If you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault, it can have a significant impact on your life. Whether you have had an accident at work, been involved in a car crash or had an accident in a public place, you might be able to claim damages. An accident can leave you with mobility problems, financial pressures and ongoing symptoms, and perhaps you are wondering how much compensation your claim could be worth. This blog post on calculating personal injury compensation will provide you with what you need to know.
We will discuss the important factors that come into play when compensation is calculated, cover the types of financial loss that can be claimed and finally provide you with some further resources about making a compensation claim.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of your personal injury claim, you can contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our advice is free, and you are not obligated to start a claim, so you have nothing to lose by getting in touch.
- Call us on 0330 043 3679
- Contact us online
Browse Our Blog
- How Much Personal Injury Compensation Could I Receive?
- What Factors Are Important When Calculating Personal Injury Compensation?
- What Types of Financial Losses Can I Claim For In A Personal Injury Claim?
- More Resources About Making Personal Injury Claims
How Much Personal Injury Compensation Could I Receive?
Compensation in personal injury cases can be made up of two types of damages.
The first is for your pain, suffering and loss of enjoyment of life; this is awarded under general damages. General damages for your injuries will be calculated depending on the injuries that you suffered. So, a significant brain injury claim would be worth more than a soft tissue shoulder injury.
Those calculating personal injury compensation can refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) which gives suggested compensation brackets for different types of injury. They will also potentially have access to a medical report that will give a prognosis for your recovery and go through your symptoms in detail.
Below is a table of example injuries and the guideline bracket that they fall under in the JCG. Please note that these are not guaranteed figures and that every case and calculation of damages is unique. The top-line entry also does not come from the JCG.
| Injury | Severity | Compensation Guideline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Serious Injuries with Special Damages | Severe | Up to £1,000,000 plus, | Compensation for suffering multiple serious injuries and their associated financial costs such as lost earnings. |
| Brain Damage | Moderately Severe | £267,340 to £344,150 | A substantial dependence on other due to being seriously disabled. |
| PTSD | Severe | £73,050 to £122,850 | There will be permanent effects that prevent the person living as they did pre-truama. |
| Ankle | Very Severe | £61,090 to £85,070 | Injuries include extensive soft tissue damage and a transmalleolar fracture. |
| Hand | Serious | £35,390 to £75,550 | The hand's capacity will be reduced by half. |
| Back | Moderate (i) | £33,880 to £47,320 | Compression or crush fractures causing constant pain. |
| Pelvis & Hips | Moderate (ii) | £15,370 to £32,450 | Such injuries may require a hip replacement or other surgery. |
| Foot | Modest | Up to £16,770 | Puncture wounds, simple metatarsal fractures or ruptured ligaments fall under this category. |
| Shoulder | Moderate | £9,630 to £15,580 | Limited movement due to a frozen shoulder causing discomfort. |
The second type of damage you could be awarded is for your financial losses that have been created by the injuries you’ve suffered; this is awarded under special damages.
For example, you suffer a broken foot injury at work, and as your job is very physical, you need to take time off and are not paid whilst absent. Under special damages, you could be awarded compensation for these lost earnings.
You will have to provide some evidence to support your special damages claim, such as wage slips or receipts, and we consider what types of financial loss you can claim in a further section.
If you have any questions about your claim or calculating personal injury compensation, you can contact our advisory team.
What Factors Are Important When Calculating Personal Injury Compensation?
There are several factors that will be considered by those calculating personal injury compensation. These can include:
- The type of injury or injuries you have suffered.
- How severe your symptoms are.
- The impact that the injury has had on your life.
- If you have suffered psychologically as well as physically.
- How much loss of earnings you have suffered or will suffer in the future.
- What other financial losses you might have incurred (more on this in the next section).
An independent medical examination can be arranged to obtain a medical report that will help you show how the accident impacted your life. Further evidence can be used, such as witness statements or photographs of your injuries.
It is important to note that you can claim for both physical and psychological injuries. For example, you might have travel anxiety following a significant road traffic accident, in addition to your physical injuries. Sometimes, your accident can cause you to develop depression or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and if so, these are factors that need to be taken into account when calculating your damages.
To discuss your personal injury claim and receive a free valuation of the potential compensation you could receive, contact one of our friendly advisors.
What Types of Financial Losses Can I Claim For In A Personal Injury Claim?
There are a wide variety of financial losses or out-of-pocket expenses that can be caused by your injuries. If you were injured and it was someone else’s fault you can try and claim these expenses under special damages as part of your claim. Some examples of financial loss include:
- Loss of earnings (past and future).
- Reduction in pension entitlement.
- The cost of home or vehicle adaptations.
- Care costs (this can include care provided by friends or family).
- Medical expenses or medical treatment you have paid for.
- Travel expenses.
To help you successfully claim special damages, you will need some supporting evidence. Here are some examples of things that could help:
- Wage slips.
- Receipts.
- Invoices.
- Pension scheme documents.
When calculating personal injury compensation, it is vital that all special damage items are included otherwise, you will end up shortchanged. However, it is important to note that you can not claim special damages on their own, as you must have suffered an injury, and these financial losses were directly caused by said injury.
Contact Us
If you still have questions about how personal injury compensation is calculated, you can contact our advisory team. They can also provide you with free advice for your claim and potentially connect you with a No Win No Fee from our panel who could help you with claiming compensation.
Connect with our team today by:
- Calling us on 0330 043 3679
- Contacting us online
More Resources About Making Personal Injury Claims
More personal injury claims guides by us:
- Our personal injury claims calculator could help you with gaining a clearer idea of how much compensation you may be owed.
- What is the average payout for injury at work?
- Learn how personal injury solicitors could help you claim compensation under a No Win No Fee Agreement.
External resources:
- Learn when to provide first aid from the NHS.
- If you are struggling mentally, get some online support through the mental health charity ‘Mind’
- Guidance on claiming statutory sick pay (SSP) from Gov.UK.
Thank you for taking the time to read our blog post about calculating personal injury compensation.
