Last Updated 18th September 2025. If you’ve been involved in a car accident, you may understand how scary and stressful it can be. The loud noises and sudden movements can cause psychological trauma, like anxiety, as well as physical injuries.
If you’re looking to make a claim, you may be wondering, ‘How much compensation can I claim for anxiety after a car accident?’. In this guide, you can find the answers and learn how our solicitors can help you claim for travel anxiety and psychological trauma.
If you’d like to check your eligibility to claim, you can get in touch with us for free via any of the following methods:
4.8 (466 reviews) To learn more about claiming for anxiety after a car accident, please keep scrolling.
Can I Claim For Psychological Trauma After A Car Accident?
All road users have a duty of care to use the roads safely and avoid causing harm. This duty is set out in the Road Traffic Act 1988 and The Highway Code.
To claim compensation for psychological trauma, such as anxiety after a car accident, you must show:
- Another road user owed you a duty of care.
- They breached that duty.
- You suffered psychological harm, a physical injury, or both as a result.
These are the basic principles of negligence in personal injury law. Proving negligence is essential for a successful road traffic accident claim.
How Much Compensation Can I Claim For Anxiety After A Car Accident?
You may be looking for an anxiety compensation calculator to help you understand how much a potential settlement could be worth. However, a calculator may not be able to consider all aspects of your claim when providing a figure. Some successful settlements may consist of two heads of claim: general and special damages.
General damages compensate for the physical pain and mental suffering caused by your injuries. This covers both physical injuries, such as a neck injury and harm to your mental health, such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). When assigning a value to your claim, legal professionals can refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG, 17th edition, published in 2024) to help them. The JCG provides guideline compensation brackets for different injuries, and refer to claims made in England and Wales.
Compensation List
Please note that the first entry has not been taken from the JCG, and none of the below figures can be guaranteed for your potential claim. This is because all claims are unique.
- Up to £500,000+ for suffering multiple serious injuries and financial losses.
- £66,920 to £141,240 for severe psychiatric damage, where the prognosis is very poor
- £23,270 to £66,920 for moderately severe psychiatric damage, where the prognosis is a bit more optimistic.
- £7,150 to £23,270 for moderate psychiatric damage, where the prognosis will be good due to marked improvements by trial.
- £1,880 to £7,150 for less severe psychiatric damage, depending on how much your daily routine and sleep has been affected.
- £73,050 to £122,850 for severe PTSD, where all aspects of life are badly affected.
- £28,250 to £73,050 for moderately severe PTSD, where there is a better prognosis but the effects will still be significantly disabling for the foreseeable future.
- £9,980 to £28,250 for moderate PTSD, where there will be a large recovery.
- £4,820 to £9,980 for less severe PTSD, where a virtual full recovery takes 1-2 years.
How Much Compensation For Whiplash And Anxiety?
If you are wondering ‘how much compensation can I claim for anxiety after a car accident?’, or ‘what is the potential payout for a whiplash injury?’, you may find this section helpful.
There have been some recent changes to whiplash compensation payouts thanks to The Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021. Under this, you can expect the following amounts depending on the severity of the injury:
- Where symptoms last between 18 and 24 months in relation to one or more whiplash injuries with psychological injuries, the tariff value is £4,345
- If the claimant experiences the same type of injuries listed above but they persist for 15 to 18 months, the compensation tariff will be £3,700
- For the same type of injuries, instead lasting between 12 and 15 months, the tariff is £2,725
- If these injuries last between 9 and 12 months, the set tariff is £1,390
If you have any questions about how compensation for whiplash and anxiety you can claim, please do not hesitate to contact us. We offer a full case assessment for free, giving you an idea of what compensation figures may apply to your specific situation.
Can I Claim Back Money I Lost?
Additionally, you might be awarded special damages to compensate for financial losses caused by your injuries. Some examples of what you might be able to recover under special damages include:
- Therapy costs.
- Travel expenses.
- The cost of prescriptions.
- Loss of earnings.
You should submit evidence of these costs, such as receipts and wage slips.
4.8 (466 reviews) How Long Do I Have To Claim For Anxiety After A Car Accident?
According to the Limitation Act 1980, the time limit to claim compensation for psychological trauma after a car accident is 3 years from the date the accident took place.
However, there are a couple of exceptions to this time limit. Those being if the claimant is either:
- A child (younger than 18).
- Lacking their full mental capacity.
In these circumstances, the time limit will be paused. While the time limit is paused, a litigation friend can step in and begin the claim on behalf of the claimant. But, if a litigation friend hasn’t stepped in by the time the claimant either:
- Turns 18.
- Recovers their full mental capacity.
Then the usual 3-year time limit will commence from either the date of their 18th birthday, or the date of their mental recovery.
To learn more about making a claim on someone else’s behalf, and on how much compensation for whiplash and anxiety could potentially be awarded, please contact us today.
How Can I Prove A Claim For Anxiety After A Car Accident?
When making a claim for compensation for anxiety after a car accident, it’s important to make sure that you have the right evidence. This is because you need to prove not only that someone else breached their duty of care but that this caused you to suffer injuries.
Some examples of evidence that you could use to help you claim for mental health injuries after a car accident include:
- Medical records: These can detail the severity of your anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as the treatment you need in the future. If you are claiming for whiplash and anxiety, x-rays and other scans can help illustrate the severity of your injuries.
- Witness statements: Taking the contact details of those who witnessed the car accident ensures that their statements can be taken by a professional later on during the claims process.
- Photographs: Taking pictures of the accident site can help demonstrate how the crash occurred. Similarly, dashcam footage or CCTV footage could also be used as evidence.
A No Win No Fee solicitor from our team could help you collect evidence for your claim when you get in touch. Contact our team of advisors today to learn more about how to claim compensation for a car accident, or keep reading for more information on making a car accident claim.
Claim Compensation With Our No Win No Fee Solicitors
When making a personal injury claim for trauma after a car accident, whether it’s a traumatic physical injury or psychological injury, or both together, you may benefit from instructing a solicitor to help you seek compensation. One of our solicitors could help you make a claim for anxiety after a car accident on a No Win No Fee basis; they do this by offering their services through a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
When you work with a solicitor under a CFA, you aren’t expected to pay them a fee to begin work on your claim, nor do you have to pay for their continued services. Similarly, if your claim doesn’t succeed, your solicitor won’t take a fee for their services.
However, in the case of a successful claim, your solicitor will take a success fee. This fee is taken straight from your compensation in the form of a small percentage, though this percentage is subject to a legislative cap. The cap helps to ensure that the majority of your compensation goes to you.
Contact Our Team
If you are suffering from anxiety after a car accident, one of our solicitors could help. Contact our team of helpful advisors today to learn more. They can answer your questions and can evaluate the validity of your claim. Start today by:
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) On Travel Anxiety Claims
Below, you can find answers to some frequently asked questions on claiming compensation for travel anxiety after a car accident.
How Do Car Accidents Cause Anxiety?
A car accident can trigger anxiety because of the sudden shock, fear and trauma involved in the collision. For some people, the feelings pass quickly, but for others the effects can last much longer, leading to panic attacks, nightmares or travel anxiety. In more serious cases, therapy or counselling may be needed to help rebuild confidence on the road.
If your anxiety is linked to an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be able to make a claim for compensation.
What Are The Symptoms Of Anxiety After A Car Accident?
Anxiety can affect both your mind and body following a road traffic accident. Common mental symptoms include flashbacks, sleep problems, persistent worry, changes in behaviour and a fear of travelling.
Physical symptoms may include chest tightness, rapid heartbeat, headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, sweating and loss of appetite. If you recognise these symptoms, it is important to seek medical advice. A formal diagnosis can also support a claim for psychological trauma after a car accident.
How Is Psychological Trauma Valued In Car Accident Compensation Claims?
Psychological injuries such as anxiety, PTSD or depression are valued using the Judicial College Guidelines, which provide compensation brackets for different levels of severity. The assessment takes into account the duration of your symptoms, their impact on daily life, whether you can return to work, and the need for future treatment. If you also suffered physical injuries, compensation for both can be combined into one overall payout.
Do I Need A Formal Diagnosis To Claim For Anxiety After A Car Accident?
Yes. To make a successful claim, you’ll usually need medical evidence that confirms your anxiety or other psychological trauma. This might come from your GP or a mental health specialist. Their report will describe the condition, its likely cause, and how it affects you, which helps establish the link to the accident and supports the valuation of your claim.
Can I Claim For Anxiety If I Wasn’t Physically Injured In The Accident?
You may still be able to claim if you experienced psychological harm without a physical injury, provided the condition is medically recognised and directly linked to the accident.
Can I Receive Compensation For Both Physical Injuries And Psychological Trauma Together?
Yes. If you suffered both physical and psychological harm, your claim can include compensation for each. For example, if you sustained whiplash and later developed anxiety or travel phobia, your payout would cover both aspects. The combined award reflects the full impact of the accident on your health and quality of life.
Are Therapy And Counselling Costs Covered In Anxiety Compensation Claims?
Yes. If you need therapy, counselling, or treatments such as CBT as a result of your accident-related anxiety, these costs can usually be recovered as part of special damages. You may also be able to claim for travel costs to appointments, medication, or future therapy needs, provided you can show evidence such as receipts or medical recommendations.
Learn More About Car Accident Claims
- Click here to read the NHS guide to treatments for anxiety.
- Visit the government website to understand more about the DVLA’s guidance on PTSD and driving.
- Read our in-depth explanation of how our No Win No Fee service works.
- Our guide to car accident claims explores compensation for psychological and physical injuries following an accident.
More Helpful Guides
- Visit our guide on motorcycle accident claims which explores the process of making a claim against a negligent road user.
- Read this guide to see if you can claim for whiplash leading to physiotherapy.
- Psychiatric Injury Compensation Case Study
- Head Injury Claims
- Bus Accident Claims
Feel free to get in touch now if you want to learn more about how much compensation for anxiety after a car accident you could receive.
