | |
| Total deafness and loss of speech | £93,540 to £120,040 | |
| Total loss of hearing in one ear | £26,710 to £38,850 | |
| Facial injury | ||
| Simple nose fracture | £1,460 to £2,160 | |
| Simple cheekbone fracture | £1,990 to £2,560 | |
| Simple jaw fracture | £5,510 to £7,460 | |
| Loss or damage to front tooth | £1,880 to £3,370 | |
| Loss or damage to back teeth (per tooth) | £930 to £1,460 | |
| Displaced nose fracture requiring surgery | £3,370 to £4,350 | |
| Displaced nose fracture | £2,160 to £2,690 | |
| Simple cheekbone fracture needing surgery | £3,710 to £5,510 | |
| Serious jaw fracture | £15,320 to £26,010 | |
| Loss or damage to two front teeth | £3,710 to £6,510 | |
| Multiple facial fractures | £12,700 to £20,430 | |
| Serious nose fracture with permanent damage | £9,080 to £19,730 | |
| Serious cheekbone fracture | £8,700 to £13,470 | |
| Serious multiple jaw fractures | £26,010 to £38,850 | |
| Loss or damage to several front teeth | £7,460 to £9,740 | |
| Le Fort fractures of facial bones | £20,320 to £31,350 | |
| Chronic tooth pain with general deterioration | Up to £32,540 | |
| Impairment of taste and smell | ||
| Loss of smell | £21,320 to £28,070 | |
| Loss of taste | £16,380 to £21,320 | |
| Total loss of smell and significant loss of taste | £28,070 to £33,430 | |
| Total loss of taste and smell | In the region of £33,430 | |
| Injury affecting sight | ||
| Complete loss of sight in one eye | £42,030 to £46,780 | |
| Loss of sight in one eye with reduced vision in the remaining eye | £81,910 to £153,390 | |
| Minor eye injury | £3,370 to £7,460 | |
| Minor permanent damage to vision in one or both eyes | £7,780 to £17,900 | |
| Serious loss of vision in one eye | £20,210 to £33,600 | |
| Total blindness | In the region of £229,260 | |
| Total blindness and deafness | In the region of £344,640 | |
| Total loss of one eye | £46,780 to £56,080 | |
| Transient (short lived) eye injury | £1,880 to £3,370 | |
| Neck and back injury | ||
|---|---|---|
| Back injury | ||
| Back injury causing chronic permanent symptoms | £36,390 to £65,440 | |
| Back injury causing permanent symptoms | £11,730 to £26,050 | |
| Back injury causing serious permanent symptoms | £26,050 to £36,390 | |
| Back injury recovering in up to 5 years | £2,090 to £10,670 | |
| Back injury recovering in a few months at most | Up to £2,090 | |
| Serious back injury causing significant permanent impact | £69,600 to £82,980 | |
| Severe back injury with spinal cord damage | £85,470 to £151,070 | |
| Neck injury | ||
| Minor neck injury | Up to £6,680 | |
| Neck injury bringing other problems forward or making them worse | £7,410 to £12,900 | |
| Neck injury causing spondylosis, serious limitation of movement or permanent/recurring pain | £12,900 to £23,460 | |
| Neck injury involving fractures, dislocations or severe soft tissue (muscle) damage leaving chronic permanent symptoms | £38,800 to £47,760 | |
| Neck injury involving fractures, dislocations or severe soft tissue (muscle) damage recovering to a restricted level | £21,320 to £32,840 | |
| Neck injury recovering completely in 1-2 years | £4,080 to £7,410 | |
| Neck injury recovering completely in up to a year | £2,300 to £4,080 | |
| Serious neck injury involving fractures or damage to discs | £56,100 to £111,690 | |
| Severe neck injury | In the region of £139,210 | |
| Whiplash | ||
| Full recovery within 3 months | Up to £2,090 | |
| Full recovery between 3 months and 1 year | £2,090 to £3,710 | |
| Recovery between 1 and 2 years (see "neck injury" for longer-term whiplash injury) | £3,710 to £6,730 | |
| Shoulder injury | ||
|---|---|---|
| Minor shoulder injury | Up to £6,730 | |
| Moderate shoulder injury | £6,730 to £10,890 | |
| Serious shoulder injury | £10,890 to £16,380 | |
| Severe shoulder injury | £16,380 to £40,970 | |
| Arm injury | ||
|---|---|---|
| Amputation of arms | ||
| Loss of both arms | £205,420 to £255,930 | |
| Loss of one arm above the elbow | £93,540 to £111,690 | |
| Loss of one arm at the shoulder | No less than £117,010 | |
| Loss of one arm below the elbow | £82,040 to £93,540 | |
| Hand injury | ||
| Fracture of one finger | Up to £4055 | |
| Fractured index (first) finger leaving permanent symptoms | £7,780 to £10,440 | |
| Loss of a little finger | £7,380 to £10,440 | |
| Loss of a thumb | £30,300 to £46,780 | |
| Loss of an index (first) finger | £11,420 to £17,590 | |
| Loss of both hands, or loss of use of both hands | £120,040 to £171,920 | |
| Loss of index finger and middle or ring finger | £52,810 to £77,430 | |
| Loss of one hand, or loss of use of one hand | £82,040 to £93,540 | |
| Loss of part of a little finger | £3,370 to £5,000 | |
| Loss of part of an index (first) finger | £10,380 to £15,990 | |
| Loss of ring and little finger | In the region of £18,620 | |
| Loss of the end of a ring or middle finger | £3,370 to £6,720 | |
| Loss of the end of the middle and first finger | In the region of £21,320 | |
| Minor hand injury | Up to £4,055 | |
| Moderate thumb injury | £8,250 to £10,750 | |
| Serious damage to both hands | £47,550 to £72,150 | |
| Serious hand injury with full or close to full recovery | £4,780 to £11,330 | |
| Serious hand injury with significant loss of use of the hand | £24,740 to £52,810 | |
| Serious ring or middle finger injury causing permanent loss of grip | £12,700 to £13,940 | |
| Serious thumb injury | £10,750 to £14,310 | |
| Severe fractured fingers leading to possible amputation | Up to £31,350 | |
| Severe thumb dislocation | £3,370 to £5,790 | |
| Thumb injury recovering in around 6 months | Up to £4,055 | |
| Very serious thumb injury | £16,720 to £29,860 | |
| Injury to the elbow | ||
| Elbow injury causing some long term problems | £13,360 to £27,320 | |
| Elbow injury not causing significant long term problems | Up to £10,750 | |
| Severe, disabling elbow injury | £33,430 to £46,780 | |
| Other arm injury including fractures and nerve damage | ||
| Fractured forearms (between the elbow and the wrist) | £5,630 to £16,380 | |
| Serious arm injury leaving permanent and substantial effects | £33,430 to £51,070 | |
| Serious arm injury leaving some long lasting effects | £16,380 to £33,430 | |
| Severe arm injury | £82,040 to £111,690 | |
| Vibration white finger and/or hand arm vibration syndrome | ||
| Vibration white finger and/or hand arm vibration syndrome affecting both sides in a younger person causing a change in job | £26,990 to £32,780 | |
| Vibration white finger and/or hand arm vibration syndrome causing minor symptoms | £2,560 to £7,380 | |
| Vibration white finger and/or hand arm vibration syndrome causing symptoms in cold weather | £7,380 to £14,310 | |
| Vibration white finger and/or hand arm vibration syndrome causing year round symptoms | £14,310 to £26,990 | |
| Work-related upper limb disorders | ||
| Work-related upper limb disorders causing continuing problems needing surgery, preventing working | £18,690 to £19,730 | |
| Work-related upper limb disorders causing continuing problems on one side | £12,700 to £13,940 | |
| Work-related upper limb disorders recovering completely within 3 years | £7,380 to £9,170 | |
| Work-related upper limb disorders recovering within a few months at most | £1,880 to £3,010 | |
| Wrist injury | ||
| Colles wrist fractures | In the region of £6,340 | |
| Serious wrist injury causing significant permanent problems | £20,900 to £33,430 | |
| Severe wrist injury causing loss of function of the wrist | £40,630 to £51,070 | |
| Wrist fractures and other injury recovering in up to one year | £3,010 to £4,050 | |
| Wrist injury causing permanent pain and stiffness | £10,750 to £20,900 | |
| Wrist injury taking around two years to heal completely | Up to £8,740 | |
| Injury to the pelvis and hips | ||
|---|---|---|
| Extensive fractures causing serious long term problems | £66,890 to £111,690 | |
| Hip or pelvis fractures causing long term problems | £52,810 to £66,890 | |
| Hip or pelvis fractures needing surgery | £33,430 to £44,790 | |
| Hip or pelvis injury leaving minimal or no long term problems | £3,370 to £10,750 | |
| Minor hip or pelvis soft tissue (muscle) injury | Up to £3,370 | |
| Significant hip or pelvis injury leaving some long term problems | £10,750 to £33,430 | |
| Injury to the legs and feet | ||
|---|---|---|
| Achilles tendon | ||
| Minor Achilles tendon injury | £6,200 to £10,750 | |
| Partial Achilles rupture or significant tendon damage | £10,750 to £17,970 | |
| Severed Achilles tendon and muscle injury | In the region of £32,780 | |
| Severed Achilles tendon successfully repaired by surgery | £21,320 to £25,670 | |
| Ankle injury | ||
| Ankle injury causing some permanent problems | £11,730 to £22,680 | |
| Ankle injury recovering completely or leaving mild symptoms | Up to £11,730 | |
| Severe ankle injury causing permanent problems walking | £26,710 to £42,710 | |
| Very severe rare ankle injury | £42,710 to £59,480 | |
| Foot injury | ||
| Common foot injury, most healing completely | Up to £11,730 | |
| Displaced metatarsal fractures with permanent symptoms | £11,730 to £21,320 | |
| Loss of both feet | £144,520 to £171,920 | |
| Loss of one foot | £71,640 to £93,540 | |
| Serious foot injury | £21,320 to £33,450 | |
| Severe injury to one or both feet | £35,810 to £59,730 | |
| Very severe permanent foot injury | £35,810 to £93,540 | |
| Knee injury | ||
| Knee injury causing mild long term problems | £12,650 to £22,340 | |
| Knee injury causing serious long term problems | £22,340 to £37,070 | |
| Knee injury that recover completely or leave minimal symptoms | Up to £11,730 | |
| Leg fractures which include the knee joint | £44,470 to £59,490 | |
| Severe knee injury | £59,490 to £82,080 | |
| Leg injury | ||
| Fractured femur (thigh bone) | £7,780 to £12,010 | |
| Fractured tibia or fibula (lower leg) or soft tissue injury | Up to £10,100 | |
| Leg fractures or soft tissue injury causing some permanent problems | £15,320 to £23,680 | |
| Loss of both legs | £205,420 to £240,590 | |
| Loss of both legs below the knee | £171,920 to £230,440 | |
| Loss of one leg above the knee | £89,440 to £117,280 | |
| Loss of one leg below the knee | £83,590 to £113,450 | |
| Serious leg injury leaving permanent problems | £33,450 to £46,780 | |
| Severe crushing injury and serious or complicated leg fractures | £23,680 to £33,450 | |
| Severe leg injury without amputation | £82,110 to £115,940 | |
| Very serious leg injury leaving permanent problems | £46,780 to £77,040 | |
| Toe injury | ||
| Loss of a big toe | In the region of £26,710 | |
| Loss of all of the toes on a foot | £31,150 to £47,830 | |
| Serious injury to the big toe or to several other toes | £8,190 to £11,730 | |
| Severe toe injury including amputations | £11,730 to £17,970 | |
| Toe injury not leaving significant long term problems | Up to £8,190 | |
| Minor injury | ||
|---|---|---|
| Minor injury recovering in 28 days | £650 to £1,290 | |
| Minor injury recovering in 3 months | £1,290 to £2,300 | |
| Minor injury recovering in 7 days | Up to £650 | |
| Chronic pain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Moderate complex regional pain syndrome | £23,910 to £44,790 | |
| Moderate pain disorders generally | £17,970 to £32,840 | |
| Severe complex regional pain syndrome | £44,790 to £71,670 | |
| Severe pain disorders generally | £35,930 to £53,740 | |
| Injury involving paralysis | ||
|---|---|---|
| Temporary paraplegia | In the region of £42,090 | |
| Paraplegia | £186,890 to £242,490 | |
| Tetraplegia or quadraplegia | £276,940 to £344,640 | |
| Injury to internal organs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bladder | Up to £120,040 | |
| Digestive system | ||
| Severe damage from trauma | £36,700 to £52,810 | |
| Serious non-penetrating injury | £14,320 to £23,680 | |
| Penetrating injury | £6,190 to £11,820 | |
| Severe toxicosis | £32,780 to £44,790 | |
| Serious short-term food poisoning | £8,950 to £18,020 | |
| Food poisoning | £3,370 to £8,140 | |
| Disabling cramps and diarrhoea | £780 to £3,370 | |
| Kidney injury | ||
| Loss of one kidney | £26,260 to £38,280 | |
| Risk of future loss of kidney function | Up to £54,600 | |
| Serious and permanent damage to or loss of both kidneys | £144,520 to £179,530 | |
| Bowel injury | ||
| Injury with a return to natural function and control | £10,750 to £20,880 | |
| Abdominal injury impairing function | £38,040 to £59,490 | |
| Double incontinence and total loss of function | Up to £157,150 | |
| Total loss of bowel function | Up to £128,060 | |
| Bladder injury | ||
| Full or near-complete recovery | £19,980 to £26,710 | |
| Serious impairment of bladder control | £54,600 to £68,190 | |
| Total loss of bowel and bladder function | Up to £157,150 | |
| Chest injury | ||
| Chest injury causing some permanent tissue damage but no significant long-term lung problem | £10,750 to £15,320 | |
| Damage to the chest and lungs causing some continuing disability | £26,710 to £46,780 | |
| Fractured ribs or muscle injury to the rib cage and chest | Up to £3,370 | |
| Injury causing lungs to collapse | £1,880 to £4,540 | |
| Injury from inhaling toxic fumes or smoke | £4,540 to £10,750 | |
| Total removal of one lung and/or serious heart damage | £85,880 to £128,060 | |
| Traumatic injury to the chest, lungs or heart with permanent damage and reduced life expectancy | £56,100 to £85,880 | |
| Spleen injury | ||
| Loss of spleen with low risk of future infection | £3,710 to £7,380 | |
| Loss of spleen with continuing risk of infection or immune disorders | £17,740 to £22,440 | |
| Lung disease | ||
| Breathing difficulties needing use of an inhaler | £26,710 to £46,780 | |
| Bronchitis and wheezing | £17,740 to £26,710 | |
| Lung cancer in older people | £59,730 to £83,050 | |
| Lung diseases such as emphysema | £46,740 to £59,730 | |
| Serious life-threatening lung disease in young people | £85,880 to £115,940 | |
| Short term aggravation of bronchitis or other chest problems | £1,880 to £4,540 | |
| Slight breathlessness that recovers completely in a few years | £9,080 to £17,740 | |
| Hernia injury | ||
| Uncomplicated indirect inguinal hernia | £2,900 to £6,170 | |
| Direct inguinal hernia with risk of recurrence | £5,980 to £7,780 | |
| Continuing pain or limitation of physical activities | £12,700 to £20,620 | |
| Reproductive system: female | ||
| Infertility with no desire to have children | £5,630 to £10,750 | |
| Failed sterilisation | In the region of £8,700 | |
| Ectopic pregnancy delay but fertility not affected | £2,890 to £17,430 | |
| Infertility without medical complication | £15,320 to £31,350 | |
| Infertility following ectopic pregnancy | £29,050 to £87,140 | |
| Infertility caused by disease with depression | £98,010 to £144,520 | |
| Reproductive system: male | ||
| Impotence for a middle-aged man with children | £36,700 to £66,890 | |
| Impotence, loss of sexual function and sterility in a young man | In the region of £131,290 | |
| Sterility in cases where it has minimal impact | In the region of £5,630 | |
| Sterility without impotence for a family man who intended to have more children | £20,210 to £26,710 | |
| Sterility without impotence for a young man without children | £47,830 to £60,880 | |
| Sterility, caused by accident, illness or clinical negligence | In the region of £126,550 | |
| Sterility, caused by accident, illness or clinical negligence to the elderly | In the region of £16,000 | |
| Asbestos-related disease | ||
| Asbestosis and pleural thickening with low respiratory disability | £12,860 to £32,780 | |
| Asbestosis and pleural thickening with significant respiratory disability | £32,780 to £90,300 | |
| Lung cancer | £59,730 to £83,050 | |
| Mesothelioma | £59,730 to £107,410 | |
| Asthma | ||
| Chronic asthma | £22,440 to £36,700 | |
| Mild asthma and other chest problems resolving quickly | Up to £4,390 | |
| Mild asthma-like symptoms that are permanent | £9,080 to £16,380 | |
| Severe permanent asthma with disabling effects | £36,740 to £56,100 | |
| Other injuries | ||
|---|---|---|
| Scarring to other parts of the body | ||
| A single noticeable scar, or several superficial scars not to the face | £2,020 to £7,380 | |
| After an exploratory laparotomy leaving scarring | In the region of £7,380 | |
| Burns covering 40% or more of the body | No less than £89,440 | |
| Several noticeable scars or one disfiguring scar, not to the face | £6,680 to £19,390 | |
Calculating compensation for multiple injuries
Calculating an accurate compensation estimate when you have multiple injuries is more complicated. The individual compensation amounts cannot be simply added together.
See an example of multiple injuries calculation:
General damages for a serious arm injury might be £45,000
For a minor hand injury, in isolation, you could receive a typical personal injury payout of £3,000.
However, if you have a serious arm injury and a minor hand injury, a typical serious injury payout could be £45,000 + a reduced percentage of £3,000.
Special damages, such as loss of earnings, would not be counted twice.
Our online multiple injury compensation calculator will factor in multiple injury adjustments.
Special damages
Special damages are awarded for any financial losses and expenses you have incurred as a result of your injury.
The injury compensation claim calculation will include loss of earnings, the cost of medical treatments and any other expenses incurred as a result of the accident.
What can I claim for after an injury? (see list)
Examples of special damages (losses you can claim for) include:
- Lost earnings (including future earnings)
- Medical treatment costs
- Physiotherapy
- Travel costs
- Costs of care
- Costs of adapting your home or car
Will the cause of my injury affect the compensation calculation?
Yes. The official general damages tables do not consider different causes. In practice, however, the circumstances of an injury or illness can affect the final injury compensation amount.
For example, in the workplace, an employer may be liable for the acts or omissions of its employees, providing it can be shown that they took place in the course of their employment. This is called 'vicarious liability'.
Our injury compensation calculator takes the accident or illness circumstances into account when calculating compensation and assessing whether you have a claim.
Specific circumstances:
Calculating compensation for a car accident
Our road accident (RTA) compensation calculator will calculate compensation for all typical injuries.
Also, the personal injury claims calculator can factor in special damages such as the cost of a rental car or repairs to your vehicle.
Deductions to a final compensation award due to split liability are also more common with road traffic accidents (RTA's).
Calculating compensation for a work injury
If you have been injured at work, our workplace injury compensation calculator will factor in special damages for any time you have had to take off work.
For example, your total compensation amount for a slip and fall at work would include earnings your lost for the period you could not work.
If you are still unable to work, our accident at work compensation calculator will also factor in loss of expected future earnings.
Unlike other injury circumstances, your compensation is less likely to be reduced even if you were partly responsible for your workplace injury.
Calculating compensation for an injury in a shop, bar or other public place
The method used to calculate compensation for an injury in a public place will depend on the cause.
If the owner or occupier of the premises was responsible, the general damages tables will be used to calculate your injury compensation.
However, if you were hurt in a criminal assault, CICA injury tariffs will be used to calculate your compensation instead.
Uninsured or untraceable drivers
Car crash accident payouts may be reduced if the driver who caused the accident is unidentified (e.g. a hit and run) or is uninsured.
Unidentified or uninsured driver claims will usually be lower, as they will be handled by the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB). The MIB may calculate your compensation using a different tariff scale.
Criminal injuries compensation (CICA)
Compensation for criminal injuries paid by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is calculated based on a specific CICA tariff of injuries. Read more: Making a claim through the CICA.
Will anything be added to my compensation?
Yes. Once your general and special damages have been added together, the total may be adjusted as follows:
| Details | Added by |
|---|---|
Plus 10% ruleIf you signed a No Win, No Fee agreement after 2013, your final compensation award will be increased by 10% to offset the impact of the success fee deduction. |
Official Guidelines |
Multiple injuries increaseIf you have suffered several injuries, your general damages will be increased accordingly. Read more about multiple injuries |
Official Guidelines/solicitor negotiation/ court decision |
Will anything be deducted from my compensation?
Probably - depending on the circumstances of your accident and the no win, no fee terms you agree with your chosen personal injury lawyer:
| Details | Deducted by |
|---|---|
Split liability deductionIf you were partly to blame for the accident, you can usually still claim, but your compensation will be reduced. Your solicitor will negotiate with the defendant’s lawyer to apportion (as a percentage) blame between you and the defendant. This percentage is used to calculate how much your award will be reduced. For example, if you were 50% responsible for your injuries, you would receive 50% less compensation. |
Official Guidelines |
Injury lawyer's success fee deductionSolicitors working on a No Win, No Fee basis charge nothing if a claim is unsuccessful. Solicitors will charge a success fee if the claim is successful. By law, success fees are restricted to a maximum of 25% of the total settlement and maybe less. So if you are awarded £8,000 compensation, up to £2,000 will be deducted by your solicitor as their success fee. NB. With Quittance, you will be able to agree the success fee with your solicitor before starting your claim. |
Terms of your chosen solicitor's no win, no fee agreement/MOJ |
ATE Insurance deductionSolicitors frequently advise claimants to take out an 'After the Event (ATE)' insurance policy on top of the no win, no fee agreement. ATE insurance covers the legal costs which a claimant must pay to a defendant if their claim is unsuccessful. Counterintuitively, you would only have to pay for an ATE policy if your claim is successful. The cost of the policy would be deducted from your compensation. |
Terms of your chosen solicitor's no win, no fee agreement |
No win, no fee termsSome no win, no fee agreements only cover the solicitor's fees. Costs that are not covered might include medical expert fees, barrister's fees or the costs of the other side's solicitors as they defend the claim. These costs can run into thousands of pounds. Some no win no fee agreements have penalty or termination clauses if you change your mind. NB. With Quittance, there are no termination or cancellation fees. |
Terms of your chosen solicitor's no win, no fee agreement |
Tax deductionIf you receive financial compensation following an injury, specific legislation ensures that you do not have to pay tax on it. However, if you receive interest on the compensation award, the party paying the interest will deduct tax from the interest before the payment is made. See a tax deduction example. |
HMRC |
Benefits deductionAlthough not strictly a deduction, your entitlement to receive future means-tested benefits (such as housing benefit or Universal Credit) may be affected. |
Government means-tested assessment |
See an example of tax deduction calculation;
A claimant sustained an injury on 1 January 2013 and brought a claim, which was eventually settled on 14 July 2014.
An award of £20,650 was made, which represented £20,000 damages and £650 for the interest from 1 January 2013 to 14 July 2014.
In this example, tax would be payable on the £20,650 as the interest (already tax-deducted) represents the amount that the claimant would have accrued had the £20,000 been paid on the day of the injury up until the date of settlement.
Is there anything else that could affect my compensation calculation?
Most injury claims do not go to court. Compensation is usually agreed (or “settled”) as part of a negotiation between your solicitor and the defendant’s lawyers or insurance company.
The defendant’s solicitors will use tactics to attempt to reduce the compensation amount, such as making a 'low-ball' early offer.
Your solicitor may request more time to negotiate or to gather more evidence. More time may also mean that the extent of your symptoms becomes clearer, so a more accurate compensation calculation can be made.
Personal injury compensation levels will rarely exceed the figures set out in the general damages tables, so the negotiation process can be crucial. This is particularly true if you need the compensation award to fund care costs, or to pay for treatment or necessary adaptations to your home.
Whiplash compensation calculator changes (from April 2021)
The law relating to personal injury claims for whiplash, soft tissue injuries and road accidents changed April 2021.
Personal injury claims for lower value road accident claims (under £5,000) must now be submitted using the online Official Injury Claim portal. Non-road accident claims under £2,000 will also use the portal.
A personal injury lawyer can help you with the online portal claims process, on a No Win, No Fee basis.
Whiplash compensation calculations for injuries sustained in a car crash or other motor vehicle accidentare also now reduced.
Read more: Personal injury compensation reduced in 2021
Get a more accurate estimate with our personal injury compensation calculator
Our personal injury claims calculator has been designed to give you a more accurate average payout figure by taking all factors into account:
Find out:
- How much you could claim.
- If you could have a claim.
- Everything you can claim for.
No win, no fee
With a no win, no fee agreement (known as a 'Conditional Fee Agreement' or 'CFA') you can make an injury claim without having to pay upfront legal fees. If your injury claim is unsuccessful you won't have to pay any money to your solicitor.
Our no win, no fee promise
Our no win, no fee guarantee means there is no financial risk in making an injury claim, even if you don't win your claim.
What do I pay if I win my injury claim?
Your injury solicitor will receive a success fee which is deducted from your compensation, after your compensation is awarded. The solicitor's success fee can be up to 25%. You and your solicitor can agree the success fee before you start your claim.
What do I pay if I do not win my injury claim?
If your injury claim is not successful then you will not have to pay any legal fees. Your solicitor may take out insurance to ensure there will be nothing to pay.
Read more about making a No win, no fee claim
How can Quittance help?
Your solicitor will fight for the best possible compensation settlement for you, and the highly-experienced panel of solicitors have an excellent track record of winning injury claims.
If you have any questions, or would like to start a No Win No Fee claim, we are open 8am to 9pm weekdays, 9am to 6pm on Saturday, and 9.30am to 5pm on Sunday.
Call us FREE 0800 376 1001 or arrange a callback:
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FREE Compensation calculator FAQ's
How accurate are online claims calculators?
Compensation calculators take into account the nature and severity of your injury. Calculators then refer to the Official Guidelines to give an upper and lower estimate of the likely compensation award you could receive.
Online compensation calculators have been available on personal injury solicitors websites for a number of years. However, many of these rely on out-of-date data and do not consider recent changes to the law.
What do I need to be aware of when using an online injury calculator
- Many calculators are out of date - it should refer to the latest edition of the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases.
- Many calculators don't include special damages - which should factor in loss of earnings, care costs, treatment costs and any other costs or losses
- Many calculators don't tell you if you have a claim
- Many calculators don't calculate deductions - e.g. success fees and any other fees that may be hiding in the conditional fee agreement (CFA)
Disclaimer - 2021 Claims Calculator
The injury compensation calculator refers to the most recent edition of the official guidelines.
The general damages and special damages you receive will ultimately be calculated according to the circumstances of your case. Personal injury compensation payouts for general damages vary according to the severity of the injury and how quickly you recover.
Our online compensation calculator includes the 10% uplift in general damages in line with the Jackson reforms recommendation for claims funded by a conditional fee agreement (CFA). Cases initiated before 1st April 2013 may receive 10% less in general damages than indicated in the calculator.
Every attempt has been made to make all the information contained in this compensation payout guide and in the personal injury claims calculator as accurate as possible. However, the injury claims calculator is intended as a guide only.
Your solicitor will need to collate more information about your situation to be able to give you a more detailed idea of your potential personal injury compensation amount.
Quittance is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and cannot accept any responsibility for the advice provided by individual solicitors.
