How much is your accident claim worth?
Get an instant, realistic estimate of your injury compensation (UK) or settlement (US). Built on published Judicial College bracket figures and the official whiplash tariff — not guesswork.
Accident Compensation Calculator
Estimate your total payout range in under a minute
How the estimate is worked out
Personal-injury claims are not paid as a single round number. They are built up from clearly defined components, and understanding them helps you sense-check any figure a calculator, insurer or solicitor gives you.
1. General damages — the injury itself
This compensates you for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA) caused by the injury — the human cost, not the money cost. In England and Wales, courts and solicitors value this using the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG), a regularly updated book of bracket figures for every body part and severity. Our calculator uses bracket-style ranges based on the JCG (16th–18th editions, uplifted in April 2024) as its UK basis. In the US, there is no single official table, so we use typical published settlement ranges for each injury class instead.
2. Severity multiplier
The same injury type can be worth very different amounts depending on how serious and how long-lasting it is. Selecting minor, moderate or severe moves your estimate within (and, for severe permanent injuries, toward the top of) the published bracket for that injury.
3. Special damages — your financial losses
On top of general damages you can usually recover money you have actually lost: wages while you could not work, medical treatment, physiotherapy, care and assistance, travel to appointments, and — for serious injuries — future losses such as ongoing care or reduced earning capacity. These are added pound-for-pound (or dollar-for-dollar) to your estimate.
Accident compensation amounts by injury type
Indicative ranges used by this calculator. UK figures are bracket-style estimates based on the Judicial College Guidelines and the statutory whiplash tariff; US figures are typical personal-injury settlement ranges. Your case may fall outside these ranges.
| Injury type | UK — Minor (£) | UK — Moderate (£) | UK — Severe (£) | US — typical ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whiplash / neck | 275 – 4,830* | 4,800 – 13,700 | 25,000 – 55,000 | 10k – 50k |
| Back injury | 2,500 – 12,500 | 12,500 – 38,800 | 38,800 – 160,000 | 15k – 175k |
| Head / brain | 2,690 – 14,400 | 45,000 – 219,000 | 219,000 – 493,000 | 25k – 500k+ |
| Broken bone / fracture | 2,800 – 12,000 | 12,000 – 45,000 | 45,000 – 135,000 | 12k – 150k |
| Wrist / hand | 3,800 – 12,800 | 12,800 – 29,400 | 29,400 – 79,000 | 10k – 90k |
| Knee / leg | 2,800 – 14,500 | 14,500 – 47,800 | 47,800 – 159,000 | 15k – 180k |
| Psychological (PTSD) | 1,700 – 7,700 | 7,700 – 28,300 | 28,300 – 120,000 | 10k – 130k |
| Facial scarring | 2,000 – 9,300 | 9,300 – 30,000 | 30,000 – 97,000 | 8k – 100k |
* UK whiplash minor/moderate up to 2 years is the fixed statutory tariff (£275–£4,830). All other figures are bracket-style estimates and rounded. Last updated .
Injury calculators & payout guides
More tools and plain-English guides to how compensation and settlements are worked out.
Car accident payout
How road-traffic injury claims are valued, from whiplash to serious collisions, in the UK and US.
Car accident calculator →Whiplash & soft tissue
The UK whiplash tariff explained band by band, plus US whiplash settlement ranges.
Whiplash calculator →Work / workplace injury
Estimate compensation for accidents at work and how employer liability affects payouts.
Work injury calculator →How payouts are calculated
General vs special damages, severity, and the maths behind every compensation estimate.
Read the guide →UK injury compensation amounts — the full table
Our most-cited reference: typical UK payout brackets for every common injury by type and severity, based on the Judicial College Guidelines (17th edition).
How much is each injury worth in the UK?
See indicative general-damages brackets for head, brain, neck, back, spinal, limb, sensory and psychological injuries — all in one place, with the statutory whiplash tariff and sources.
View the UK compensation amounts table →Browse every compensation calculator & guide
Free injury-specific calculators and plain-English claim guides. Pick the one that matches your accident or injury.
Injury calculators
- Whiplash compensation calculator
- Back injury calculator
- Neck injury calculator
- Head & brain injury calculator
- Brain injury calculator
- Spinal injury calculator
- Knee & leg injury calculator
- Wrist & hand injury calculator
- Shoulder injury calculator
- Broken bone & fracture calculator
- Scarring & laceration calculator
- PTSD compensation calculator
Accident-type calculators
- Car accident calculator
- Road traffic accident calculator
- Motorcycle accident calculator
- Cycling accident calculator
- Pedestrian accident calculator
- Work accident calculator
- Construction accident calculator
- Slip and fall calculator
- Public liability calculator
- Medical negligence calculator
- Dog bite calculator
- Sports injury calculator
Guides & how-to
- UK injury compensation amounts
- How is compensation calculated?
- Average payout by injury
- General vs special damages
- Whiplash tariff explained
- Judicial College Guidelines
- No win no fee explained
- Claim time limits
- Do I need a solicitor?
- Loss of earnings claim
- Contributory negligence
- What is a personal injury claim?
Accident compensation — frequently asked questions
How is accident compensation calculated?
Compensation is the sum of general damages (for the injury — pain, suffering and loss of amenity, valued from injury brackets such as the Judicial College Guidelines) and special damages (your actual financial losses — lost earnings, medical and care costs, and future losses). The calculator estimates the general-damages range for your injury and severity, then adds the losses you enter.
How much compensation will I get for whiplash?
In England & Wales, whiplash lasting up to two years is paid under a fixed government tariff — from £275 (under 3 months) to £4,830 (18–24 months) for accidents on or after 31 May 2025. Whiplash lasting more than two years, or with serious complications, is valued outside the tariff and can be worth more. In the US there is no tariff; minor whiplash often settles around $10,000–$30,000 depending on treatment, lost income and your state.
Is this calculator accurate?
It gives a realistic guide range from published injury brackets, not a guaranteed figure. Every claim turns on its own medical evidence, liability (who was at fault) and proven losses. Treat the result as a starting point and confirm with a qualified solicitor or attorney.
What is the difference between general and special damages?
General damages compensate for the injury and its effect on your life. Special damages reimburse measurable money lost because of the accident — wages, medical bills, care, travel and future losses. The calculator estimates the first and adds the second from the figures you enter.
Does it work for both the UK and the US?
Yes — use the region toggle. UK mode shows compensation in £ using Judicial College bracket figures and the statutory whiplash tariff. US mode shows a settlement estimate in $ using typical personal-injury settlement ranges. The injury categories stay the same.
Do I need a solicitor or lawyer to claim?
Not always — small UK whiplash claims can be made through the Official Injury Claim portal without a solicitor. But for moderate or serious injuries, professional representation usually improves the outcome and is often arranged on a no-win-no-fee basis. This site is an estimating tool and does not provide legal advice or representation.
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