Car Accident Injury Claim Calculator

Our car accident claim calculator takes just 30 seconds to use:

1. Select your injury type: such as a neck, back, leg, or head injury
2. Confirm the severity or duration: how long your symptoms lasted or how serious the injury was
3. Get your estimate: receive an estimated compensation figure for general damages

The figure shown covers general damages only, compensation for your pain, suffering and loss of amenity. Special damages include lost earnings and treatment costs, are calculated separately, and can significantly increase the total value of your car accident compensation claim.

Car accident compensation in England and Wales ranges from £275 for minor whiplash to over £500,000 for severe, life-changing injuries.
The tables below set out 18th edition JCG guidelines compensation ranges for the most common car accident injury claims:

Head injury from a car accident

Brain injury from a car accident

Neck injury from a car accident

Back injury from a car accident

Leg injury from a car accident

Whiplash injury from a car accident

Who does the whiplash tariff apply to?

The whiplash tariff applies to drivers and passengers who suffer a soft tissue injury from road traffic accidents in England and Wales. It only covers claims where symptoms last up to 24 months.

The whiplash tariff does not apply if:

• You are a motorbike rider, cyclist, pedestrian, or classed as a vulnerable road user.
• Your accident happened in Scotland or Northern Ireland, where the tariff introduced by the Civil Liability Act 2018 does not apply.
• Your symptoms last longer than 24 months, in which case your claim falls outside the tariff and is instead valued under the Judicial College Guidelines.

Whiplash claims valued under £5,000 are generally handled on a self-service basis through the government’s Official Injury Claim portal. If your injuries are more serious a specialist car accident solicitor can represent you on a No Win No Fee basis.

Yes, you may be entitled to compensation if you were injured in a road traffic accident and were not entirely to blame. This applies whether you were driving, riding, or simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The following people can make a car accident claim:

• Drivers: where another driver’s negligence caused the collision, their insurer becomes responsible for your injuries and losses.
• Passengers: as a passenger you didn’t control either vehicle, so you can usually claim regardless of which driver was at fault, even if that was the person driving you.
• Pedestrians and cyclists: if you were struck by a vehicle while walking or cycling, you have the same right to claim compensation for your injuries.
• Motorcyclists: beyond your injuries, a successful claim can also cover damage to your bike and any resulting financial losses.
• Children: a parent or guardian can bring a claim immediately. The child’s own three-year time limit doesn’t start running until they turn 18.

Your compensation depends on establishing that the other driver was at fault, either fully or partly. How fault is decided varies depending on the type of accident.

• Rear-end shunts: the following driver is usually presumed at fault, as the Highway Code requires drivers to leave enough space to stop safely behind the vehicle in front.
• Split liability at junctions: fault can be shared between both drivers depending on who had right of way, with each driver’s degree of responsibility assessed individually.
• Contributory negligence: your compensation can be reduced if you weren’t wearing a seatbelt, even where the other driver caused the accident. Since Froom v Butcher [1976], courts have reduced awards by up to 25%, depending on whether a seatbelt would have prevented or lessened your injury.
• Uninsured or untraced drivers: you can still claim through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau. The scheme is funded by the insurance industry to compensate victims when the responsible driver has no insurance or cannot be identified.

Fault doesn’t need to be clear-cut for you to have a valid claim.

Many accidents involve shared responsibility, and your compensation is simply adjusted to reflect your share of the blame rather than being lost altogether.

The three examples below show how the whiplash tariff and JCG brackets combine with special damages in practice. They are compiled from verified tariff and JCG figures plus stated assumptions about lost earnings and treatment costs.

Example 1: Driver with whiplash lasting 4 months

Tariff (whiplash only): £565
Special damages: lost earnings £600, physiotherapy £300 (£900)
Potential claim value: approximately £1,465

Example 2: Passenger with PTSD following the accident, off work for 6 months

General damages: £10,810 – £79,080 (moderate PTSD)
Special damages: lost earnings £9,000, treatment and travel £1,800 (£10,800)
Potential claim value: approximately £21,610 – £89,880

Example 3: Driver with a fractured wrist and moderate back injury

General damages: £22,270 – £67,750 (combined brackets)
Special damages: lost earnings to date £6,500, future loss of earning capacity £8,000, treatment and travel £2,200 (£16,700)
Potential claim value: approximately £38,970 – £84,450

These figures are illustrative only. The only way to know the true value of your compensation is through a personal injury claims assessment. Call us today on 01507 609027.

You can claim for a wide range of injuries after a road traffic accident, from broken bones to fatalities. The most common injuries we see include:

• Whiplash and soft tissue injuries: the most common car accident injury, valued under the government tariff explained above.
• Fractures and broken bones: ranging from a single wrist fracture to more serious multiple fractures requiring surgery.
• Head and brain injuries: typically caused by impact with the steering wheel, window or airbag deployment during a collision.
• Back and spinal injuries: from disc injuries and chronic pain to more severe spinal cord damage.
• Psychological injury: PTSD and driving anxiety are recognised and compensable in their own right.

Proving your car accident claim depends on building a clear evidential link between the collision and your injuries, generally through the following:

1. Police report: obtained if the police attended the scene or by reporting the accident yourself afterwards.
2. Dashcam or CCTV footage: increasingly decisive evidence in disputed liability cases.
3. Witness details: names and contact details of anyone who saw what happened.
4. Medical records: seek medical attention promptly, even for symptoms that initially seem minor, as this creates a record linking your injury to the car accident.
5. Insurance and vehicle details: exchanged with the other driver(s) at the scene, including their name, registration and insurer.

You should also report the accident to the police where required, particularly if anyone was injured or if the other driver failed to stop.

There are strict time limits for bringing a car accident compensation claim. If you miss the deadline, you will almost certainly lose the right to claim.

• Standard time limit: 3 years from the date of the accident.
• Children: your own three-year clock doesn’t start until you turn 18, meaning you have until your 21st birthday to bring a claim yourself. However, a parent or guardian can start a claim on your behalf far sooner.
• If you lack mental capacity: the three-year period is paused entirely and won’t begin running until you regain capacity.
• If the driver fled the scene: report a hit-and-run to the police as soon as possible. The old 14-day cut-off no longer applies under the 2017 Untraced Drivers Agreement, though a prompt report still strengthens your claim.

Don’t wait until the deadline is close. Evidence deteriorates, witnesses forget details, and CCTV footage is routinely deleted. Call us on 01507 609027 as early as possible to give your road traffic accident claim the strongest chance of success.

Your car accident claim deserves more than a call centre and a case number. When you call Nigel Askew Solicitors, you get direct access to a senior personal injury solicitor who will help you secure the maximum compensation you deserve.

• A senior solicitor handles your case from your first call to final settlement.
• Over 30 years recovering compensation for injured people across Lincolnshire, Grimsby, Nottinghamshire and the surrounding areas.
• The majority of claims are handled on a No Win No Fee basis, with no upfront costs or hidden fees..

To start your road traffic accident claim today, simply call Nigel Askew Solicitors on 01507 609027.