How much compensation can I get for my personal injury?

Updated: Tuesday, 4th April 2017

One of the most common questions asked by people contemplating making a claim for compensation following an accident is how much compensation they will get. 

Compensation claim calculators are a useful starting point as they provide an estimate of the levels of compensation Claimants can expect to receive for their injuries.  These tools have been available on personal injury solicitors websites for a number of years.

Since 2013 online injury calculators have been flawed

Compensation calculators take into account the nature and severity of the injury and then refer to the Judicial College Guidelines* table to give an upper and lower estimate of the likely compensation award if the claim is successful.

In 2013 changes in the law mean that solicitors success fees (normally 25% of the compensation settlement) are no longer recoverable from the Defendant and must be deducted from the Claimants award.

So if you are awarded £10,000 compensation you are required to give £2,500 back to your solicitor.

Some solicitors work on lower success fees (including those on the Quittance solicitor panel) helping Claimants retain more of their compensation.

The story doesn't end there

Since 2013 Courts have increased general damages compensation by 10% for Claimants on No Win No Fee agreements. Quittance's claims calculator factors in the court uplift to give you a more accurate compensation estimate.

We also factor in Special Damages awards for any financial losses or expenses you may have incurred.

The question should be "How much compensation will I keep?"

Quittance goes a few steps further than other calculators and provides a more accurate estimate of how much compensation you will actually get to keep after solicitor deductions and Court uplifts.

Read more about specific compensation claims

Quittance have helped claimants faced with a wide range of injuries and accident circumstances. Find more information about the claims process here:

Find out how much you could keep

Calculate your compensation claim

We would point out that the awards are still only an estimate and would ask that you read the disclaimer below.

Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury

Table 1. Head, brain and senses

Injury Compensation
Brain damage Less severe brain damage £11,650 to £32,700
Minor brain or head injury £1,675 to £9,700
Moderate brain damage £32,725 to £166,500
Moderately severe brain injury £166,500 to £214,350
Very severe brain damage £214,350 to £307,000
Deafness/tinnitus Either slight hearing loss or slight tinnitus Up to £5,325
Mild tinnitus with some hearing loss £9,575 to £11,300
Moderate hearing loss £11,000 to £21,800
Moderate tinnitus and hearing loss £11,300 to £22,600
Moderate to severe tinnitus £11,000 to £21,800
Severe tinnitus and partial hearing loss £22,600 to £34,600
Slight or occasional tinnitus with slight hearing loss £5,600 to £9,575
Total deafness £69,000 to £83,325
Total deafness and loss of speech £83,325 to £107,000
Total loss of hearing in one ear £23,800 to £34,600
Epilepsy Established grand mal £77,500 to £114,100
Established petit mal £41,675 to £100,000
Other epileptic conditions £8,100 to £20,000
Facial injury Simple nose fracture £1,300 to £1,925
Simple cheekbone fracture £1,775 to £2,275
Simple jaw fracture £4,900 to £6,650
Loss or damage to front tooth £1,675 to £3,000
Loss or damage to back teeth (per tooth) £830 to £1,300
Displaced nose fracture requiring surgery £3,000 to £3,875
Displaced nose fracture £1,925 to £2,400
Simple cheekbone fracture needing surgery £3,300 to £4,900
Serious jaw fracture £13,650 to £23,175
Loss or damage to two front teeth £3,300 to £5,800
Multiple facial fractures £11,300 to £18,200
Serious nose fracture with permanent damage £8,100 to £17,575
Serious cheekbone fracture £7,750 to £12,000
Serious multiple jaw fractures £23,175 to £34,600
Loss or damage to several front teeth £6,650 to £8,675
Le Fort fractures of facial bones £18,100 to £27,925
Chronic tooth pain with general deterioration Up to £29,000
Impairment of taste and smell Loss of smell £19,000 to £25,000
Loss of taste £14,600 to £19,000
Total loss of smell and significant loss of taste £25,000 to £29,800
Total loss of taste and smell In the region of £29,800
Injury affecting sight Complete loss of sight in one eye £37,450 to £41,675
Loss of sight in one eye with reduced vision in the remaining eye £48,600 to £80,500
Minor eye injury £3,000 to £6,650
Minor permanent damage to vision in one or both eyes £6,925 to £15,950
Serious loss of vision in one eye £18,000 to £30,000
Total blindness In the region of £204,250
Total blindness and deafness In the region of £307,000
Total loss of one eye £41,675 to £50,000
Transient (short lived) eye injury £1,675 to £3,000
Post-traumatic stress disorder Less severe post-traumatic stress disorder £3,000 to £6,225
Moderate post-traumatic stress disorder £6,000 to £17,000
Moderately severe post-traumatic stress disorder £17,600 to £45,500
Severe post-traumatic stress disorder £45,500 to £76,500
Psychiatric damage generally Less severe psychiatric damage £1,170 to £4,450
Moderate psychiatric damage £6,225 to £17,600
Moderately severe psychiatric damage £14,500 to £41,675
Severe psychiatric damage £41,675 to £88,000

Find out how much injury compensation you could claim

Calculate your compensation claim

Table 2. Neck and back injury

Injury Compensation
Back injury Back injury causing chronic permanent symptoms £29,475 to £53,000
Back injury causing permanent symptoms £9,500 to £21,100
Back injury causing serious permanent symptoms £21,100 to £29,475
Back injury recovering in 2-5 years £6,000 to £9,500
Back injury recovering in a few months at most Up to £1,860
Back injury recovering in up to 2 years £1,860 to £6,000
Serious back injury causing significant permanent impact £56,375 to £67,200
Severe back injury with spinal cord damage £69,200 to £122,350
Neck injury Minor neck injury £300 to £1,860
Neck injury bringing other problems forward or making them worse £6,000 to £10,450
Neck injury causing spondylosis, serious limitation of movement or permanent/recurring pain £10,450 to £19,000
Neck injury involving fractures, dislocations or severe soft tissue (muscle) damage leaving chronic permanent symptoms £34,575 to £42,550
Neck injury involving fractures, dislocations or severe soft tissue (muscle) damage recovering to a restricted level £19,000 to £29,250
Neck injury recovering completely in 1-2 years £3,300 to £6,000
Neck injury recovering completely in up to a year £1,860 to £3,300
Serious neck injury involving fractures or damage to discs £50,000 to £99,500
Severe neck injury In the region of £112,750
Whiplash Full recovery within 3 months £300 to £1,860
Full recovery between 3 months and 1 year £1,860 to £3,300
Recovery between 1 and 2 years (see "neck injury" for longer-term whiplash injury) £3,300 to £6,000

Table 3. Shoulder injury

Injury Compensation
Minor shoulder injury Up to £6,000
Moderate shoulder injury £6,000 to £9,700
Serious shoulder injury £9,700 to £14,600
Severe shoulder injury £14,600 to £36,500

Table 4. Arm injury

Injury Compensation
Amputation of arms Loss of both arms £183,000 to £228,000
Loss of one arm above the elbow £83,325 to £99,500
Loss of one arm at the shoulder No less than £104,250
Loss of one arm below the elbow £73,100 to £83,325
Hand injury Fracture of one finger Up to £3,600
Fractured index (first) finger leaving permanent symptoms £6,925 to £9,300
Loss of a little finger £6,575 to £9,300
Loss of a middle finger In the region of £11,875
Loss of a thumb £27,000 to £41,675
Loss of an index (first) finger In the region of £14,250
Loss of both hands, or loss of use of both hands £107,000 to £153,200
Loss of index finger and middle or ring finger £47,050 to £69,000
Loss of one hand, or loss of use of one hand £73,100 to £83,325
Loss of part of a little finger £3,000 to £4,450
Loss of part of an index (first) finger £9,250 to £14,250
Loss of ring and little finger In the region of £16,600
Loss of the end of a ring or middle finger £3,000 to £6,000
Loss of the end of the middle and first finger In the region of £19,000
Minor hand injury £700 to £3,300
Moderate thumb injury £7,350 to £9,575
Serious damage to both hands £42,250 to £64,275
Serious hand injury with full or close to full recovery £4,100 to £10,100
Serious hand injury with significant loss of use of the hand £22,050 to £47,050
Serious ring or middle finger injury causing permanent loss of grip £11,300 to £12,425
Serious thumb injury £9,575 to £12,750
Severe fractured fingers leading to possible amputation Up to £27,925
Severe thumb dislocation £3,000 to £5,150
Thumb injury recovering in a short time Up to £1,675
Thumb injury recovering in around 6 months Up to £3,000
Very serious thumb injury £14,900 to £26,600
Injury to the elbow Elbow injury causing some long term problems £11,900 to £24,350
Elbow injury not causing significant long term problems Up to £9,575
Severe, disabling elbow injury £29,800 to £41,675
Other arm injury including fractures and nerve damage Fractured forearms (between the elbow and the wrist) £5,000 to £14,600
Serious arm injury leaving permanent and substantial effects £29,800 to £45,500
Serious arm injury leaving some long lasting effects £14,600 to £29,800
Severe arm injury £73,100 to £99,500
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 £24,050 to £29,200
Vibration white finger and/or hand arm vibration syndrome causing minor symptoms £2,275 to £6,575
Vibration white finger and/or hand arm vibration syndrome causing symptoms in cold weather £6,575 to £12,750
Vibration white finger and/or hand arm vibration syndrome causing year round symptoms £12,750 to £24,050
Work-related upper limb disorders Work-related upper limb disorders causing continuing problems needing surgery, preventing working £16,650 to £17,575
Work-related upper limb disorders causing continuing problems on one side £11,300 to £12,425
Work-related upper limb disorders recovering completely within 3 years £6,575 to £8,175
Work-related upper limb disorders recovering within a few months at most £1,675 to £2,675
Wrist injury Colles wrist fractures In the region of £5,650
Serious wrist injury causing significant permanent problems £18,625 to £29,800
Severe wrist injury causing loss of function of the wrist £36,200 to £45,500
Wrist fractures and other injury recovering in up to one year £2,675 to £3,600
Wrist injury causing permanent pain and stiffness £9,575 to £18,625
Wrist injury taking around two years to heal completely Up to £7,800

Table 5. Injury to the pelvis and hips

Injury Compensation
Extensive fractures causing serious long term problems £59,600 to £99,500
Hip or pelvis fractures causing long term problems £47,050 to £59,600
Hip or pelvis fractures needing surgery £29,800 to £39,900
Hip or pelvis injury leaving minimal or no long term problems £3,000 to £9,575
Minor hip or pelvis soft tissue (muscle) injury Up to £3,000
Significant hip or pelvis injury leaving some long term problems £9,575 to £20,200
Significant hip or pelvis injury without serious permanent damage £20,200 to £29,800

Table 6. Injury to the legs and feet

Injury Compensation
Achilles tendon Minor achilles tendon injury £5,525 to £9,575
Partial achilles rupture or significant tendon damage £9,575 to £16,000
Severed achilles tendon and muscle injury In the region of £29,200
Severed achilles tendon successfully repaired by surgery £19,000 to £22,875
Ankle injury Ankle injury causing some permanent problems £10,450 to £20,200
Ankle injury recovering completely or leaving mild symptoms Up to £10,450
Severe ankle injury causing permanent problems walking £23,800 to £38,050
Very severe rare ankle injury £38,050 to £53,000
Foot injury Common foot injury, most healing completely Up to £10,450
Displaced metatarsal fractures with permanent symptoms £10,450 to £19,000
Loss of both feet £128,750 to £153,200
Loss of one foot £63,825 to £83,325
Serious foot injury £19,000 to £29,800
Severe injury to one or both feet £31,900 to £53,200
Very severe permanent foot injury £63,825 to £83,325
Knee injury Knee injury causing mild long term problems £11,275 to £19,900
Knee injury causing serious long term problems £19,900 to £33,000
Knee injury that recover completely or leave minimal symptoms Up to £10,450
Leg fractures which include the knee joint £39,625 to £53,000
Severe knee injury £53,000 to £73,125
Leg injury Fractured femur (thigh bone) £6,925 to £10,700
Fractured tibia or fibula (lower leg) or soft tissue injury Up to £9,000
Leg fractures or soft tissue injury causing some permanent problems £13,650 to £21,100
Loss of both legs £183,000 to £214,350
Loss of both legs below the knee £153,200 to £205,300
Loss of one leg above the knee £79,700 to £104,500
Loss of one leg below the knee £74,475 to £101,075
Serious leg injury leaving permanent problems £29,800 to £41,675
Severe crushing injury and serious or complicated leg fractures £21,100 to £29,800
Severe leg injury without amputation £73,150 to £103,250
Very serious leg injury leaving permanent problems £41,675 to £64,275
Toe injury Loss of a big toe In the region of £23,800
Loss of all of the toes on a foot £27,750 to £42,600
Serious injury to the big toe or to several other toes £7,300 to £10,450
Severe toe injury including amputations £10,450 to £16,000
Toe injury not leaving significant long term problems Up to £7,300

Table 7. Minor injury

Injury Compensation
Minor injury recovering in 28 days £525 to £1,050
Minor injury recovering in 3 months £1,050 to £1,860
Minor injury recovering in 7 days Up to £525

Table 8. Chronic pain

Injury Compensation
Moderate complex regional pain syndrome £21,300 to £39,900
Moderate pain disorders generally £16,000 to £29,250
Severe complex regional pain syndrome £39,900 to £63,850
Severe pain disorders generally £32,000 to £47,875

Table 9. Injury involving paralysis

Injury Compensation
Temporary paraplegia £37,500 to £41,250
Paraplegia £166,500 to £216,000
Tetraplegia or quadraplegia £246,750 to £307,000

Table 10. Injury to internal organs

Injury Compensation
Bladder Up to £107,000
Digestive system Severe damage from trauma £32,700 to £47,050
Serious non-penetrating injury £12,750 to £21,100
Penetrating injury £5,000 to £9,575
Severe toxicosis £29,200 to £39,900
Serious short-term food poisoning £7,250 to £14,600
Food poisoning £3,000 to £7,250
Disabling cramps and diarrhoea £700 to £3,000
Kidney injury Loss of one kidney £23,400 to £34,100
Risk of future loss of kidney function Up to £48,650
Serious and permanent damage to or loss of both kidneys £128,750 to £160,000
Bowel injury Injury with a return to natural function and control £9,575 to £18,600
Abdominal injury impairing function £33,900 to £53,000
Double incontinence and total loss of function Up to £140,000
Total loss of bowel function Up to £114,100
Bladder injury Full or near-complete recovery £17,800 to £23,800
Serious impairment of bladder control £48,650 to £60,750
Total loss of bowel and bladder function Up to £140,000
Chest injury Chest injury causing some permananent tissue damage but no significant long-term lung problem £9,575 to £13,600
Damage to the chest and lungs causing some continuing disability £23,800 to £41,675
Fractured ribs or muscle injury to the rib cage and chest Up to £3,000
Injury causing lungs to collapse £1,675 to £4,050
Injury from inhaling toxic fumes or smoke £4,050 to £9,575
Total removal of one lung and/or serious heart damage £76,500 to £114,100
Traumatic injury to the chest, lungs or heart with permanent damage and reduced life expectancy £50,000 to £76,500
Spleen injury Loss of spleen with low risk of future infection £3,300 to £6,575
Loss of spleen with continuing risk of infection or immune disorders £15,800 to £20,000
Lung disease Breathing difficulties needing use of an inhaler £23,800 to £41,675
Bronchitis and wheezing £15,800 to £23,800
Lung cancer in older people £51,500 to £71,500
Lung diseases such as emphysema £41,650 to £53,200
Serious life threating lung disease in young people £76,500 to £103,250
Short term aggravation of bronchitis or other chest problems £1,675 to £4,050
Slight breathlessness that recovers completely in a few years £8,100 to £15,800
Hernia injury Uncomplicated indirect inguinal hernia £2,575 to £5,500
Direct inguinal hernia with risk of recurrence £5,325 to £6,925
Continuing pain or limitation of physical activities £11,300 to £18,375
Reproductive system: female Infertility with no desire to have children £5,000 to £9,575
Failed sterilisation In the region of £7,750
Ectopic pregnancy delay but fertility not affected £2,500 to £15,000
Infertility without medical complication £13,650 to £27,925
Infertility following ectopic pregnancy £25,000 to £75,000
Infertility caused by disease with depression £87,300 to £128,750
Reproductive system: male Impotence for a middle aged man with children £32,700 to £59,600
Impotence, loss of sexual function and sterility in a young man In the region of £112,750
Sterility in cases where it has minimal impact In the region of £5,000
Sterility without impotence for a family man who intended to have more children £18,000 to £23,800
Sterility without impotence for a young man without children £42,600 to £54,250
Sterility, caused by accident, illness or clinical negligence In the region of £107,000
Sterility, caused by accident, illness or clinical negligence to the elderly In the region of £14,250
Asbestos-related disease Asbestosis and pleural thickening with low respiratory disability £11,450 to £29,200
Asbestosis and pleural thickening with significant respiratory disability £29,200 to £80,450
Lung cancer £53,200 to £74,000
Mesothelioma £53,200 to £95,700
Asthma Chronic asthma £20,000 to £32,000
Mild asthma and other chest problems resolving quickly Up to £3,900
Mild asthma-like symptoms that are permanent £8,100 to £14,600
Severe permanent asthma with disabling effects £32,725 to £50,000

Table 11. Other injury

Injury Compensation
Scarring to other parts of the body A single noticeable scar, or several superficial scars not to the face £1,800 to £5,950
After an exploratory laparotomy leaving scarring In the region of £6,575
Burns covering 40% or more of the body No less than £79,700
Several noticeable scars or one disfiguring scar, not to the face £5,950 to £17,275

How much compensation can you claim for your injury?

Calculate my compensation

2016 Compensation Claim Report and Claims Calculator disclaimer

The Injury Compensation Calculator refers to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, Fourteenth Edition by the Judicial College.

The general and special damages you receive will ultimately be calculated according to the circumstances of your case. General damages compensation awards vary according to the severity of injury and how quickly you recover.

The Compensation Claim Report calculation 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 information contained in the report as accurate as possible. However the injury claims calculator is intended as a guide only.

A solicitor will need to collate more information about your situation to be able to give you a more detailed idea of a potential settlement amount as well as how likely you will be to win and how long it could take to receive compensation.

Quittance are a panel of solicitors and we cannot accept any responsibility for the advice provided by individual solicitors.

Calculating compensation for multiple injuries

Multiple injuries are usually defined as being injuries to different parts of the body that occur as the result of a single accident or negligent act. The calculation of compensation for multiple injuries, in most cases, will take into account the relative severity of the injuries and the degree to which they have each affected the injured Claimant.

The Court is not likely to "add together" the amounts that would be awarded for the pain and suffering caused by a major injury and a minor injury, if it is established that the pain of the more serious injury effectively masks whatever pain the Claimant would have experienced if they had only sustained the minor injury.

Calculations are determined on a case by case basis, and will take into account the impact that the injuries collectively have had on a Claimant's life. Multiple injury claims can be considerably more complex than for single injuries. For more information, contact a specialist solicitor.

Criminal injuries compensation (CICA) claims

Compensation for criminal injuries paid by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is calculated on the basis of a specific tariff of injuries. A CICA claim can be made for multiple injuries, with compensation awarded on the following basis - 100% of tariff for the most serious injury, 30% of the applicable tariff for the second-most serious and 15% for the third-most serious injury. No payment will be made for more than three injuries sustained a single criminal incident.

ATE Insurance

Solicitors normally advise Claimants to take out an After the Event (ATE) insurance policy on top of the No Win, No Fee agreement. The ATE policy will cover the legal costs which a Claimant must pay to a Defendant if their claim is unsuccessful either at trial or if the claim is abandoned or settled after the Defendant has incurred costs which the Claimant is liable to pay.

The policy should also cover any disbursements incurred by the solicitor on behalf of the Claimant, e.g. police and medical reports, Court fees, Counsel's fees etc. Policy premiums vary on the case type and the claims record of the solicitor.

Quittance's panel of solicitors are selected for their excellent claims record, meaning that they have access to lower policy premiums.

Quittance are not regulated to provide insurance advice. Please refer to your solicitor for ATE insurance terms and conditions.