Judicial College Guidelines for Personal Injury Compensation

The Judicial College (JC) publishes the 'Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases' as a guide to help legal professionals determine the financial value of a personal injury claim.

How will my compensation be calculated?

General damages

General damages are intended to compensate you for any pain, suffering and loss of amenity your injury has caused. General damages also reflect the impact an injury has had on your life, including, for example, the loss of hobbies or career.

It is difficult to put a financial value on an injury. Is a broken arm worth more or less than an amputated toe? Which deserves higher compensation, loss of hearing or loss of taste and smell?

The Judicial College guidelines include tables that set out compensation levels for everything from lung disease to chronic pain.

Click here to find a specific injury in the compensation tables.

Special damages

You would be awarded Special Damages for any costs and financial losses you have incurred as a result of your injuries.

Examples of things 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

How much compensation will I receive?

The Judicial College Guidelines are referred to by solicitors, insurance companies and the courts as a guide only. Your case will be considered on its own merit.

Compensation awards range from a few hundred to many thousands of pounds - depending on the type and severity of the injury.

For example, a minor hand injury receives general damages ranging from £737 to £3,460 under the guidelines. Claimants with quadriplegia can expect to receive between £258,740 and £322,060.

The 'plus 10%' rule

It is in everyone's interest that personal injury claims are settled as quickly and efficiently as possible.

To encourage cases to settle out of court, you would be awarded an extra 10% on top of the JCG tariff if the defendant later fails, in court, to beat your offer to settle the claim.

Where can I see the complete table of compensation awards?

To see the comprehensive list of Judicial College Personal Injury Awards, see:

The Complete 2023 Judicial College Injury Tables

Calculate your compensation now

Assessing the value of your claim at the outset can be complicated, particularly if you have multiple injuries.

Our Injury Compensation Calculator (updated 2023) will give you an instant estimate of how much compensation you could receive (including general and special damages).

The calculator will also tell you if you are eligible to claim and what you can claim for.

Author:
Howard Willis, Personal injury solicitor

About the author

Howard Willis qualified as a solicitor in 1984 and has specialised in personal injury for over 25 years. He is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) and is a recognised Law Society Personal Injury Panel expert.