QUICK ANSWER
Head injury compensation in Scotland ranges from around £2,910 for minor head injuries with little or no brain damage to £119,860 for moderate brain injuries affecting concentration and memory – and over £530,000 for the most severe brain injuries, under the Judicial College Guidelines (18th edition, 2026). This calculator covers minor to moderate head injuries, jaw fractures and facial scarring; for serious brain injuries see our brain injury claims page. You have 3 years to claim under the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973. No win no fee.
Head Injury Compensation Estimator
Scotland — based on the Judicial College Guidelines (18th edition)
↑ Select your injury type above to see an estimated compensation range.
Estimated total compensation range
ⓘ This calculator provides indicative estimates based on the Judicial College Guidelines (18th edition, 2026) for solatium (pain, suffering and loss of amenity). Special damages for lost earnings and treatment costs are included as approximate additions only. Actual compensation depends on the specific facts of your case, independent medical evidence, and full assessment of all heads of loss. This tool does not constitute legal advice.
Head Injury Compensation in Scotland — Judicial College Figures
Compensation for a head injury in Scotland is assessed under two heads. Solatium covers pain, suffering and loss of amenity — the impact of the injury on your life, from headaches and poor concentration to memory problems and personality change. Special damages cover every financial loss the injury causes. The table below shows solatium ranges from the Judicial College Guidelines (18th edition, published April 2026).
| Severity of Head Injury |
Typical Award |
| Moderate brain injury – concentration and memory affected, ability to work reduced | £56,890 – £119,860 |
| Less severe brain injury – good recovery, some persisting problems with concentration or memory | £20,240 – £56,890 |
| Minor head injury – concussion, minimal brain damage if any | £2,910 – £16,870 |
| Fractured jaw – simple to serious | £8,530 – £40,280 |
| Facial scarring – less significant to significant | £5,220 – £39,750 |
Source: Judicial College Guidelines, 18th edition (April 2026), Chapters 3 and 9 – Head, Brain and Facial Injuries. Solatium figures only — special damages are additional.
That's not all. The figures above cover the injury itself. Your total settlement also includes special damages — lost earnings while you were off work, the cost of physiotherapy or private treatment, medication, travel to appointments, and care provided by family while you recovered. For working people, special damages regularly add thousands of pounds on top of the table figures.
How Head Injury Compensation Is Calculated in Scotland
Once fault is established, your solicitor will instruct an independent medical expert — usually a consultant neurologist or neuropsychologist — to examine you and produce a medico-legal report. The report documents the injury, links it to the accident, and gives a prognosis: whether you will recover fully, how long that will take, and what symptoms are likely to persist. That prognosis determines which Judicial College bracket applies.
Head injuries need particularly careful medical evidence because the effects – on concentration, memory, mood and personality – are often invisible and emerge over time. Neuropsychological assessment can identify deficits that a hospital discharge summary never mentions. For the most severe brain injuries requiring lifelong care, awards run from £198,000 to over £530,000 and require specialist handling – see our brain injury claims page.
Special damages are calculated separately and added on top: wage slips prove lost earnings, receipts prove treatment and travel costs, and even unpaid care from family members has a calculable value under Scottish law.
Common Causes of Head Injury Claims
Head injuries arise across car accidents, motorbike accidents, cycling accidents, construction accidents (falling objects and falls from height), and criminal assaults, which are claimed through CICA. If your head injury was someone else's fault, you can claim – and the same Judicial College brackets apply.
The Time Limit for Head Injury Claims in Scotland
Under the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973, you have three years from the date of your accident to make a claim. For conditions that developed gradually, the three years runs from the date you knew, or ought reasonably to have known, that your injury was caused by someone else's fault. Children have until their 19th birthday, since the period does not begin until age 16 in Scotland.
Head Injury Calculator — Frequently Asked Questions
Head injury compensation in Scotland ranges from around £2,910 for minor head injuries to £119,860 for moderate brain injuries affecting concentration, memory and the ability to work, under the Judicial College Guidelines (18th edition, 2026). The most severe brain injuries attract £198,000 to over £530,000. Special damages are paid on top.
Concussion with a good recovery typically attracts £2,910 to £16,870 under the Judicial College Guidelines, with the award depending on how long symptoms – headaches, dizziness, poor concentration – persist. Where post-concussion symptoms continue long-term, the injury may be valued in the less severe brain injury bracket of £20,240 to £56,890.
A fractured jaw attracts £8,530 for a simple fracture with full recovery up to £40,280 for serious multiple fractures with permanent consequences. Facial scarring is valued from £5,220 for less significant scarring to £39,750 where the scarring is significant, with the most severe disfigurement valued higher still.
3 years from the date of the accident, under the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973. For injuries that developed gradually, the 3 years runs from the date you knew the injury was caused by someone else's fault. Children have until their 19th birthday to claim in Scotland.
The calculator provides indicative ranges based on the Judicial College Guidelines (18th edition) for solatium, with approximate additions for work impact and treatment costs. Your actual award depends on independent medical evidence and a full assessment of every financial loss by a specialist Scottish solicitor - the final figure can be higher than the calculator shows.
How Do I Start My Head Injury Claim?
Contact Scottish Claims Helpline for a free, no obligation assessment. We will review your circumstances, advise on whether you have a viable claim, and connect you with a specialist Scottish solicitor who handles head injury claims on a no win no fee basis. It takes 2 minutes and you pay nothing unless your claim succeeds.
About this page: Written by
David Gildea, Claims Manager and qualified Scottish paralegal at Scottish Claims Helpline. Last reviewed: August 2026. Scottish Claims Helpline is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (
FRN 830381).