Brain Injury Compensation Amounts and Payouts
- Multiple very severe injuries plus special damages, such as occupational therapy costsUp to £1,000,000+
- Very severe brain damage impacting ability to function£344,150 to £493,000
- A brain injury that leaves someone very seriously disabled, such as limb paralysis£267,340 to £344,150
- Serious brain injuries with less dependence on others for help, with some personality change and impact on the likes of speech£183,190 to £267,340
- Brain injuries with a greatly reduced ability to work£110,720 to £183,190
- Brain injury cases involving a lesser impact on the ability to work, with very limited dependence on others£52,550 to £110,720
- Less severe brain injuries with a good chance of recovery£18,700 to £52,550
- Minimal brain damage with minor symptomsUp to £15,580
Last Updated 2nd November 2025. Suffering a brain injury has the potential to change your life. If you or a loved one sustained the injury as a result of another party breaching their duty of care, you could pursue a brain injury compensation claim.
Our specialist brain injury claims team have helped scores of people not just get compensation for their injuries, but secure vital care costs to help support them throughout their lives as they live with their injuries and the impact.
As you can see from the amounts above, compensation varies based on the brain injury’s severity and its impact, as well as the financial impact, like lost earnings and rehabilitation.
To speak with our brain injury solicitors today, click the button below to arrange a free consultation. To learn more about the process, compensation amounts and payouts, and the evidence that can help a case, please keep scrolling.
4.8 (466 reviews) Reviews Of Our Service
What Is A Brain Injury?
The brain is made up of many different nervous tissues and is responsible for many different functions in our body, including movement, communication, emotion, memory, sensation, and responses. The potential impacts of a brain injury can be life-changing. Broadly, here are the two types of brain injuries:
- An acquired brain injury – where brain damage has been present since birth.
- A traumatic brain injury – where brain damage is caused by trauma to the head, such as by a violent jolt or blow.
How Much Compensation For A Brain Injury?
If your claim is successful, the brain injury compensation you will receive may depend on two different heads of loss. These are called general damages and special damages.
The first head of loss, general damages, is awarded in all successful claims. General damages compensate you for the psychological and physical impacts of your brain injury. These are some aspects that are considered:
- Loss of amenity
- Whether a full recovery is expected, and if so, how long it will take
- The severity of the injury
During the evaluation of general damages, legal professionals may refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) as well as your independent medical records.
The JCG is a document containing guideline compensation brackets for all sorts of physical and psychological injuries. The figures you can see in our quick brain injury compensation calculator come from here.
Fast Brain Injury Compensation Calculator
Ranges cover general damages. Special damages (care, therapy, lost earnings) can increase the total payout.
It is important to bear in mind that none of these brackets can be guaranteed for your specific brain injury claim, as all cases are unique. If you’d like a more personal estimate, please reach out to us today to book a free consultation.
4.8 (466 reviews) What Can A Brain Injury Compensation Payout Cover?
The second head of loss, special damages, is awarded to some successful claimants. Special damages compensate you for the financial impacts of your brain injury, such as:
- Loss of earnings if you’re unable to work due to the injury. This includes future loss of earnings if you’re unable to return to work at all.
- Mobility aid equipment, such as a stairlift.
- Domestic care costs.
However, since special damages are not awarded to all successful claimants, keeping evidence of the financial impacts of your brain injury is essential. Such evidence includes receipts, invoices, payslips, and bank statements.
For more information on how brain injury compensation is valued, please contact us today.
Can A Claim Cover Long-Term Care?
In the most serious of brain injury claims, the injured person may sadly become wholly dependent on other people. For example, paralysis could be involved, and there may be a need to feed the injured person, too.
In these cases, it’s possible to include a substantial care package within the claim. This will cover the future costs of care for the rest of the injured person’s life.
Such care claims must be properly assessed so that no one is left out of pocket or without quality care later in life. Our experienced brain injury claims team can ensure that everything is covered in these types of cases. Reach out to us today for free advice.
4.8 (466 reviews) Our Brain Injury Case Studies
Over the years, our brain injury claims team have helped scores of people recover compensation for their injuries and secure vital funds to ensure they have a good quality of life while living with the impact.
Below, you can find links to some of our dedicated case study pages:
£477,000 Compensation Payout For A Serious Brain Injury
Read about a case in which an individual recovered nearly half a million pounds following a serious assault.
£6,000 Payout For A Head Injury On Holiday
Read about a case in which we helped an individual recover money following a head injury sustained on holiday.
Different Types Of Brain Injury Claims We Can Help With
Brain injury compensation claims can be made when negligence has occurred. Negligence arises when the duty of care is breached, and this results in an injury being suffered.
Here is the brain injury claims eligibility criteria:
- A third party owed a duty of care to you.
- The third party breached their duty of care.
- You suffered a brain injury as a result.
If you are able to show that each aspect of the criteria is applicable to your circumstances, then have a chat with us today, as you may be entitled to claim brain injury compensation.
Below, we explain how the duty of care applies in different situations, and who owes it to you.
Brain Injuries And Workplace Accidents
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, all employers owe their employees a duty of care. This means that employers must take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of their employees while they are working.
Here are examples of how an employer could potentially breach their duty of care, leading to a brain injury:
- An employer could fail to check the maintenance of the workplace’s equipment. For example, they could provide an employee with a faulty ladder, which could break and cause the employee to fall from a height.
- An employer could fail to provide their employees with the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). For example, a hard hat for employees working on a construction site. Due to this lack of PPE, an employee could suffer brain damage if a piece of debris falls and hits them on the head.
- You could suffer an assault at work, and fall and hit your head. Heavy and sustained attacks can also result in a brain injury
Road Traffic Accidents and Brain Injuries
All road users owe a duty of care to one another. This means that all road users must follow the rules that are in the Road Traffic Act 1988 and The Highway Code while on the roads to ensure the safety of one another.
Here are some ways in which a road user could potentially breach their duty of care, leading to a brain injury:
- A driver could be exceeding the speed limit and rear-end a vehicle in front of them if they are unable to brake in time.
- A driver could be using their mobile phone at the wheel and fail to notice that there is a pedestrian on a zebra crossing in front of them, causing them to hit the pedestrian.
Accidents In A Public Place
Under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, those who are in charge of a public space owe a duty to all of their visitors. This means that occupiers must take steps to ensure that the public are reasonably safe while on their premises.
Here are some ways how an occupier could potentially breach their duty of care, leading to a brain injury:
- The occupier could fail to respond to reports of hazards. For example, there have been multiple reports about a torn bit of carpet on the stairs in a library, but the occupier has failed to fix the hazard in a timely manner. From this, someone could trip on the torn bit of carpet and fall down the stairs.
- The occupier could fail to display any signs to warn of hazards that cannot be removed. For example, if the occupier of a public swimming pool fails to display a ‘no diving’ sign by the shallow end of the pool, someone could dive in without knowing and hit their head at the bottom of the pool.
Medical Negligence and Brain Injuries
All medical professionals owe their patients a duty of care. This means that they must deliver the correct standards of care to anyone they treat. A medical professional can breach their duty of care if they ever deliver a standard of care that falls below the minimum expectations.
Here are some ways in which a medical professional can possibly breach their duty of care, leading to a brain injury and medical negligence claim:
- A midwife could use forceps incorrectly during the delivery of a baby, putting too much pressure on the baby’s head.
- A GP could prescribe the wrong dosage of medication. Taking a dosage that is too high could lead to brain damage.
If you or someone you know has suffered negligence from a medical professional, a road user, an occupier, or an employer, get in touch with us today.
What Evidence Can Help In Brain Injury Claims?
Evidence is essential in brain injury claims. Each claimant must prove that a duty of care was breached, and this breach was the cause of their injury.
Here are some useful examples of evidence you should aim to collect:
- CCTV footage showing the incident taking place (or dash-cam footage if you’re making a road traffic accident claim).
- Photographs of the visible effects of your injury, and of the cause of your injury. For example, a faulty piece of work equipment.
- A copy of your medical records and notes to show the extent of your brain injury. For example, copies of CT scan images.
- Keep a personal symptoms and treatment diary to show how you have been affected by your injury.
- Contact information from any witnesses who saw the incident take place. Later on, throughout the claims process, they could be asked to provide a statement.
- An official record, such as a police report after a car accident or a work accident book entry.
We are aware that it may seem daunting to collect all of this evidence by yourself. This is why, as part of our solicitors’ work, they help claimants with collecting evidence.
To learn more about how one of our solicitors could help you if you have an eligible brain injury claim, please contact us today.
Get Help From Legal Expert On A No Win No Fee Basis
Yes, our brain injury solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis. Specifically, if your brain injury claim is eligible, one of our solicitors could offer you a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
Here is what it means to be offered a CFA:
- You won’t pay for any of your solicitor’s service fees before the claims process begins.
- You won’t pay for any of your solicitor’s service fees during the claims process.
- You won’t pay for any of your solicitor’s service fees at all if your claim is unsuccessful.
Instead, if you are successful, your solicitor will take a success fee out of your compensation. The success fee refers to the small percentage of compensation that is taken. This is legally capped to protect your interests.
So, contact us today to confirm whether you have an eligible brain injury claim. If you do, you could be connected with one of our specialist No Win No Fee solicitors, who can make the entire brain injury claims process a lot easier for you.
4.8 (466 reviews) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Below, you can find answers to some frequently asked questions on brain injury compensation claims, amounts and payouts.
Can I Make a Brain Injury Claim Due to Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
Yes. If carbon monoxide poisoning caused your brain injury, you could claim compensation if someone failed in their duty of care, for example, a landlord who didn’t fit or maintain carbon monoxide alarms as required by law. Landlords must ensure alarms are installed in rooms with combustion appliances under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022. If this duty was breached and it led to your injury, you may have a valid claim.
Can a Brain Injury Claim Be Made on Someone Else’s Behalf?
Yes. A brain injury claim can be made on behalf of someone who is under 18 or lacks mental capacity. In these cases, a litigation friend can act for them while the time limit for starting a claim is paused. Once the injured person turns 18 or regains capacity, the standard 3-year time limit begins.
How Long Will It Take for a Brain Injury Claim to Settle?
It depends on the complexity of the case. Factors include medical recovery, how quickly evidence is gathered, and whether liability is admitted. Some claims settle within a year, while serious or disputed cases can take longer. Your solicitor will work to achieve a fair settlement as efficiently as possible, keeping you updated throughout the process.
What Is the Potential Impact of a Brain Injury?
Brain injuries can cause a range of serious effects, including memory loss, changes in behaviour, communication problems, loss of mobility, or seizures. Severe cases may result in long-term disabilities such as coma or locked-in syndrome. If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, legal advice can help you understand your options for claiming compensation and support.
What’s the Difference Between Traumatic and Acquired Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) happens when an external force, such as a fall, car crash, or blow to the head, damages the brain. An acquired brain injury (ABI) occurs when the brain is harmed by an internal medical event like a stroke, infection, or oxygen deprivation. Traumatic brain injuries are caused by impact, while acquired brain injuries are caused by medical or chemical changes inside the body. Understanding this difference helps your solicitor assess how the injury occurred, who may be liable, and what type of rehabilitation support is needed.
Can I Get Interim Payments While My Brain Injury Claim Is Ongoing?
Yes. If liability has been accepted, you can often receive interim payments while your claim is being processed. These payments are designed to help you access rehabilitation, pay for home adaptations, or cover lost income before the case settles. Interim payments act as financial support during ongoing claims and make it easier to recover while waiting for the final award. Your solicitor will request these payments as soon as possible to reduce financial pressure during your recovery.
Will I Get Help with Rehabilitation and Case Management?
Yes. In serious brain injury cases, rehabilitation begins early and is often coordinated by a professional case manager. This person works with specialists such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and neuropsychologists to build a tailored recovery plan. A case manager coordinates multidisciplinary rehabilitation so that medical, psychological, and practical needs are addressed together. Early rehabilitation can lead to better long-term outcomes, and your solicitor can ensure the costs are covered by the other side through the Rehabilitation Code.
Can I Claim on Behalf of a Child or Someone Who Lacks Capacity?
Yes. If the injured person is under 18 or cannot make decisions because of their injury, a litigation friend—usually a parent, guardian, or relative—can make a claim for them. A litigation friend acts on behalf of someone lacking mental capacity, ensuring their rights are protected and their case progresses. In larger claims, the Court of Protection may also oversee how compensation is managed to safeguard the injured person’s financial future.
What Evidence Do I Need for a Brain Injury Claim?
Your solicitor will collect both medical and factual evidence to support your claim. Medical evidence, such as MRI scans, neurology reports, and neuropsychological assessments, proves the type and severity of the injury. Factual evidence—like accident reports, CCTV, witness statements, and financial records—shows how the incident happened and what losses you’ve suffered. Together, these records demonstrate how the brain injury occurred, who was responsible, and how your life has been affected.
How Are Brain Injury Compensation Payouts Assessed?
Brain injury compensation is divided into general damages and special damages. General damages compensate for pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. Special damages cover measurable financial losses such as lost income, ongoing care, medical treatment, and home adaptations. General damages represent the physical and emotional harm caused by the injury, while special damages account for the financial consequences. Your solicitor will use expert medical reports and financial projections to calculate a fair settlement.
How Long Do Brain Injury Claims Take?
The time needed to settle a brain injury claim depends on how complex the case is. Straightforward claims may resolve within 12 to 18 months, while more severe injuries can take several years, especially if long-term recovery or rehabilitation is ongoing. Claim duration depends on medical recovery, the amount of evidence required, and whether liability is disputed. Interim payments may be available in the meantime to ensure you have financial support during treatment.
What If the Defendant Denies Liability?
If the other party refuses to accept responsibility, your solicitor will collect more evidence and, if necessary, begin court proceedings. Defendant denial often triggers deeper investigation and expert testimony to establish fault. Many cases still settle before reaching court once all the evidence is reviewed, as insurers often prefer to avoid trial once liability becomes clear.
Can I Claim If My Pre-Existing Condition Was Made Worse?
Yes. If your accident worsened a previous medical issue, you can still make a claim. In legal terms, the accident aggravated your pre-existing injury, meaning you’re entitled to compensation for the additional harm caused. Medical experts will compare your health before and after the incident to measure how much the condition deteriorated and ensure you’re fairly compensated for the extra suffering.
Can I Claim for Psychological Injuries Too?
Yes, psychological harm is often part of a brain injury claim. Brain injuries can lead to anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder, all of which are recognised as compensable conditions. A psychological assessment helps quantify these effects and shows how the brain injury has caused emotional distress. Including both physical and psychological evidence gives a more accurate picture of your overall suffering.
What Funding Options Are Available?
Most serious injury cases, including brain injury claims, are handled under No Win No Fee agreements. This type of funding allows you to start your claim without paying anything up front. A No Win No Fee agreement provides access to justice without financial risk, and you only pay a success fee if your claim succeeds. Your solicitor may also arrange insurance to cover costs if the case is unsuccessful, and defendants sometimes pay for rehabilitation under the Rehabilitation Code.
Can I Claim After Carbon Monoxide or Medical Negligence?
Yes. Brain injuries caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, oxygen deprivation, or medical negligence can all lead to successful claims if someone failed in their duty of care. Negligence occurs when a responsible party breaches safety standards, causing hypoxic or anoxic brain injury. Your solicitor will collect evidence showing how the incident occurred and link the medical outcome directly to that negligence to support your case.
What Support Is Available Beyond Compensation?
There is ongoing help available from specialist charities such as Headway, which provides emotional, practical, and social support for brain injury survivors and their families. Charities and rehabilitation services support recovery by offering counselling, peer groups, and guidance on benefits or home adaptations. Your solicitor can refer you to local resources and ensure your compensation covers long-term care and support.
What If the Injury Was Caused by a Crime?
If your brain injury was caused by a violent assault, you may be eligible to claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) or through a civil claim against the offender. The CICA compensates victims of violent crime when a direct civil claim isn’t possible. Your solicitor will determine which route applies to your case and guide you through the process to secure compensation.
Will My Home or Car Need Adapting—and Is This Covered?
Yes. Many people with serious brain injuries need home adaptations, assistive technology, or vehicle modifications to restore independence. These costs are included as part of your special damages in the claim. Brain injury compensation covers both current and future needs, ensuring your home, transport, and daily living arrangements are safe and accessible for long-term recovery.
More Useful Resources About Compensation Claims
Here are a few of our compensation claim guides:
- Common facts and questions answered about public liability claims.
- A general guide about road traffic accidents and how to claim compensation.
- Learn more about serious injury claims and how to claim compensation.
Here are a few external pages that might provide you with useful information:
- NHS – advice on what to do if you have suffered a head injury and a concussion.
- NHS – instructions on how to view your medical and health records.
- Gov.UK – how to report a traumatic brain injury to the DVLA.
Thank you for taking the time to read our brain injury claims guide. If you have any claim enquiries at all, please feel free to get in touch with us at any time.
