Personal injury compensation payout examples

If your personal injury or medical negligence claim is successful, you will be awarded compensation. How much compensation you get will depend on the severity of your injuries, your rehabilitation needs, and the amount of money you’ve lost as a result of the accident or incident that caused your injuries.

How Personal Injury Compensation is Calculated

Compensation has two main parts: Special Damages and General Damages. To see the amounts of general damages compensation that should be awarded for certain types of personal injuries please click here.

Special Damages Compensation

Special damages intend to recover the money you have lost as a direct result of your injuries. This can include loss of earnings, the cost of medical treatment, the cost of assistance you now need, and out-of-pocket expenses. Your Personal Injury or Medical Negligence Solicitor will calculate your special damages by adding together all the finances you have lost. The amount of special damages compensation you get will depend entirely on your individual circumstances – for example, if you can no longer work as a result of your injuries, your special damages will be greater than someone whose ability to work hasn’t been affected.

General Damages Compensation

General damages intend to reflect the physical and emotional pain and suffering you have experienced as a direct result of your injuries, and the impact this has had on your quality of life.

Unlike special damages, your Personal Injury Solicitor won’t be able to work out your general damages using a calculation. Instead your Solicitor must consider the extent of your injuries, which will be the subject of one or more medical expert reports.

It will then be necessary to compare your case to the Judicial College Guidelines. These are legal guidelines in England and Wales that set out how much compensation should be awarded for certain types of injuries. The amounts of damages are based on what previous personal injury and medical negligence cases have been awarded.

The table below shows the amount of general damages that should be awarded for certain types of personal injuries, as determined by the Judicial College Guidelines. This is just a brief overview – the full guidelines are much more extensive and deal with many other types of injuries, and different levels of injury. If your type of injury is not listed below, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help you.

Most personal injury claims can be funded through a No Win No Fee agreement.

General Damages Compensation Payouts

Type of Injury

Description of Injuries

Range of General Damages

Brain/Head

Minor

Moderate

Severe

A full recovery within a few weeks

Small risk of epilepsy, concentration and memory are affected, ability to work is reduced, intellectual deficit, personality changes and senses/speech affected

Little response to surrounding environment, double incontinence, little or no language function, need for full-time nursing care

£1,675 to £9,700

£11,650 to £166,500

£214,350 to £307,000

Neck

Minor

Moderate

Severe

Soft tissue injuries (whiplash) that are resolved in three months to two years

Fractures or dislocations, wrenching-type injuries, disc lesion, and injuries that have accelerated and/or exacerbated existing injuries

Serious fractures, paraplegia, substantial loss of movement in the neck, loss of function in limbs, severe headaches

A few hundred pounds to £6,000

£6,000 to £29,250

£34,575 to £99,500

Back

Minor

Moderate

Severe

Strains, sprains, disc prolapses and soft tissues injuries that are resolved in three months to five years

Moderate residual disability with pain and discomfort. May be a need for surgery, acceleration and/or exacerbation of existing injuries

Damage to spinal cord and nerve roots leading to chronic conditions and dysfunction

A few hundred pounds to £9,500

£9,500 to £29,475

£29,475 to £122,350

Shoulder

Minor

Moderate

Severe

Soft tissue injuries with almost complete recovery in three months to two years

Soft tissue injuries/frozen shoulder with symptoms lasting more than two years

Dislocation, damage to the lower part of the brachial plexus causing symptoms, fractured humerus leading to restricted shoulder movement

A few hundred pounds to £5,800

£6,000 to £9,700

£9,700 to £14,600

Arm

Minor

Moderate

Severe

Simple fractures of the forearm

Serious fractures of the forearm with significant permanent residual disability – either functional or cosmetic

Serious injuries that cause a total loss of function

£5,000 to £14,600

£29,800 to £45,500

£73,100 to £99,500

Pelvis and Hip

Minor

Moderate

Severe

Minor soft tissue injuries with complete recovery, or injuries with little or no residual disability

Significant injury to pelvis or hip but permanent disability is not major

Extensive fractures and dislocation

Up to £3,000 to £9,575

£9,575 to £29,800

£29,800 to £99,500

Leg

Minor

Severe

Amputation

Simple fractures

Severe injuries short of amputation

Below the knee/above the knee amputation of one or both legs

Up to £9,000 to £21,100

£29,800 to £103,250

£74,475 to £214,350

Other types of personal injury the Judicial College Guidelines cover include:

Damage to internal organs
Amputation
Brain / Head injuries
Damage to upper body limbs, including wrists, elbows, hands and fingers
Damage to lower body limbs, including ankles, knees, feet and toes
Injuries affecting the senses
Psychiatric and psychological damage
Chronic pain
Scarring Facial injuries

Please note that the above is just a guide. It’s impossible to say how much compensation you’ll receive without detailed information about the extent of your injuries and the impact it has had on your day to day life.

Our Personal Injury Solicitors have many years of experience dealing with all types of accident claims, and will work to ensure you receive the correct amount of compensation that reflects your injuries and your situation.