Personal injury compensation: How much can I claim?

Why claim compensation for a personal injury?

Being caught up in an accident that wasn't your fault can have life-changing consequences for you. Whether it was an accident at work, on the road, in public or anywhere else, making things right is often a long and difficult process. For your pain and suffering, now and in the future, you could be entitled to make a personal injury claim.

Many people come to us wondering if claiming is worth it. It's only natural to consider how much personal injury compensation you could be entitled to. That's why we've created this guide to give you a better understanding.

Below you'll find injury compensation amounts and ranges, as well as information on what's included in typical payouts for personal injury claims.

How much can I claim for a personal injury?

The honest answer is that each claim is unique, so your legal team won't be able to give you an exact figure until they know more about your case. How much compensation you could get for personal injury will depend on factors such as:

• The type and severity of your injuries.
• Your recovery time following the incident.
• Any medical expenses and travel costs you've incurred.
• Any lost earnings from time away from work.
• The lifestyle changes made necessary by your injuries.
• Any ongoing care needs or home adaptations required.

Your legal team will uncover exactly how your injuries have impacted you and those closest to you. With this insight, they'll work tirelessly to give you the best chance of getting the full injury compensation amount you deserve.

For a quick and easy estimate of how much a potential settlement could be worth, use our compensation calculator below. This tool is based on the personal injury compensation amounts outlined in the latest edition of the Judicial College Guidelines.

What's included in a typical payout for personal injury claims?

The value of any personal injury compensation claim is calculated by taking into account two types of damages: general and special. Legally, this is referred to as the 'quantum of damages'.

General damages

The basis of all personal injury claims is general damages. This is the official term referring to the compensation awarded for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity caused by your injury. General damages amounts are calculated by considering various factors, including:

• The physical and emotional impact of your injuries.
• Any ongoing symptoms or complications you may experience.
• The long-term impacts on your quality of life.
• Any lifestyle changes you've had to make following your accident.

Each case is assessed individually, but there are specific value ranges set out by the Judicial College in the compensation guidelines for personal injury. We outline these in our injury compensation chart below.

Special damages

In addition to general damages, special damages can also be awarded with a successful personal injury claim. These are designed to reimburse you for any financial losses or out-of-pocket expenses you've incurred (or will incur) as a result of your injuries.

Your legal team will help you gather all the necessary evidence, which may include receipts, invoices and payslips. These will be used to build your claim and ensure that your injury compensation amount covers all the costs and losses you've accumulated.

Some examples of special damages you could claim include:

• Loss of earnings: This is one of the most common special damages awarded. If you've had to take time off work while you recover, this may have resulted in a loss of income. Including this with your personal injury claim helps to reimburse these losses and reduce the impacts of your accident on your everyday life.
• Impact on your ability to work: Even if you've been able to return to work, you may have only been able to do so in a reduced capacity. This could mean you've been able to work fewer hours or not able to complete certain tasks as you did before the accident. Knock-on effects on promotion opportunities and career choices might be further consequences. Special damages compensation should take all this into account.
• Cost of care and medical treatment: You may have needed medical treatment and care following your accident, and this may be an ongoing requirement. While some treatment is likely to be provided by the NHS, additional private care might be required at extra cost to you. For example, this could include physiotherapy or specialist aftercare. Providing evidence of this should mean it's covered in any settlement amount.
• Cost of transport or travel expenses: Your injuries may have left you unable to drive or get about as you normally would. Whether this has prevented you from living your day-to-day life or even doing simple things like going to the shops, the impacts should be factored in with special damages. Any travel to and from medical appointments can also be included.
• Home adaptations: If you've suffered permanent injuries and your home needs to be adapted to support you day-to-day, this can also be considered. The costs are likely to be projected if you haven't already had the work done.

How do I start a personal injury compensation claim?

Once you've found out how much you can get for your personal injury claim, you may be thinking about the next steps. We're proud to say that starting the claims process with us is straightforward.

The first step is to contact our helpline for a free, no-obligation consultation. One of our expert advisors will carefully listen to your story and assess whether you're eligible to claim.

If your claim is valid, we'll refer you to one of our specialist partner solicitor firms who will discuss your case further. They'll explain the entire process, answer any questions you have and tell you about the next steps involved in pursuing the injury compensation amount you deserve.

Your legal team won't rush you and will ensure all your questions are answered before starting the process. If you're happy to proceed with a claim, they'll take care of the next steps.

Can I make a no win no fee claim?

We take the majority of cases on a no win no fee basis. This means you won't pay anything if you're not awarded the compensation - so long as you stick to the terms and conditions of the agreement. It's our way of making claiming as low-risk as possible for you.

Your legal team will arrange insurance with no upfront cost to limit the financial risk for you. It ensures that any legal fees don't have to come out of your pocket if you're not successful with your claim. You don't have to pay anything upfront and there are no hidden charges. Fees apply if your claim succeeds, but only the portion not covered by the other side will come out of your settlement.

It's rare for us to be unable to help you claim on a no win no fee basis, but if that's the case, your legal team will make this clear straight away and carefully explain your options. Try our claims checker to see if you might be eligible, it only takes a few minutes.

Why trust National Accident Helpline?

We have years_since years of experience using the official personal injury compensation guidelines to secure payouts for people who deserve them. Here are a few more reasons to choose us:

• Our services are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, which maintains the standards of solicitors in England and Wales.
• The experts in our nationwide panel of solicitors are all registered with The Law Society in England and Wales or the Law Society of Scotland.
• We're proud of our 'Excellent' rating on Trustpilot and every case where we've helped make a positive difference in people's lives.

Contact us for free, no-obligation advice today

Hopefully, you've seen our injury compensation chart above and had a chance to read through our personal injury payout guide. If you're interested in finding out more about claiming, the next step is to call our friendly advisors. There's never any obligation to proceed after your free consultation.

When you're ready, call us on or fill in our call back form.