Car Accident Injury Payouts – How Much Could You Be Awarded?
By Cat Way. Last Updated 29th November 2023. In this guide, we will be exploring car accident compensation examples in UK claims and when you could be eligible to make a personal injury claim. The amount that you could receive in a successful car crash compensation claim varies from case to case, because every claim is unique.
We’ll explore the average payout for a car accident in the UK and discuss how compensation is calculated in car accident claims. Following this, we’ll touch on the criteria that your claim has to meet in order to be valid, as well as how a car accident could occur.
Finally, our guide will explore the benefits of working with a No Win No Fee solicitor on your case. There are many benefits that a solicitor can bring to the claims process; read on to learn more, or contact our team of advisors to get started. They can evaluate your claim for free and answer any questions you might have about claiming a car accident settlement. To get started:
- Contact us online.
- Call us on 0800 073 8804
- Use the live chat feature.
Car Accident Injury Claims Guide
Select A Section
- What Is The Average Payout For A Car Accident In The UK?
- When Could You Claim Car Crash Compensation Payouts In The UK?
- Types of Car Accidents And Injuries
- What Evidence Do I Need To Make A Car Accident Claim?
- How Long Do I Have To Claim Car Crash Compensation?
- Car Accident Injuries – Compensation Claims With A No Win No Fee Lawyer
- Essential References
What Is The Average Payout For A Car Accident In The UK?
As we stated above, each personal injury claim is different. Therefore, knowing the average payout for a car accident may not be helpful. In the section above, we explored special damages. Now, we are going to examine general damages in more detail.
You may have accessed our compensation calculator to learn more about what general damages you could be eligible for. In the table below, we provide examples that you may have seen when using our claims calculator but presented differently. This is to help you see how general damages could be valued.
In successful claims, general damages awards compensation for pain and suffering. Legal professionals arrive at the figures by using a document called the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to help them. It contains injury categories alongside compensation brackets.
As each claim is different, our table below is not representative of what your compensation will be. We’ve provided it to help you understand more about the valuation process. The figures are from the latest update of the JCG, except for the first entry, which does not appear within the JCG. Additionally, the figures from the JCG are for England and Wales.
| Injury Type | Severity | Notes | Compensation Bracket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Severe Injuries + Special Damages | Severe | Multiple severe injuries combined with significant financial losses, that could include lost earnings, home adjustments, and professional care costs. | Up to £1,000,000+ |
| Brain damage | Moderate (ii) | The claimant will experience a moderate to modest intellectual deficit with reduced or removed ability to work and there will be some epilepsy risk. | £90,720 to £150,110 |
| Hip and Pelvis Injuries | Severe (i) | This bracket is for extensive fractures that involve other injuries such as a ruptured bladder. Injuries of this nature will cause residual disabilities. | £78,400 to £130,930 |
| Neck injuries | Severe (iii) | The award in this bracket is impacted by the length of time that the most serious symptoms are present, along with treatment requirements and prognosis. It includes fractures, dislocations, severe soft tissue damage and ruptured tendons that cause chronic conditions and permanent disability. | £45,470 to £55,990 |
| Facial Scarring | Less Severe | In this bracket, the claimant suffers a significant psychological reaction to substantial disfigurement. | £17,960 to £48,420 |
| Leg Injuries | Less Serious Leg Injuries (i) | This bracket includes serious soft tissue injuries and fractures that although there is a reasonable recovery, it is incomplete. | £17,960 to £27,760 |
| Back injuries | Moderate (ii) | The award is affected by original injury severity, pain levels, treatment requirements and the ability to function in everyday life. It includes backache caused by muscle and ligament disturbance as well as soft tissue injuries that accelerate a pre-existing condition. | £12,510 to £27,760 |
| Facial Injuries | Nose or nasal complex fractures (i) | The claimant will have suffered serious or multiple fractures that leave behind permanent damage. | £10,640 to £23,130 |
| 1+ Whiplash Injuries & 1+ Psychological Injuries | N/A | Symptoms lasting 18-24 months | £4,345 |
| 1+ Whiplash Injuries | N/A | Symptoms lasting 18-24 months | £4,215 |
Compensation For A Car Accident – Examples Of Special Damages
Some car crash compensation payouts may also include special damages. This compensates you for the financial losses you have suffered due to your injuries. For example, if you need to take time off work as a result of your injuries, this could result in a loss of earnings, which could be claimed back under special damages.
Some of the losses that could be claimed under special damages in car crash compensation include:
- The cost of prescriptions
- Travel costs.
- Childcare and domestic help expenses.
- The cost of mobility aids, e.g. a wheelchair
To be able to claim special damages, you must be able to provide evidence of your losses. Because of this, keeping any receipts, bills, or invoices relevant to your claim could be beneficial.
To learn more about making a personal injury claim for compensation for a car accident, contact our team of advisors today. They can offer a free consultation and more help surrounding the claims process.
What Is The Whiplash Reform Programme?
When seeking car accident claim payouts, it’s important to consider whether the whiplash reforms could affect your settlement. As per changes brought in by the Whiplash Reform Programme, you will need to make your road traffic accident claim for whiplash or soft tissue injuries in a different way if the following applies:
- You are a passenger or driver over the age of 18
- Your injuries are worth less than £5,000
Additionally, your whiplash injuries will be valued as per the fixed tariff in the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021. If you have other injuries that increase the total value of your claim to over £5,000, you will claim the traditional way. However, whiplash injuries will still be valued using the tariff. Any injuries not included in the tariff will be valued traditionally.
Get in touch with our advisors today to find out more about how to claim for a car accident injury and compensation amounts you could receive.
When Could You Claim Car Crash Compensation Payouts In The UK?
Road users owe each other a duty of care to navigate the roads in a way that minimises the risk of harm or damage to others as well as themselves. This includes pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists.
As part of this duty, road users should follow the mandatory rules set out in the Highway Code and the Road Traffic Act 1988. The steps you are expected to take can vary, depending on whether you are driving a car, riding a bike or motorcycle, or walking as a pedestrian.
In order to form the basis of a valid road traffic accident claim, you have to be able to prove that:
- You were owed a duty of care by another road user
- They breached this duty
- You were injured as a result of this breach
To learn more about your eligibility to seek a car accident settlement, contact our team of helpful advisors today. Or, read on to find out about car accident compensation examples in the UK.
Types of Car Accidents And Injuries
You could suffer various types of injuries in a car accident. These include:
- Soft tissue injuries and broken bones. These could occur in a head-on collision. For example, if a car is trying to overtake a large vehicle, such as a lorry, and fails to consider whether they have enough room. You might be able to seek compensation for car accident injuries if you can prove another driver breached their duty of care.
- Back and hip injuries. A rear-end collision could cause you to suffer back and hip injuries. You might be eligible to make a car accident claim for these injuries. For example, if you slow down to stop at a stop sign and the vehicle behind you does not leave enough distance or the other driver is not paying attention.
- Head and brain injuries. These could occur if another driver fails to stop at a red light and crashes into you at a junction.
- Burn injuries. These may occur in a collision if the petrol tank leaks due to the crash, and a spark ignites a fire. However, they may also occur as a result of an airbag injury. For example, if the airbag ruptures in the crash, the releasing gases could cause a chemical burn. You could be eligible to seek personal injury compensation for these injuries, but you will need to prove the other driver’s liability for the accident.
If you would like to discuss your injuries from a collision or talk about car accident compensation examples in the UK, speak with one of the advisors from our team.
What Evidence Do I Need To Make A Car Accident Claim?
When you start a car crash compensation claim, you need to be able to establish negligence. To do this and to support your claim, you’re expected to provide evidence. Evidence can help you prove who is responsible for your injuries, how they occurred, and how they will affect your day-to-day life.
Some examples of evidence you could use to support your claim for a car accident settlement include:
- CCTV or dashcam footage: Video footage of the accident can help prove who was responsible and how it occurred.
- Photographs: Taking photographs of both the accident site and your injuries can help demonstrate their severity.
- Medical records: Your medical records can offer further insight into your injuries, the treatment you need, and the way that they will affect you going forwards.
- Police report: If a police report was made regarding the accident, this could also be used as evidence.
For more information on gathering evidence for a car accident claim, contact our team of advisors today. If they find your claim to be valid, they may connect you with one of our solicitors. Or, read on to get more information on car accident compensation examples for UK claims.
How Long Do I Have To Claim Car Crash Compensation?
When seeking compensation for car accident injuries, the Limitation Act 1980 states that you have 3 years from the date of the injury to begin the claims process. However, certain circumstances can mean this time limit is suspended. These include if the injured party is under 18, or if they lack to mental capacity to claim.
If the claimant falls into either of these two categories, then a litigation friend can be appointed to claim on their behalf while the time limit is paused.
For children, when they turn 18, they will have three years to begin their own claim provided one hasn’t already been made for them. For those with a reduced mental capacity, if they recover their capacity, they will have three years from the recovery date.
Find out more about the time limits and exceptions by getting in touch on the number above.
Car Accident Injuries – Compensation Claims With A No Win No Fee Lawyer
If you’re eligible to claim compensation for a car crash, you might wish to get help with your case. One of our lawyers may be able to help you. They could assist you with gathering evidence and ensuring your claim is filled in full within the limitation period.
One of our lawyers could also offer to work on your claim under a type of No Win No Fee arrangement known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Under this agreement, you would not have to pay them anything for their services upfront or while your claim is ongoing. Furthermore, you won’t have to pay them for their work should your claim be unsuccessful.
If your claim is a success, your lawyer will deduct a success fee from your car accident injuries compensation. This is a small, legally capped percentage.
To see if one of our No Win No Fee lawyers could help you with your claim, you can contact our friendly team of advisors. They can also help answer any additional questions you may have. To speak with one today, you can:
- Call 0800 073 8804
- Contact us online.
- Use our live chat service.
Essential References
For more information on the Highway Code, please follow the link provided:
- The Highway Code
- Diagnosis and treatment of whiplash
- A guide to whiplash compensation
- The importance of a medical report in personal injury claims
We also have some other guides on car accident claims that you may find useful:
- A guide to car accident claims
- Check out our frequently asked questions (FAQ) page on car accidents
- A guide to serious injury car accident claims
- Learn what to do if you suffer from tinnitus after a car accident
- What causes neck pain after a car accident?
Written by Wood.
Edited By Melissa.
