How much compensation can I claim for my injury?

Estimating your potential injury compensation takes just a few minutes with our claim calculator. We guide you step-by-step, explaining any additions or deductions that might impact your final amount. If you’d like to learn more about how compensation is calculated, keep reading for further details.

In this article:

How will my injury compensation be calculated?

When calculating personal injury compensation, your solicitor will consider the severity of your injury and how it affects your daily life. They will also account for any costs or losses you’ve incurred, such as medical expenses, loss of earnings, and property damage resulting from the accident.

In legal terms, your compensation will be calculated by adding together 'general damages' and 'special damages':

General damages

General damages compensate for Pain, Suffering and Loss of Amenity (PSLA) and the impact an injury has on your life.

To calculate general damages, your solicitor will refer to the Judicial College Guidelines - a formal resource used by legal professionals to determine the value of personal injury claims. These guidelines set out a range of compensation amounts for physical and mental injuries.

Both solicitors and courts use these tables as a starting point for calculating general damages, factoring in the type and severity of your injury.

The following tables refer to the Guidelines For The Assessment Of General Damages In Personal Injury Cases 17th Edition:

Head and brain injuries

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

Face and senses injuries

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 injuries

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

Pelvis and hip injuries

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

Legs and feet injuries

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 injuries

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

Paralysis

Temporary paraplegia In the region of £42,090
Paraplegia £186,890 to £242,490
Tetraplegia or quadraplegia £276,940 to £344,640

Internal organ injuries

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

Special damages

Special damages are awarded for any financial losses and expenses you have incurred as a result of your injury.

Examples of expenses and losses you can claim for include:

  • Loss of earnings (including future earnings, pension contributions, overtime etc.)
  • Medical treatment costs
  • Physiotherapy
  • Travel costs
  • Costs of care
  • Damage to your property or belongings
  • Costs of adapting your home or car

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

When calculating general damages for multiple injuries, each injury is assessed based on its severity and impact on your life. The compensation amounts for each injury are then combined, reflecting the overall harm suffered. This process considers how your injuries interact, affecting your health, work ability, and quality of life.

The final compensation may be more or less than the sum of individual injury awards, as they cannot simply be added together. Typically, the highest compensation bracket for the most serious injury serves as the starting point, with additional amounts applied for less severe injuries.

For example:

General damages for a serious back injury could be around £30,000.

For a minor shoulder injury, you would typically receive £5,200.

However, if you suffered both a serious back injury and a minor shoulder injury, you would typically receive £30,000 plus a smaller percentage of £5,200.

The aim is to ensure the claimant receives fair and comprehensive compensation for all injuries sustained, rather than treating them as isolated incidents.

Our online compensation calculator can estimate compensation awards for multiple injuries.

Is anything added to my compensation?

Once your general and special damages have been added together, the total may be adjusted as follows:

Details Added by

Plus 10% rule

If 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 solicitor's success fee deduction.

Official Guidelines

Multiple injuries increase

If you sustained multiple injuries, your general damages will be increased accordingly.

Official Guidelines/solicitor negotiation/ court decision

Is anything deducted from my compensation?

Depending on the circumstances of your accident and the no win, no fee terms you agree with your chosen personal injury solicitor, your compensation may be adjusted as follows:

Details Deducted by

Split liability

If you're partly at fault for the accident, you can still claim but expect a reduced compensation award. Your solicitor negotiates with the defendant's solicitor to determine the extent of each party's liability (as a percentage). For example, if you were 50% responsible for your injuries, you would receive 50% less compensation.

Official Guidelines

Success fee

On a No Win, No Fee claim, solicitors charge nothing if you lose but receive a success fee of up to 25% of your compensation if you win. For example, from an £8,000 award, your solicitor could receive a success fee of up to £2,000. Success fees are agreed with your solicitor before starting a claim.

Terms of your chosen solicitor's no win, no fee agreement

ATE Insurance

After the Event (ATE) insurance is an integral part of any no win, no fee agreement. ATE covers the defendant's legal costs if you lose your claim. You only pay for the ATE premium if you win, and the cost is deducted from your compensation.

Terms of your chosen solicitor's no win, no fee agreement

No win, no fee terms

Some no win, no fee cover only the solicitor's fees, not other costs like medical or barrister fees. Some agreements have cancellation penalties.

Terms of your chosen solicitor's no win, no fee agreement

Tax

Injury compensation is tax free (sce. gov.uk). In certain cases, tax may be charged on interest added to your compensation award. Interest would be calculated from the date of your accident or injury to the date of settlement of your claim (sce. gov.uk).

HMRC

Benefits

Although not a deduction from your compensation, your entitlement to receive future means-tested benefits (such as housing benefit or Universal Credit) may be affected.

Government means-tested assessment

Does the cause of my injury impact my compensation calculation?

Although the cause of your injury does not usually affect a compensation calculation, there are circumstances where the context of an injury can affect the compensation amount:

Road traffic accidents (RTA)

Our Road Accident Compensation Calculator factors in special damages like rental car or repair costs. Split liability deductions are also more common in road traffic accidents.

See also:

Claiming compensation for a road traffic injury

Uninsured or untraceable drivers

Payouts for road traffic injuries may be lower if the at-fault driver can't be identified or is uninsured. These claims are usually handled by the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB), which may use a different tariff scale for compensation.

Work injuries

Our Workplace Injury Compensation Calculator includes special damages for loss of earnings. With work injuries, your compensation is less likely to be reduced if you think you were partly to blame due to the principle of vicarious liability.

See also:

Claiming compensation for a work injury

Public place injuries

Compensation for an injury sustained in a public place is calculated with reference to the Judicial Guidelines. If you were hurt in a criminal assault, however, compensation would be paid by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). CICA compensation is calculated with reference to a specific CICA tariff of injuries.

See also:

How to claim injury compensation through the CICA

Could anything else affect my compensation?

Most claims are settled out of court through negotiations between solicitors. These negotiations are a critical part of getting you the best possible compensation award.

Defendant side solicitors will use various tactics when attempting to negotiate a lower compensation settlement. These tactics include insurer direct offers, early stage 'low-ball' offers, and pre-medical offers.

When handling a personal injury claim, the negotiating skills of your solicitor are as vital as their legal knowledge.

FAQs

What's the average general damages compensation for an injury claim?

The official injury tables provide a range of general damages compensation payouts for injury claims.

While average compensation amounts can offer a rough idea of what you might receive, they can also be misleading. The compensation you are awarded will depend on your specific circumstances.

Your compensation calculation is based on how your injuries have uniquely impacted your life, your ability to work, and the actual expenses and losses you’ve experienced due to the injury.

How accurate are online claims calculators?

Compensation calculators consider the nature and severity of your injury and refer to official guidelines to provide an estimated compensation range.

While online compensation calculators have been around for years, many rely on outdated data and don’t reflect recent legal changes.

Ensure the calculator you use is based on the latest (seventeenth) edition of the Guidelines For The Assessment Of General Damages In Personal Injury Cases 17th Edition.

No win, no fee injury compensation claims

With no win, no fee, you can claim injury compensation without financial risk. If your claim isn't successful, you pay nothing. If you win, you only pay a pre-agreed percentage of your compensation.

Find out more about how no win, no fee claims work

Get expert advice now

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Chris Salmon, Director

Author:
Chris Salmon, Director