What is the value of your personal injury claim? Use our free compensation calculator to find out. Simply select your injury type, indicate how serious it was, and the calculator will return an estimation of its value in a matter of minutes. Our values are derived from the Judicial College Guidelines which are the figures used by solicitors and courts across the UK. This ensures that you have a realistic starting point rather than a wild estimate.
There is no commitment when using our compensation calculator. Simply choose your injury type, answer a couple of questions about how serious it was, and you will be given an indicative range. Most people undervalue the amount to which they are entitled.
Since 1979, Thompsons Solicitors have been representing injured people throughout Scotland. We only act for claimants. We will never act for an employer. We will never act for insurers. All our personal injury work is done on a no win no fee basis.
How our compensation calculator works
Begin by choosing the type of accident you were involved in, then the injury (or injuries) you suffered. The calculator will then ask you how bad your injury was, whether you have lost income because of it, and who you think was at fault.
From your responses, the calculator will generate a rough estimate of the compensation you could expect to receive. The figure gives a general damages estimate which is an allowance for your pain, suffering, and the effects on your life. It does not account for special damages, which is the other form of compensation that covers your financial losses including lost wages, medical and carer bills. In reality, most claims are worth considerably more than the calculator figure alone.
To get a complete picture, talk to one of our solicitors directly. There is no obligation and it takes around ten minutes.
How is personal injury compensation calculated?
A personal injury award consists of two elements: general damages and special damages.
General damages are awarded in respect of physical pain and suffering, and in respect of a loss of amenity. Loss of amenity is the legal way of referring to what the injury has prevented you from doing. This may t be that you could no longer care for a young child, or that you were unable to go on holiday as scheduled, or that you could no longer participate in weekend football. To value this element of the award, solicitors refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (the 17th edition, published in 2024). The guidelines provide compensation ranges for particular injuries, graded according to severity and time to recover.
Special damages are all the money you are actually out of pocket because of your injury:
- Lost earnings (salary, overtime, bonuses, self-employed income, future earning capacity)
- Medical costs, from GP appointments and prescriptions through to private physiotherapy
- Travel to and from medical appointments
- Care provided by family or friends, even if not paid for
- Property damage (a car written off in a collision, personal possessions destroyed)
- Adaptations to your home if your mobility has been affected
Your total compensation is general damages plus special damages. Since no two injuries are alike and no two people's financial situations are exactly the same, no two claims will actually reach the same figure.
Compensation amounts by injury type
The ranges below are drawn from the Judicial College Guidelines (17th Edition). They represent general damages only. Your final compensation could be higher once special damages are included.
Head and brain injuries
Minor brain or head injury: £1,880 to £10,890. Moderate brain damage: £36,740 to £186,890. At the severe end, very serious brain damage can result in awards between £240,590 and £344,640.
Neck and back injuries
Whiplash recovering within three months sits at the lower end, up to £2,090. Whiplash lasting one to two years: £3,710 to £6,730. A back injury causing permanent symptoms falls between £11,730 and £26,050. Severe back injuries involving spinal cord damage: £85,470 to £151,070.
Arm, hand, and shoulder injuries
A minor shoulder injury can result in compensation up to £6,730. Serious arm injuries with lasting effects: £16,380 to £33,430. Loss of one arm above the elbow: £93,540 to £111,690.
Leg, knee, and foot injuries
Knee injuries with mild ongoing problems: £12,650 to £22,340. Serious leg injuries leaving permanent problems: £33,450 to £46,780. Loss of one leg below the knee: £83,590 to £113,450.
Psychological injuries
Moderate psychiatric damage: £5,000 to £16,270. Severe PTSD: £51,070 to £85,880. Severe psychiatric damage more broadly: £46,780 to £98,750.
This is a small sample of what the guidelines cover. If your injury does not appear here, it does not mean you cannot claim. Our solicitors deal with every category of personal injury and can advise on the likely value based on your medical evidence.
What else can you claim for?
The compensation table above is for general damages. Special damages are separate, and can swiftly double a claim's value.
The loss of earnings can be a considerable element. Salary, overtime, shift allowances, bonuses and other incentives are all included. If you are self-employed, the loss of contract income is factored in. If your injury has reduced your long-term ability to work, future loss of earnings can be claimed as well. You will need payslips or accounts from before the accident and proof of the income missed.
Claims can be made for medical and rehabilitation expenses. NHS treatment is covered, but if you chose private treatment for faster recovery, those fees are also recoverable. Physiotherapy, counselling, prescriptions, specialist appointments.
Day-to-day expenses add up quickly after an injury. Mileage and parking charges for hospital visits. Taxis if you could not drive. Crutches, a knee support, adapted clothing. All of these can be included in the claim. If your family or friends took time off work to care for you, or helped with shopping and cooking during your recovery, the courts can put a value on that care even when no money changed hands.
Claiming compensation on a no win no fee basis
Every personal injury claim at Thompsons is run on a no win no fee basis. Here is what that means in plain English:
You do not have to pay us anything to begin your claim. You do not have to pay us anything while we are working on your case. If your case is not successful, you owe us nothing. If your case is successful, a success fee (limited by law to a maximum of 25%) is deducted from the compensation we recover for you. This percentage is set in advance and will be agreed with you before your case begins.
There are no hidden costs or surprises. This is a point worth stressing. Many people do not make a claim after an injury because they assume it will cost them money. It will not. The financial risk sits entirely with us.
Compensation for specific types of accidents
Road traffic accidents. Drivers, passengers, cyclists, pedestrians. If the other driver was at fault, you can claim. Whiplash has a set tariff under the existing guidelines, but more serious injuries are valued under the Judicial College Guidelines and attract far higher figures. Read about road traffic accident claims.
Accidents at work. Your employer is under a legal duty to keep you safe. Poor training, malfunctioning equipment, failure to follow health and safety rules: if any of these contributed to your accident, you are entitled to claim. You cannot be dismissed for making a claim. That protection is written into law. Find out about workplace accident claims.
Medical negligence. An incorrect diagnosis, a botched operation, a failure to refer in time that let a condition deteriorate. Although the evidence required and timeframes tend to be more complex in such cases, the compensation payable is often considerably higher due to the severity of the injury sustained. Learn about medical negligence claims.
Serious injuries. Spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injury, amputations, paralysis. These cases attract the highest levels of compensation and require solicitors with the expertise to secure lifetime care packages, adapted housing, and future loss of earnings that may run into decades. See how we handle serious injury claims.
Frequently asked questions
It depends entirely on your injury and your circumstances. A mild soft tissue injury that heals within a matter of weeks might attract under £2,000 in general damages. A catastrophic brain injury could be worth hundreds of thousands. The compensation calculator gives you an idea; a conversation with a solicitor gives you precision.
Ours is based on the latest Judicial College Guidelines (17th edition, 2024), so the general damages figure is a decent ballpark. What any calculator will miss is special damages: your actual lost earnings, medical bills, travel costs, and care needs. These can add substantially to the total. Treat the result as a starting point.
Every injury is valued on a case-by-case basis and a separate bracket is applied. They are not simply totalled up. The most severe injury forms the benchmark, and a percentage of the less severe injuries is added on top. The way injuries interact also counts - for example, a knee injury alongside a back injury compounds your recovery, and the courts take this into account.
Not directly. This is an estimate for general damages (pain and suffering). Loss of earnings is covered under special damages, which requires proof of your pre-accident earnings and the income you have lost as a consequence. Your solicitor works this out as part of the overall claim.
There is no meaningful average. The range runs from under £1,000 for minor injuries to several hundred thousand pounds for catastrophic ones. The most reliable reference for expected general damages by injury type is the compensation tables published by the Judicial College.
Nothing at all. It is free, and by using it you will not be under any obligation to make a claim.
Get a free case assessment
If you have been injured through no fault of your own, we want to hear from you. Our team offers free, no-obligation case assessments. Tell us what happened, and one of our personal injury solicitors will let you know where you stand and what your claim could be worth.
Thompsons Solicitors have been fighting for injured people across Scotland since 1979. We only act for claimants, never for the other side. Every case we handle is on a no win no fee basis.
Contact us today for a free assessment of your claim.
