Head Injury Compensation Amounts
Head injuries cover a wide range of injuries — from mild concussion that resolves in weeks to skull fractures, scalp lacerations, and the most serious traumatic brain injuries. Compensation depends heavily on whether there is brain damage (in which case the case is valued under the brain injury brackets), or whether the injury is purely to the skull, scalp, or face. The Judicial College Guidelines (18th edition) treat these as overlapping but distinct categories.
In this guide
- Head Injury vs Brain Injury — The Important Distinction
- Minor Head Injury — Typically £2,690 to £15,000
- Skull Fracture Brackets
- Scalp Lacerations and Facial Injuries
- Facial Fractures
- Loss of Senses From Head Injuries
- Special Damages in Head Injury Claims
- Common Head Injury Claim Scenarios
- Common Questions About Head Injury Compensation
- Related Guides
- Our Partner's Fees Explained
- Check If You Could Claim Compensation For Your Injury
This guide focuses on head injuries that do not involve significant brain damage. For brain injury specifically, see our dedicated brain injury compensation amounts guide.
Head Injury vs Brain Injury — The Important Distinction
In compensation terms, the key question is whether there is evidence of brain damage:
- Brain damage (concussion with lasting effects, traumatic brain injury, post-concussion syndrome with cognitive effects) — valued under the JC brain injury brackets, which run from £2,690 (minor) to £493,000+ (very severe)
- Head injury without brain damage — skull fractures, scalp lacerations, facial fractures, soft-tissue facial injuries — valued under their own specific brackets, generally lower
Many cases involve both — for example, a fall causing both a skull fracture and concussion. In these cases the brackets may be combined or the case valued under whichever bracket produces the higher figure. An independent neurologist and clinical neuropsychologist are typically needed to assess whether brain damage is present.
Minor Head Injury — Typically £2,690 to £15,000
Under the JC Guidelines, “minor head or brain damage” covers cases where brain damage (if any) is minimal. Typical scenarios include:
- Concussion with full recovery within weeks to months
- Brief loss of consciousness with no lasting cognitive effects
- Headaches resolving within months
- No significant memory, concentration, or behavioural problems
- Minor scarring (valued separately if visible)
Within the £2,690 to £15,000 range, valuation depends on:
- Severity of the initial injury
- Duration of any symptoms
- Need for hospital admission and investigation
- Presence of associated injuries (scarring, soft-tissue facial injury)
- Impact on work and daily life during the recovery period
Skull Fracture Brackets
Skull fractures are categorised separately under the JC Guidelines:
Simple uncomplicated fracture — typically up to £15,000
Where the skull heals without significant complications and there is no associated brain damage. Cosmetic considerations may add to valuation if there is visible deformity.
Complicated skull fracture (with brain damage) — moves into brain injury brackets
For complex skull fractures with associated brain damage — for example depressed fractures or fractures requiring surgical evacuation of haematoma — the case moves into the brain injury brackets, valued by the lasting effects on cognitive and physical function.
Scalp Lacerations and Facial Injuries
Soft-tissue head injuries — particularly visible scarring — have their own brackets:
Severe facial scarring
Subdivided based on age, gender, and cosmetic impact:
- Very severe scarring — £33,000 to £107,000+ for cases involving visible permanent disfigurement that has a major psychological impact
- Less severe but still substantial scarring — £22,000 to £62,000
- Significant scarring — £10,000 to £33,000
- Less significant scarring — £4,200 to £14,000
- Trivial scarring with full recovery — typically up to £4,200
Facial scarring valuations are sensitive to:
- Age of the claimant (younger claimants attract higher figures)
- Gender (UK case law has historically treated female facial scarring as warranting higher compensation, though this is increasingly contested)
- Location and visibility of the scar
- Psychological impact and any treatment
- Effectiveness of any cosmetic surgery to reduce the scarring
Facial Fractures
Specific brackets apply to facial bone fractures:
- Multiple fractures of the facial bones — typically £15,000 to £24,000
- Fractures of nose or nasal complex with significant deformity — typically £12,000 to £24,000
- Simple undisplaced nasal fracture — typically £1,800 to £4,000
- Fractures of cheekbones — typically £2,500 to £20,000
- Jaw fractures — typically £6,500 to £49,000 depending on severity
Facial fractures often require surgery (open reduction and internal fixation with plates and screws). The compensation reflects both the surgical recovery period and any permanent symptoms or cosmetic effects.
Loss of Senses From Head Injuries
Head injuries can damage the senses, with separate JC brackets:
- Loss of taste and smell (anosmia and ageusia) — typically up to £40,000+
- Loss of smell only — typically up to £30,000
- Loss of sight — see our loss of sight compensation guide
- Hearing loss from head trauma — separately valued, typically £15,000 to £45,000 depending on severity
Anosmia (complete loss of smell) typically also affects taste, since the two senses are connected. Anosmia is more disabling than people realise — it affects appetite, food enjoyment, the ability to detect gas leaks or smoke, and intimacy. The full impact is often documented through medical assessment.
Special Damages in Head Injury Claims
Lost Earnings
Even minor head injuries may require weeks or months off work. For more serious cases — particularly those affecting cognition — return to work may be in a reduced capacity or not at all. Loss of earnings calculations use the Ogden Tables for permanent reduced earning capacity.
Treatment Costs
- Private neurology assessment and follow-up
- Clinical neuropsychological assessment
- Cognitive rehabilitation
- Plastic surgery for scarring
- Maxillofacial surgery for facial fractures
- Psychological treatment for PTSD or adjustment disorder secondary to facial injury
Care and Adaptations
For more significant head injuries with cognitive effects, support may be needed during recovery. For severe cases, the wider serious-injury framework applies — see our serious injury hub.
Common Head Injury Claim Scenarios
- Road traffic accidents — particularly motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians; passengers in serious crashes
- Workplace falls — see our falls from height claims guide
- Construction site accidents — falling objects causing head trauma
- Sports injuries — though these only succeed where another party was at fault
- Assaults — see our criminal injuries (CICA) claims guide
- Slip and fall accidents — head injury from falling onto hard surfaces
- Medical negligence — particularly missed head injury complications in A&E. See our A&E negligence claims guide
Common Questions About Head Injury Compensation
I had concussion and post-concussion symptoms for months. How is that valued?
Concussion with several months of ongoing symptoms typically falls into the JC Minor head/brain injury bracket — £2,690 to £15,000. The valuation depends on the duration and impact of symptoms (headaches, dizziness, concentration problems, sleep disturbance). For persistent post-concussion symptoms with significant cognitive impact lasting a year or more, the case may move into the JC “less severe brain damage” bracket — typically £15,000 to £43,000. See our brain injury compensation amounts guide.
I have permanent facial scarring after a road accident. What is it worth?
It depends on the severity, visibility, and psychological impact. Significant facial scarring typically attracts £10,000 to £33,000; severe scarring with major psychological impact can substantially exceed £100,000. Younger claimants and those whose scarring affects their work or social life attract higher figures. Cosmetic surgery (where it reduces the scarring) may modestly reduce the eventual figure but is typically recoverable as special damages itself.
I broke my nose in a fall. What is the compensation?
Simple undisplaced nasal fractures typically attract £1,800 to £4,000. Displaced fractures requiring manipulation or surgery, or those leaving residual deformity or breathing problems, attract higher figures — up to £24,000 for fractures with significant ongoing cosmetic or functional effects.
I lost my sense of smell completely after a head injury. How much could I claim?
Complete anosmia is a recognised disability with substantial compensation — typically up to £30,000 for anosmia alone, higher where taste is also affected (anosmia plus ageusia, up to £40,000+). The impact on quality of life is more significant than people realise and the medical expert will document this in the report.
My CT scan showed a small bleed on the brain that fully resolved. Does that affect valuation?
Yes, but how much depends on the lasting effects. A small intracranial bleed that resolved completely with no lasting cognitive or physical effects may keep the case in the JC Minor bracket — typically £2,690 to £15,000. Where there are any lasting cognitive symptoms, the case may move into the less severe brain damage bracket — £15,000 to £43,000. Neuropsychological assessment is the key evidence.
How long does a head injury claim take?
Minor head injuries with full recovery typically settle within 9 to 18 months. Cases with ongoing cognitive symptoms or scarring requiring revision surgery can take 2 to 3 years because the long-term position needs to stabilise. See our how long does a claim take guide.
Related Guides
Compensation by Injury Type | UK Payout Amounts
Brain Injury Compensation Amounts
Hearing Loss Compensation Amounts
How Much Compensation for Personal Injury?
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