Whiplash Compensation Claims Calculator

By Jo Anderson. Last Updated 3rd February 2025. In this comprehensive whiplash compensation guide, we’ll talk about compensation for whiplash claims. How much compensation people can get for a whiplash claim can vary significantly. This guide is for those looking for information on claiming for whiplash or searching for a whiplash settlement calculator or whiplash payout scales. If you’re asking, ‘If I claim for whiplash compensation, how much will I get?’ this whiplash claim amount guide could help. We’ll be discussing when making whiplash claims may be possible. Plus, the process involved in claiming whiplash awards.

Should you have suffered whiplash, whether in a cycling accident or another traffic accident, you could be entitled to claim compensation for specific damages. This could include any loss of earnings you may incur due to having time off work. You may also be able to claim for any out of pocket expenses, amongst other things depending on your personal circumstances.

Having access to a whiplash compensation calculator allows you to get an idea of how much you could be compensated after having suffered a whiplash injury through no fault of your own. And our whiplash compensation calculator could explain what you’re likely entitled to. To find out more about our compensation guidelines for personal injury, and how to get a free consultation:

Woman holding neck due to whiplash injury

Select A Section

  1. Can I Make a Whiplash Claim?
  2. Potential Causes Of Whiplash
  3. Time Limits For Claiming Compensation For A Whiplash Injury
  4. What Evidence Do You Need For Whiplash Claims?
  5. Calculating Compensation For Whiplash Claims
  6. Claiming For Whiplash With A No Win No Fee Solicitor
  7. Useful Links Relating to A Whiplash Claim And Whiplash Settlement Calculator

Can I Make a Whiplash Claim?

Before we discuss the whiplash payout scale or give you advice on using a whiplash calculator, we should first explain who could claim for suffering a whiplash injury.

To claim compensation, you would need to prove that another road user breached a duty of care towards you, causing you to suffer a whiplash injury.

Every road user owes a duty of care to use the roads in a responsible manner that avoids causing harm to others and themselves. They must refer to the Road Traffic Act 1988 and follow the rules and guidance of the Highway Code.

If someone on the road breaches this duty of care, and you suffer a whiplash injury as a result, you may be eligible to make a personal claim.

To find out how the Whiplash Reform Programme may affect your claim, continue reading this guide. Additionally, you can contact our advisors to receive free advice for your whiplash compensation claim.

Potential Causes Of Whiplash

Before we discuss the question of “How much do you get for whiplash in a personal injury claim?” let us explain how such injuries could be sustained. Some examples of accidents that could cause a whiplash injury could include:

  • You are waiting at a red light, and the car behind you is distracted by their phone and fails to notice this, causing them to crash into the back of your vehicle. This causes you to suffer from whiplash.
  • A taxi driver fails to check whether a junction is clear before quickly pulling out. They crash into the side of your car, and this causes you to suffer from whiplash and a broken arm.
  • A driver is speeding. You have come to a stop at a zebra crossing as a pedestrian is using it. The speeding driver is unable to stop in time and crashes into the back of your car, causing you to suffer from whiplash and a back injury.

These are only a few examples. If you would like to check the eligibility of your case and receive a free valuation of your potential whiplash payout, you can contact one of our advisors. They can also help answer any questions you may have about using a whiplash calculator.

Compensation For A Whiplash Injury – Claim Time Limits

All personal injury claims are subject to a time limit. Under the Limitation Act 1980, you will typically be expected to start your claim within three years of the date of your accident.

The time limit is different in claims for minors. Their three-year time limit will only begin to apply when they turn 18. Before this, they will have the option to be represented in a claim by a litigation friend who can act on their behalf to help them claim compensation for their whiplash injury. The minor will also have the option to wait until they are 18 to start their claim by themselves. They must start their claim before their 21st birthday if they do so.

A similar exception is made for people who lack the mental capacity to start a claim. Their claims do not face time limits. An appointed litigation friend can help them seek compensation and start a claim at any point on their behalf. A time limit will only apply if they are ever deemed capable of representing themselves. They will have three years from this date to do so.

For more information on the time you may have to claim a whiplash insurance payout, or how much compensation for whiplash may be awarded, get in touch with our advisors at a time that suits you.

What Evidence Do You Need For Whiplash Claims?

If you’re eligible to make a whiplash claim, you will need to provide evidence to support your case.

There are lots of different types of evidence that could support your claim, including:

  • A police report
  • CCTV footage of the accident
  • Photographs of the scene of the accident
  • Photographs of your injuries
  • Witness contact details
  • Your medical notes detailing your injuries and any treatment you’ve needed

It would also be useful to keep any documentation relating to costs and losses you would like included in your payout for a whiplash injury. This could include, payslips showing loss of income, and bank statements, for example.

If you’re eligible to claim, a solicitor could help you gather evidence to support your claim.

Should you have further questions about evidencing a whiplash claim, please contact an advisor.

Calculating Compensation For Whiplash Claims

You may be wondering, ‘How much is compensation for whiplash worth?’. If you make a successful claim, you will receive general damages as part of your settlement. This compensates you for the pain and suffering you have endured due to your injury.

Your solicitor can value this head of claim by referring to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This publication provides guideline compensation payouts for a range of injuries at different levels of severity. Our table uses a few sets of figures to show you how compensation for pain and suffering could be awarded. The first figure is to demonstrate how compensation could be awarded for both general and special damages as well as multiple injuries. This figure was not taken from the JCG or Whiplash Injury Regulations. However, the next few figures are from the JCG. This is followed up with the last two figures, which are examples of the tariffs found in the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021. We will discuss when the Whiplash Reform Programme may affect your claim later in this guide. Please only use the table as a guide.

InjuryCompensation GuidelineSeverity
Multiple Severe Injuries Plus Special DamagesUp to £200,000+Combinations of injuries that result in significant pain and suffering and financial losses, such as a loss of earnings and medical expenses.
Back £111,150 to £196,450Severe (i) Severe damage to spinal cord and nerve roots.
Back£33,880 to £47,320Moderate (i) A damaged intervertebral disc with irritated nerve roots and reduced mobility.
Neck In the region of £181,020Severe (i) Incomplete paraplegia from an associated neck injury.
Neck£80,240 to £159,770
Severe (ii) Serious fractures or damage to the cervical spine discs.
Neck£55,500 to £68,330Severe (iii) Fractures or dislocations, or ruptured tendons or severe soft tissue damage.
Neck£30,500 to £46,970Moderate (i) Fractures or dislocations with severe and immediate symptoms where a spinal fusion might be required.
Neck£16,770 to £30,500Moderate (ii) A soft tissue injury and severe disc lesion resulting in serious limited movement, cervical spondylosis and other issues.
Whiplash Tariff£4,345One or multiple whiplash injuries with one or multiple minor psychological injuries with symptoms lasting between 18-24 months.
Whiplash Tariff£4,215One or multiple whiplash injury with symptoms lasting between 18-24 months.

You may also be eligible to claim special damages as part of your settlement. This compensates you for the financial losses you have suffered as a result of your injury. For example, you may be able to claim for:

  • A loss of earnings.
  • Medical costs.
  • Travel expenses.

Providing evidence of these losses will help support your claim for special damages. For example, payslips, invoices and receipts could be used as evidence.

If you are still wondering, ‘How much for a whiplash claim in the UK could I receive?’ you can contact our advisory team today.

How Will The Whiplash Reforms Influence My Payout?

Before using our whiplash compensation claims calculator, you must know there may be a different way to claim. On 31 May 2021, the Whiplash Reform Programme was introduced to change how whiplash claims are made. You will need to make your compensation claim through this programme if:

  • You are aged 18 years or above.
  • You suffered an injury as the driver or passenger of a vehicle.
  • Your injuries are valued up to £5000.
  • The road traffic accident occured in England or Wales.

Furthermore, if any non-whiplash injuries you suffered, such as bruised ribs, do not bring the value of your claim beyond £5,000, you will still claim through the Whiplash Reform Programme. However, these injuries will be valued using the Judicial College Guidelines discussed above.

However, the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021 provide tariffs for whiplash injuries of different severities, which is how whiplash is generally valued in collisions.

You can use our whiplash claim calculator, and if you’re unsure about what avenue to pursue, you can reach out to us for a free case assessment.

Claiming For Whiplash With A No Win No Fee Solicitor

If you’re eligible to claim compensation for whiplash , you may wish to get a solicitor to help you with your case. Not only could a solicitor help gather evidence to support your claim, but they could also help negotiate a whiplash injury payout that reflects your pain and suffering.

If you’re eligible to make a personal injury claim, one of our solicitors may offer their No Win No Fee services under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Under this arrangement, your solicitor won’t charge upfront or ongoing fees for their services. You also won’t have to pay your solicitor for their work if your claim ends unsuccessfully.

Instead, your solicitor will deduct a small percentage of your whiplash compensation as a success fee. This percentage is limited by a legislative cap.

To check your eligibility to make a personal injury claim with one of our solicitors, or to ask any questions you may have regarding the claims process, you can contact our advisors:

Useful Links Relating to a Whiplash Claim and Whiplash Settlement Calculator

Thank you for reading our whiplash compensation claims calculator guide. Please get in touch with any further questions.