Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Compensation Claims

How does a PTSD compensation claim work in the UK?

You can make a PTSD compensation claim regardless of whether your PTSD is the only after-effect of what happened or if you also have physical injuries. As long as the accident or other incident that led to your PTSD was in the past three years and the fault of someone else, you can claim for PTSD compensation.

Claiming can bring you no financial risk as it will be on a no win no fee basis. There are no upfront charges and all of the costs are 100% covered for you during the case. You'll pay nothing at all if you lose. If you win, your contribution to these costs will simply be deducted from your compensation.

You can also claim on behalf of someone else, for example if a medical or mental health condition means they can't claim themselves.

If you have any questions or feel you might have a claim, contact us for free on . With over years_since years' experience in personal injury claims, we can make the claims process as smoothly as possible for you.

We'll listen to what you've been through and let you know if we think you could make a claim. If you're eligible, we'll match you with specialist PTSD solicitors who can make your claim and support you through the process.

What is post-traumatic stress disorder?

PTSD is a psychiatric disorder usually caused by a stressful and traumatic experience such as an accident. It is also sometimes known as post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Symptoms such as anxiety and sleeplessness are natural after a traumatic event and will usually go away within a few weeks. But when they continue beyond a month or so, though, they might be classified as PTSD. The NHS estimate that PTSD develops in about one in every three people who have a traumatic experience.

What are the symptoms of PTSD?

People who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder might experience a range of symptoms, as recognised in the NICE guidance on PTSD. If you are suffering from one or more of the following symptoms, you may be experiencing PTSD:

• Reliving the traumatic event. Flashbacks, nightmares and even physical symptoms such as pain and trembling are ways that someone might find themselves re-experiencing a traumatic event.
• Difficulty sleeping. People with PTSD may have difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep. As well as nightmares, they might experience night terrors, sleep walking or night sweats. 
• Difficulty concentrating. Perhaps due to anxiety, people with PTSD often find that they struggle to concentrate on day-to-day tasks. For this reason, you should tell your doctor if you are unsure whether your PTSD will affect your driving. Memory performance may also be affected.   
• Irritability and anger. Anxiety during PTSD can manifest itself as irritability and episodes of anger. Sufferers will often try to contain or hide their anger, which unfortunately can lead to self-destructive behaviour. In other cases, they may lash out at the people around them.
• Feelings of guilt. Some people feel guilty about the traumatic event, perhaps by blaming themselves for it or wondering if they could have done something to stop it.
• Social anxiety. PTSD and social anxiety disorder or social phobia often go together. This fear of social situations can be very upsetting and greatly affect a person's quality of life.
• Self-harm. Some people with PTSD turn to self-destructive behaviours, including self-harm and drug or alcohol abuse. 
• Physical symptoms. PTSD sufferers have reported physical symptoms including stomach pains, headaches and chest pains.

As the Royal College of Psychiatrists point out, people often find it difficult to talk about upsetting events and feelings like these. We understand this, and act with sensitivity when talking through your circumstances to see if a no win no fee claim for PTSD compensation could help you. If we feel you are eligible for a claim, we'll be just as understanding when we manage your claim to seek the compensation you deserve. 

How is PTSD diagnosed?

Upsetting after-effects of an accident often last just for a few weeks and then go away naturally. But if your symptoms persist, however, your GP may ask you some questions and refer you to a mental health specialist such as a psychologist, psychiatrist or psychological therapist.

As well as comprehensive assessment, you may be asked to go through a period of active monitoring. This involves carefully monitoring whether your symptoms improve or get worse over a few weeks.

What is the treatment for PTSD?

A number of different treatments help people with post-traumatic stress disorder. These include:

• Trauma focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This can help you come to terms with your experience. It may also ease you back into doing things you've avoided, like driving again after a road traffic accident.
• Group psychotherapy. Being in a group with PTSD sufferers lets you learn from others' experiences. This is often considered to be an appropriate form of treatment for military personnel and veterans. 
• Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR). Patients think about their traumatic experience while keeping their eyes on the therapist's hand movements. This seems to help them process their memories and think more positively about their trauma.
• Medication. Medication such as anti-depressants can be effective in reducing PTSD symptoms. You may be encouraged to try psychological treatment first, with medication prescribed only if you don't benefit from the therapy.

PTSD is often treated successfully, but sometimes NHS treatment may not be available or there may be a long waiting list for it. This is why many people use their PTSD compensation payouts to fund private treatment. With counselling or therapy often expensive,  compensation can make a real difference in supporting your recovery.

Can I claim compensation for PTSD?

You might be able to do so, yes.

To be able to make a PTSD claim, you need to be suffering PTSD due to someone else's negligence. You must also show that you have incurred financial loss as a direct result of this. 

If you can satisfy these two points, there's a good chance that you could make a claim for PTSD compensation. 

To find out whether you're eligible for a PTSD payout, call our team of advisors for free on . We'll listen to what's happened and put you in touch with one of our PTSD lawyers who will be able to advise on whether they think that you have a case that's likely to succeed.

Who pays the PTSD compensation in a successful No Win No Fee claim?

Compensation is always paid by the other side's insurance company: 

• In a road traffic accident injury claim, this will be their motor insurance company. 
• For an injury at work, it will be employers' liability insurer used by the firm for which you work.
• For accidents in a public place, it will be the public liability insurer of the council, business or landlord deemed legally responsible for your accident injury.

This ensures that no-one is hit with an unaffordable bill.

Our advice is never to accept an early settlement offer from an insurance company without taking legal advice. The amount may well be lower than that to which you're entitled. 

We'll check your eligibility to claim and then pair you with one of our approved PTSD solicitors if you choose to proceed.

What happens if my PTSD claim is unsuccessful or you think I don't have grounds for a claim?

If your claim is unsuccessful, then you pay nothing - it's as simple as that. No Win No Fee means that there are no financial risks and surprises when you make a compensation claim.

We're here to give you the advice that you need to make an informed decision about your claim. If we don't think that you have reasonable grounds for a claim, either we (or the solicitor whom we appoint to discuss your case) will let you know there and then - and give you clear reasons why.

There are no up front costs involved and, if you're within the time limits for making a claim, you're free to seek a second opinion elsewhere.

What benefits can I claim for PTSD in the UK?

In the UK, being diagnosed with PTSD can mean that you're entitled to disability benefits. However, to claim benefits for PTSD, you'll need to be assessed by a medical professional. They will be able to make a diagnosis and let you know whether you have a disability because of your PTSD. 

According to the Equality Act 2010, for PTSD to be classified as a disability, it must have a substantial and long-term effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. 

You might also be able to claim for:

• Universal Credit
• Income Support
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Personal Independence Payments (PIP)
• Housing Benefit
• Council Tax support 

To learn more about whether you could be eligible for benefits due to your PTSD, use the Government's official benefits calculator.

How much is a PTSD claim worth?

PTSD compensation amounts depend on the severity of your suffering, the effects it has on your life, and how long the symptoms might last. Letting PTSD solicitors investigate what has happened is the best way to find out what your PTSD claim may be worth. 

We can start that for you by connecting you with a solicitor with the right experience and specialism for your PTSD claim. If your claim goes through, you could receive compensation in one or both of these categories:

• General damages cover pain, suffering and ‘loss of amenity', which means the everyday things you can't do because of your injury.   
• Special damages are the financial losses you experience as a direct result of your injury. These might include loss of earnings, changes to your ability to work, and treatment and prescription costs. 

PTSD compensation payouts 

The Judicial College is the government department in the Ministry of Justice responsible for setting the guideline general damages amounts for all personal injury types. Instead of an overall average PTSD settlement figure, there are specific guidelines for PTSD compensation amounts in four categories:

How long does a PTSD claim take?

As each PTSD compensation case is unique, it's difficult to say exactly how long it will take for you to receive your PTSD compensation payout. Most straightforward cases can be settled in around 12-18 months. This is usually when the party at fault accepts liability.

But more complex cases take longer to settle. In some cases, your claim might take at least 12 months. If this happens, your PTSD solicitor can normally request interim payments to ensure that you don't miss out financially during this time. These payments can go towards easing the financial impact that PTSD is having on your family or help with necessary medical treatment costs.

How do I start my claim with National Accident Helpline?

You could be entitled to compensation if you have experienced PTSD as a result of someone's negligence. If you've got any questions about post-traumatic stress disorder claims, contact us for free and impartial advice on or request a call back. We'll listen to what you've been through and let you know if we think you could make a claim.

If you've got grounds to make a claim, we can connect you with a specialist solicitor. The solicitor will give you a free consultation and assess how they can help you. They will also talk you through the no win no fee agreement before starting the claim if you wish to go ahead.