General damages and special damages
| Type | What it covers | How it is valued |
|---|---|---|
| General damages | Pain, suffering and loss of amenity | Whiplash tariff (road traffic, up to 2 years) or Judicial College Guidelines |
| Special damages | Lost earnings, care, travel, treatment, other costs | Actual losses, supported by receipts and payslips |
Worked example
A hypothetical driver injured in June 2025 has whiplash expected to last seven months (tariff: £965), loses £900 in earnings, pays £240 for private physiotherapy, £60 in travel and receives £150 of care from family. A court finds them 15% to blame for not wearing a seatbelt properly.
| General damages after 15% reduction | £820 |
| Special damages after 15% reduction | £1,148 |
| Estimated total | £1,968 |
Because the injury damages are under £5,000, this road traffic claim would normally go through the small claims track using the Official Injury Claim portal.
Compensation brackets for common injuries
For injuries outside the whiplash tariff, general damages come from the Judicial College Guidelines, 18th edition (April 2026). The table summarises the brackets the calculator uses. Awards within a bracket depend on the medical evidence, and financial losses are added on top.
| Injury | Bracket | General damages |
|---|---|---|
| Back injury | Minor | £3,240 to £16,520 |
| Moderate | £16,520 to £51,230 | |
| Severe | £51,230 to £92,130 | |
| Very severe | £97,980 to £116,820 | |
| Neck injury (not whiplash tariff) | Moderate | £33,020 to £50,850 |
| Severe | £60,080 to £73,970 | |
| Very severe | £86,860 to £172,970 | |
| Shoulder injury | Minor | £5,750 to £10,420 |
| Moderate | £10,420 to £16,870 | |
| Serious | £16,870 to £25,370 | |
| Elbow injury | Minor or moderate | Up to £16,640 |
| Less severe | £20,680 to £42,290 | |
| Severe | £51,750 to £72,440 | |
| Wrist injury | Fracture that heals | £4,670 to £13,670 |
| Some permanent disability | £16,640 to £32,370 | |
| Significant permanent disability | £32,370 to £51,750 | |
| Complete loss of function | £62,910 to £79,080 | |
| Arm injury | Less severe | £25,370 to £51,750 |
| Permanent disability | £51,750 to £79,080 | |
| Severe | £127,050 to £172,970 | |
| Knee injury (serious) | Serious | £34,600 to £57,410 |
| Severe | £68,860 to £92,130 | |
| Very severe | £92,130 to £127,110 | |
| Ankle injury | Modest | Up to £18,150 |
| Moderate | £18,150 to £35,130 | |
| Severe | £41,370 to £66,140 | |
| Leg injury (serious) | Serious | £36,680 to £51,790 |
| Very serious | £51,790 to £72,440 | |
| Severe | £72,440 to £117,210 |
Figures last checked 29 September 2026. Severe brain, spinal and multiple injuries are outside the scope of this calculator and need specialist advice. See also back injury compensation and special damages you can claim.
How a claim usually works
- Medical evidence: An independent medical report confirms the injury and prognosis.
- Letter of claim: The other side (usually their insurer) is told about the claim under the pre-action protocol.
- Liability decision: The insurer admits or denies fault, sometimes partly.
- Valuation and negotiation: Offers are exchanged based on the medical evidence and your losses.
- Court proceedings: Only if the claim does not settle, and they must be issued within the time limit.
Evidence you will need
- Medical records and an independent medical report on your injury and recovery.
- Photos of the scene and your injuries, and details of any witnesses.
- Accident report forms (for example, the accident book at work) and any police reference.
- Payslips, receipts and a simple record of travel and care provided by family.
Interim payments
If the other side has admitted fault but the claim is not yet settled, you can ask for an interim payment: part of your compensation paid early to cover costs such as lost earnings, care or private treatment.
Claiming for a child
A parent or guardian can bring a claim on a child's behalf as their "litigation friend". Any settlement for a child must be approved by a court, and the money is normally held until the child turns 18. Children have until their 21st birthday to claim themselves.
Assault and violent crime
If you were injured in a violent crime, you may be able to apply to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), a government scheme with its own tariff of awards and a general 2-year time limit from the date of the incident. It works differently from the claims covered by this calculator.
Contributory negligence: when you were partly to blame
Compensation can be reduced by the percentage of blame the court gives you. A well-known example is not wearing a seatbelt: under the Court of Appeal's guidance in Froom v Butcher, the reduction is typically 25% if a seatbelt would have prevented the injury altogether, 15% if it would have made it less severe, and nothing if it would have made no difference.
Small claims and the Official Injury Claim portal
Road traffic injury claims where the injury damages are £5,000 or less usually go through the small claims track, often using the Official Injury Claim portal. For other injury claims the small claims limit is £1,000. In the small claims track you generally cannot recover your legal costs from the other side.
No win no fee
Most injury solicitors work under a conditional fee agreement. If the claim succeeds, the success fee taken from your compensation is capped at 25% of damages for pain, suffering and past losses. You may also pay for after-the-event insurance. Always ask for the exact percentage in writing before signing.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
This calculator applies the law of England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate courts and rules. The whiplash tariff, for example, does not apply there.
Whiplash compensation
See the full tariff table and calculate your amount on the whiplash compensation calculator.