Suffered a brain injury? We're here to support you
A brain injury can change the way you live your life, affecting your health, work, relationships and ability to do everyday activities. If you or someone close to you has suffered a serious brain injury that wasn't your fault, making a brain injury compensation claim could help you get the financial support you need.
How can brain injuries happen?
Brain injuries can happen in many different ways, from road traffic accidents and workplace accidents to medical negligence, such as a misdiagnosis or surgical errors. Some injuries happen when the brain is damaged by a sudden impact, while others can be caused by bleeding, swelling, infection or a lack of oxygen reaching the brain. Common causes and types of brain injury include:
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
A traumatic brain injury happens when a sudden impact or movement causes damage to the brain. This can include minor head injuries, concussion and more serious injuries such as diffuse axonal injury.
Bleeding and swelling on the brain
Conditions such as subdural haematomas and subarachnoid haemorrhages happen when bleeding affects the brain. These can be serious and may require urgent medical treatment.
Medical conditions and illnesses
Brain injuries can also happen due to conditions such as strokes, brain tumours, aneurysms, meningitis and encephalitis.
Other causes
Brain damage can also be caused by events such as carbon monoxide poisoning or a lack of oxygen to the brain (hypoxic or anoxic brain injury).
What is classed as a serious brain injury?
A serious brain injury is one that causes significant damage and has a lasting impact on areas such as memory, communication, movement, work or independent living.
After a head injury, medical professionals will usually assess the severity using the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). This measures a person's level of consciousness and helps determine whether the injury is mild, moderate or severe. Brain injuries can also be described by how they happened. They may be:
- Closed: A strong impact has injured the brain, but the skull hasn't been fractured
- Penetrating: An object has pierced the skull and injured the brain
- Crushing: The head has been compressed or squeezed, causing damage to the brain
Can I claim compensation for a brain injury?
If you're not sure whether you or someone close to you could claim for a brain injury, then we can help. If any of the following apply to you, your injury may have had a significant impact on your life and you could be entitled to compensation:
- You need ongoing medical support
- You've been off work for a long time, or can't return to work at all
- You can't manage the same job or have had to reduce your hours
- You've received care or support from loved ones
- You can't continue with the hobbies or activities that you used to enjoy
If you've experienced any of the above, you may be entitled to make a brain injury compensation claim. Contact us free on and our Helpline Advisors will give guidance on whether you could claim.
Is there a time limit to make a brain injury claim?
If you've suffered a brain injury, you'll usually have three years from the date of the incident to make a personal injury claim. This is known as the limitation period and means you must either settle your claim or start court proceedings within this timeframe.
Brain injury claims can be more complex than other personal injury claims, particularly where injuries are severe, symptoms develop over time, or a claim needs to be made on behalf of a loved one. Starting your claim as soon as possible can help ensure important evidence is collected while details of the incident are still clear.
Can I make a brain injury compensation claim on someone's behalf?
If you need to make a claim on behalf of someone else, we're here to guide you through the process. Below are common situations where you could act on behalf of a loved one as a litigation friend.
Claiming for a child
- Children under 18 cannot legally make a claim themselves
- A parent or guardian acts as a ‘litigation friend' to manage the claim
- You can start a claim at any time before the child turns 18
- If unresolved by 18, they can pursue the claim until their 21st birthday
- Your solicitor will work closely with you to ensure your child's needs are fully represented
Claiming for someone who lacks mental capacity
- For someone who lacks the mental capacity to make decisions about their claim, a family member or guardian can act as their litigation friend. Mental capacity will be assessed on a case-by-case basis
- There's no time limit for making a claim unless they regain capacity, however briefly
- If capacity is regained, the three-year time limit starts from that date
- Your legal team will ensure compensation truly reflects their immediate and future needs
It can be daunting to claim on behalf of someone else. But don't worry, we'll ensure both you and the person you're assisting are supported throughout the process, with clear guidance from your legal team at every stage.
How much compensation could I get for a brain injury?
The amount of compensation you could receive for a brain injury depends on your individual circumstances, including the severity of your injury and how it has affected your everyday life.
To help value personal injury claims, solicitors often refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (18th edition). These guidelines provide suggested compensation brackets for different injuries based on their severity and impact.
Based on these guidelines, awards for brain injuries can range from around £2,500 for minor injuries to over £500,000 for a serious brain injury. These figures are only a guide, and the amount you receive will depend on the specific circumstances of your case.
Your claim will also take into account factors such as your pain and suffering, any changes you've had to make to your life and financial losses, such as lost earnings or care costs.
Try our compensation calculator to get an estimate of what your brain injury claim could be worth in just two minutes.
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How can compensation for brain damage help?
Every brain injury is different, so the support each person needs will vary. While compensation can't undo the harm you've suffered, it can help make everyday life more manageable by providing financial support for things like:
- Treatment such as physiotherapy or occupational therapy
- Adaptations to your home
- Loss of future or past earnings (for you or a loved one who has been caring for you)
- Psychological therapy such as cognitive behavioural therapy
- Specialist equipment to help you with day-to-day activities
- Modified or increased transport costs
Your solicitor will consider rehabilitation, treatment costs and other financial losses when valuing your claim and will work to secure the compensation you may be entitled to.
What is the process for making a personal injury claim after head trauma?
To begin the claims process, one of our Helpline Advisors will assess your situation and, if you're eligible, connect you with a regulated solicitor from our panel. Your solicitor will then gather evidence, arrange an independent medical assessment, and negotiate your compensation on your behalf.
Because brain injury claims are often more complex, additional medical evidence and specialist reports may be needed before your claim can be settled. For a step-by-step guide, visit our personal injury claims process page.
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With extensive personal injury legal and senior management experience, John oversees the optimisation of the customer journey - from the start of a claim through to final settlement.
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What types of head and brain injury do we help with?
What types of head and brain injury do we help with?
Brain injuries fall into a number of categories, all with different symptoms, treatments and recovery journeys. Here, we explain the most common types of injury:
- Concussion: A type of brain injury usually caused by a blow or bump to the head. It can cause symptoms such as confusion, dizziness and, in some cases, loss of consciousness.
- Subdural haematoma: When blood collects between the skull and the surface of the brain. It is a serious condition that may require urgent medical treatment.
- Subarachnoid haemorrhage: Bleeding on the surface of the brain. It is a rare type of stroke and can be life-threatening.
- Diffuse axonal injury: A type of traumatic brain injury caused by sudden movement of the brain inside the skull, damaging the connections between brain cells.
How long does it take to settle a brain injury case?
How long does it take to settle a brain injury case?
Brain injury claims often take longer to settle than other personal injury claims because they're usually more complex. It can take time to understand the full extent of the injury, how it will affect your future and what ongoing care or support you may need.
There isn't a set timeframe, but straightforward cases may settle within 12 to 18 months. More serious brain injury claims can take several years, particularly if the injury is life-changing or responsibility for the accident is disputed.
Your solicitor will keep you updated throughout the process and work to secure the compensation you need, rather than settling your claim too early before the full impact of your injury is known.
Can I claim on behalf of someone whos passed away?
Can I claim on behalf of someone whos passed away?
Yes, in some circumstances you can make a claim on behalf of someone who has died. The claim is usually made by the person responsible for managing their estate. This is the executor if there is a will, or the administrator if there isn't one.
The claim doesn't need to relate to the cause of their death. For example, a claim may still be possible if someone suffered an injury in an accident before they died, but the accident wasn't the reason they passed away.
In most cases, you'll have three years from the date of death to settle the claim or start court proceedings, so it's important to seek advice as soon as possible. If you'd like to discuss your circumstances with us, please call our Helpline Advisors on and they'll be able to talk you through your options.
Can't find the answer you're looking for? Visit our general FAQs page for more information.
Useful brain injury claims related guides
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