Last Updated On 11th December 2024. This guide looks at how a car accident compensation claim calculator works to help you estimate a value for your personal injury after a road traffic accident.
We begin this guide by looking at how to use a compensation calculator so that you can get a more accurate result. Closely followed by a look at how compensation for a personal injury claim after a road traffic accident is calculated using two Heads of Loss.
Also discussed in this guide are the personal injury claim eligibility criteria so you can see whether you are able to submit a car accident claim. We introduce the Whiplash Reform Programme as it may affect how you make your personal injury claim for your car accident.
Additionally, we look at what kinds of injuries you may have suffered and examples of how a third party’s actions could cause these injuries.
Continue reading to learn about the benefits of our No Win No Fee solicitors. Contact us today to get a free case assessment. Then, we may be able to put you in contact with one of our solicitors. To contact us today, please either:
- Call 0800 073 8804.
- Visit our Claim Online page.
- Talk to an online claims advisor in our live message box.
Jump To A Section
- How To Use A Car Accident Compensation Claim Calculator
- Our Car Accident Compensation Claim Calculator
- What Is The Most Common Injury In A Car Crash?
- How Do You Prove Injuries After A Car Accident?
- How To Make A No Win No Fee Car Accident Compensation Claim
- Learn More About Using A Car Accident Compensation Claim Calculator
How To Use A Car Accident Compensation Claim Calculator
When using a car accident compensation claim calculator, it will begin by asking you some questions about how your accident happened, the injuries you suffered and some of the financial losses you could potentially claim.
The calculator will then give you an estimate of the compensation you might receive if you were successful with your case. This is a very rough estimate, and it could be that your injuries are, in fact, worse than you think. There are also certain items of financial loss that are not included in the calculation.
One thing that a car accident injury claim calculator cannot tell you is whether you will win your case. To claim compensation in a road traffic accident, you will need to prove three criteria. These are:
- You were owed a duty of care
- Someone breached this duty
- You suffered injury as a direct result of the breach
All road users owe a duty of care to navigate the roads in such a way that they do not cause harm to others. To meet this duty they have to follow the rules set out in the Highway Code and also the Road Traffic Act 1988.
If someone doesn’t follow these rules, and it causes an accident in which you are injured, then you could be able to claim compensation. An example could be that another driver fails to leave sufficient braking distance and crashes into the back of your car whilst you are stationary at a set of traffic lights. This could cause whiplash. As this is a common injury, we will move to talk about this in more depth next.
Whiplash Reform Programme
Changes were brought in by the Whiplash Reform Programme, which affects how a personal injury claim for a car accident may need to be made. These changes only apply to passengers and drivers of vehicles who are over 18 years of age, if the accident happened in England or Wales and the injuries are valued at £5,000 or less. This means you may have to make your claim in a different way.
The Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021, which was introduced along with the reform, brought about set tariffs for different whiplash injuries.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to learn how and when you can claim compensation for your injuries. We can also give you more information about the Whiplash Reform Programme.
Our Car Accident Compensation Claim Calculator
If you have a successful personal injury claim, then you will receive general damages compensation. You may also receive special damages compensation.
General damages compensation is for the physical and/or psychological injuries you have suffered because of the road traffic accident.
When valuing general damages compensation, solicitors can use your medical assessment report and the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) as guidance to help them. The JCG has guideline compensation brackets for all kinds of injuries at different severities. These guideline figures are based on previous successful personal injury claims that have gone to court in England and Wales.
Injuries Table
This table includes some injuries and their guideline compensation brackets found in the JCG, which may be sustained following a car accident. When looking at this table, please remember that these are guideline figures.
Also in the table are tariff compensation values taken from the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021. The figures for these whiplash injuries are fixed amounts.
| Injury | Severity | Compensation Guideline |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Serious Injuries and Financial Losses. | Very Serious | Up to £1,000,000 plus |
| Paralysis | Quadriplegia | £396,140 to £493,000 |
| Paraplegia | £267,340 to £346,890 | |
| Brain Injury | Very Severe | £344,150 to £493,000 |
| Moderately Severe | £267,340 to £344,150 | |
| Amputation of Arms | Loss of One Arm (i) | Not Less Than £167,380 |
| Back | Severe (ii) | £90,510 to £107,910 |
| Moderate (i) | £33,880 to £47,320 | |
| Whiplash + Psychological Injury | More Than 18 Months, But Not More Than 24 Months | £4,345 |
| Whiplash | More Than 18 Months, But Not More Than 24 Months | £4,215 |
Claiming Special Damages
Special damages compensation is for any financial losses you have incurred because of your injury from the road traffic accident. Here are the losses that are taken into consideration when valuing special damages compensation:
- Travel expenses.
- Adaptations you must make to accommodate your injury.
- Loss of earnings.
- Medication.
- Care costs.
You will need to collect evidence so you can prove your financial losses. Evidence to collect for your special damages can be receipts, bank statements, payslips, invoices, and travel or parking tickets.
If you want a more personalised estimate of your potential compensation, call our advisors for a detailed estimate or try using our compensation calculator.
What Is The Most Common Injury In A Car Crash?
Depending on the type of car accident, if the seat belt was worn, the speed of the cars involved, etc., many different injuries could be suffered. From an ankle injury to more serious injuries such as serious brain damage or a spinal cord injury.
Here are a few examples of some injuries that could be sustained due to a third-party driver breaching their duty of care:
- An intoxicated driver, either under the influence of drugs or alcohol, could be driving on the wrong side of the road. This could lead to a head-on collision with your vehicle and chest injuries from the impact.
- A lorry driver could be looking down and using their mobile phone, not paying due attention. They could fail to notice that the traffic ahead has come to a standstill, leading to them colliding with your vehicle in a rear-end collision and you sustaining a broken back and neck injury.
- A driver could be speeding and run a red light, resulting in a T-bone accident with your vehicle and it could result in a fractured skull injury.
Contact us today to discuss your individual road traffic accident. We can assess whether you can be connected to our solicitors. We now discuss how to prove your injuries and how to prove another driver caused them in order to support your compensation claim.
How Do You Prove Injuries After A Car Accident?
You must have evidence to show that a duty of care has been breached and how this breach has affected you. Otherwise, you may not be able to claim compensation.
So, here are the types of evidence that are best to support your personal injury claim following your car accident:
- Dash-cam or CCTV footage of how the accident happened.
- Photographs of the accident scene (if possible) and your injuries.
- Take contact information from the driver (if possible), including their registration plate, and contact information from any witnesses.
- Copies of the medical treatment you have received, such as scan photos.
- Write down in a personal diary your well-being and symptoms since your accident.
Our solicitors, if you are connected to them, will collect your evidence as part of their work.
How To Make A No Win No Fee Car Accident Compensation Claim
After using our car accident compensation claim calculator, you may want to start the process of making a personal injury claim. Get in touch with us. If we deem you to have an eligible claim, then our solicitors can work for you under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), a type of No Win No Fee contract.
When working with a solicitor under a CFA, you will not have to pay for their services at the following times:
- Before the claims process has begun.
- During the claims process.
- If you have an unsuccessful claim.
However, if the personal injury claim is successful, then a solicitor who provided their services via a CFA will take a percentage of your compensation, which the law always sets a maximum limit for, so you receive the larger part of your compensation.
Contact Legal Expert Today
While legally you do not have to have a solicitor to represent your car accident compensation claim for personal injury, we highly advise you to seek one. This is to make your experience claiming compensation as uncomplicated as possible. We can discuss your options with you by contacting us today:
- Call 0800 073 8804.
- Visit our Claim Online page.
- Talk to an online claims advisor in our live message box.
Learn More About Using A Car Accident Compensation Claim Calculator
Thank you for reading this guide on using a car accident compensation claim calculator. You should see our other guides for similar information:
- Learn how to prove a car accident was not your fault.
- Read more about what could be awarded in car accident compensation payouts.
- See if you have a valid claim for whiplash injury compensation.
Likewise, you can also see these external guides for related information:
- Think.gov.uk – advice for all road users.
- Motors’ Insurers Bureau (MIB) – MIB
- NHS – whiplash.
