Lots of accident claims websites give the impression that there is a simple way of valuing an injury claim.
Unfortunately this is not true.
Valuing an accident claim properly is a skilled task that cannot be undertaken with just a few clicks of the mouse.
Anyone who tells you otherwise simply does not understand the complexities of assessing the value of a personal injury claim.
The best we can do is offer you some guidelines on what certain types of injury are likely to be worth.
The best source of information is a slim but nevertheless important little booklet issued by The Judicial Studies Board called "Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases".
This book tells you how much an arm or a leg is worth; literally.
However, assessing compensation is an art, not a science. The JSB Guidelines are nothing more than what it says on the tin – guidelines. There is no substitute for an experienced personal injury lawyer valuing a claim on its own facts. A whole range of additional factors need to be taken into account to get an accurate figure so please treat the following guidelines (Taken from the 9th edition) with care.
- Paralysis
- Head Injuries
- Psychiatric Damage
- Injuries Affecting the Senses
- Injuries to Internal Organs
- Orthopaedic Injuries
- Facial Injuries
- Damage to Hair
Quadriplegic – £206,750 to £257,750
Paraplegic – £140,000 to £181,500
Very severe brain damage – £180,000 to £257,750
Moderately severe brain damage – £140,000 to £180,000
Moderate brain damage – £27,500 to £140,000
Minor brain damage – £9,875 to £27,500
Minor head injury – £1,400 to £8,100
Epilepsy – £6,750 to £96,000
Severe – £35,000 to £74,000
Moderately severe – £12,250 to £35,000
Moderate – £3,750 to £12,250
Minor – £1,000 to £3,750
PTSD – £2,500 to £64,250
Chronic pain – £6,975 to £64,250
Total blindness and deafness – £255,000
Total blindness – £172,500
Total loss of one eye – £35,000 to £42,000
Complete loss of sight in one eye – £31,500 to £35,000
Minor eye injuries – £2,500 to £5,600
Total deafness – £58,000 to £70,000
Total loss of hearing in one ear – £20,000 to £29,000
Partial hearing loss/tinnitus – £4,750 to £29,000
Loss of taste – £12,250 to £16,000
Loss of smell – £16,000 to £21,000
Serious chest injuries – £42,000 to £96,000
Lung disease – £1,400 to £86,500
Asbestos related disease – £4,250 to £81,500
Asthma Up to – £3,250 to £42,000
Hernia – £2,150 to £15,400
Severe neck injuries – £16,000 to £95,000
Moderate neck injuries – £5,000 to £16,000
Minor neck injuries – £850 to £5,000
Severe back injuries – £24,750 to £108,000
Moderate back injuries – £8,000 to £24,750
Minor back injuries Up to – £5,000 to £8,000
Severe shoulder injuries – £12,250 to £30,750
Serious shoulder injuries – £8,100 to £12,250
Moderate shoulder injuries – £5,000 to £8,100
Minor shoulder injuries Up to – £2,750 to £5,000
Fractured clavicle – £3,250 to £7,750
Loss of both arms – £154,000 to £191,500
Loss of one arm – £61,500 to £87,500
Fractured forearm – £4,250 to £12,250
Severe elbow injury – £25,000 to £35,000
Less severe elbow injury – £10,000 to £20,500
Moderate or minor elbow injury Up to – £8,000
Wrist injuries – £2,250 to £38,250
Loss of one hand – £61,500 to £70,000
Minor hand injuries – £600 to £2,750
Severe fractures to fingers Up to – £23,500
Loss of index finger c – £12,000
Fracture of index finger – £5,850 to £7,750
Loss of little finger – £5,500 to £7,750
Fracture of one finger – £1,900 to £3,000
Loss of thumb – £22,750 to £35,000
Vibration white finger (VWF) – £1,900 to £24,500
Work related upper limb disorder (WRULD) – £1,400 to £14,750
Total loss of both legs – £154,000 to £180,000
Below knee amputation of one leg – £58,500 to £83,500
Simple fracture of femur – £5,750 to £9,000
Knee injuries Up to – £8,750 to £61,500
Ankle injuries Up to – £8,750 to £44,500
Amputation of one foot – £53,500 to £70,000
Simple metatarsal fracture Up – to £8,950
Amputation of great toe c – £20,000
Fracture of nose – £1,100 to £14,750
Fracture of cheekbones – £1,500 to £10,100
Fracture of jaw £4,100 to – £29,000
Loss of one front tooth – £1,400 to £2,500
Very severe scarring – female – £31,000 to £62,000
Trivial scarring – female – £1,100 to £2,200
Serious damage – £4,650 to £7,000
Less serious damage – £2,500 to £4,650