When assessing the damages an individual is entitled to following an injury, the Court will refer to the Judicial College Guidelines. These guidelines, prepared by the Judicial Studies Board, look at awards made in previous personal injury cases and provide guidance on the appropriate level of awards for different types of injuries. Every few years, these guidelines are updated to reflect the current position, taking account of recent cases. The 18th edition of the JC Guidelines was published in early April.
The role of Judicial College Guidelines in Personal Injury Claims
These guidelines are used by personal injury and medical negligence solicitors. They set out the damages to be attributed to the pain and suffering caused by the injury. To ensure consistency, the Judicial Studies Board prepares guidelines that are used by personal injury solicitors and courts. These figures do not have the status of being legally binding but instead provide guidance.
The Judicial College Guidelines only provide a valuation for compensation for pain and suffering. There may be other losses for which a claimant would seek compensation, such as lost earnings, services required as a result of the injury (such as help with housework, gardening etc.) and out-of-pocket expenses. The guidelines do not take into account the unique circumstances of each individual’s claim. For instance, person A may be involved in a road traffic incident and break their wrist. They do not require any time off work and have incurred no expenses as a result of the claim. The guidelines recommend an award in the region of £4,670 to £13,670, depending on the severity of the fracture. This can be compared to person B, who also breaks their wrist in a road traffic incident but requires several weeks off work and suffers a loss of earnings. The Court would likely make a higher award to take account of their loss of earnings, on top of the pain and suffering they have experienced.
The value of a claim is different for every case, and our advice will vary depending upon the nature of the injury and the individual’s circumstances.
Impact of updated guidelines on injury valuation
The 18th edition of the Judicial College Guidelines was published in April 2026 with updated figures. This is the first time the guidelines have been updated since 2024. The new guidelines provide an updated value for most injuries, taking into consideration inflation and recent case law.
For example, last year, a minor foot injury was valued at up to £16,770. An equivalent injury in the current guidelines is now valued at up to £18,150, an increase of just over £1,000. A very severe brain injury has increased from between £344,150 and £493,000 up to between £372,570 and £533,720. A moderate ankle injury has increased from its previous range of £16,770 to £32,450 to between £18,150 and £35,130.
Importantly, there is a new section included on miscarriages. This provides specific guidance for individuals who have suffered a miscarriage as a result of negligence. Damages for this type of claim are recommended at between £2,750 and £17,000. The level of the award will depend on the stage of the pregnancy, the duration of any pain experienced during the miscarriage and the extent of any associated psychological symptoms, amongst other factors.
