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PTSD Compensation Calculator

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a recognised psychiatric injury that can substantially affect daily life, employment, relationships, and physical health. UK law treats PTSD as a compensable injury in its own right, separate from any physical injury suffered in the same incident. This calculator uses the Judicial College Guidelines Chapter 4 (Psychiatric Damage Generally and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) to estimate compensation based on severity.

PTSD diagnosis requires expert psychiatric or psychological evidence using established diagnostic criteria — DSM-5 or ICD-11. The condition involves re-experiencing the trauma (flashbacks, intrusive memories, nightmares), avoidance of trauma reminders, negative changes in mood and cognition, and hyperarousal (hypervigilance, sleep disturbance, exaggerated startle response). Without a formal diagnosis from a suitably qualified expert, the higher PTSD brackets are not available — although adjustment disorders and anxiety states are valued under the wider psychiatric damage brackets.

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PTSD compensation calculator

Based on the Judicial College Guidelines, 18th edition (2026).

How This Calculator Works

Select the severity of your PTSD diagnosis and the prognosis. The calculator identifies the JC bracket and produces a low/mid/high range. Severity is assessed against six factors set out in the JC Guidelines: ability to cope with daily life, effect on relationships, extent of treatment, future vulnerability, prognosis, and whether medical help is being sought. The special damages module captures lost earnings (particularly significant where PTSD prevents return to specific occupations), therapy and treatment costs.

JC Guidelines PTSD Severity Brackets

Chapter 4 sets out four PTSD brackets:

  • Severe — permanent effects preventing the claimant from working at all or functioning at the same level as pre-trauma; all aspects of life badly affected
  • Moderately severe — significant disability but with some prospect of recovery with continued treatment; future vulnerability
  • Moderate — largely recovered with some continuing effects that are not grossly disabling
  • Less severe — virtually full recovery within 1-2 years with only minor symptoms persisting

The Guidelines also provide separate brackets for psychiatric damage that doesn’t meet the full PTSD diagnostic criteria — adjustment disorders, anxiety states, and depression caused by an incident — with broadly similar severity scales but lower headline figures.

PTSD Alongside Physical Injury

PTSD frequently arises alongside physical injuries from the same incident — road traffic accidents, serious workplace incidents, violent crime, and medical negligence cases. The two claims combine: you receive compensation for the physical injury under the relevant JC chapter, plus compensation for the PTSD under Chapter 4. There is typically a small overlap discount applied where the symptoms of both overlap (such as chronic pain causing both physical and psychological distress), but the combined figure is usually significantly more than the physical injury alone.

Factors That Affect Your PTSD Claim

  • Severity of symptoms across the four PTSD symptom clusters
  • Duration of symptoms and response to treatment
  • Whether you have received appropriate treatment (CBT, EMDR, medication)
  • Whether the prognosis is for full recovery, partial recovery, or chronic disability
  • Impact on employment — particularly inability to return to the same role
  • Impact on relationships and family functioning
  • Whether substance use or self-harm has developed as a coping mechanism
  • Pre-existing mental health vulnerabilities (relevant but rarely defeat a claim)

What This Calculator Doesn’t Capture

PTSD claims are particularly sensitive to expert psychiatric evidence. A psychiatrist or clinical psychologist will conduct a formal assessment using structured tools (PCL-5, CAPS-5 for adults), give a formal diagnosis, and provide a prognosis. The calculator cannot perform this assessment — your self-rating of severity may differ materially from a clinical assessment. The calculator also doesn’t capture the value of lost earning capacity where PTSD prevents return to specific high-pressure occupations (emergency services, military, finance), which can be substantial.

Next Steps

PTSD claims should be handled by solicitors with specific experience in psychiatric injury work. Specialist firms work with established expert witnesses who can conduct the clinical assessment, provide diagnosis, and offer a prognosis. Treatment costs (private CBT, EMDR therapy) are recoverable as special damages and many specialist solicitors arrange for treatment to start at an early stage through rehabilitation provisions. No win no fee Conditional Fee Agreements are standard.

Common Questions

I don’t have a formal PTSD diagnosis — can I still claim?

You can claim for psychiatric injury, but without a formal PTSD diagnosis from a suitably qualified expert (psychiatrist or clinical psychologist), the higher PTSD brackets aren’t available. Adjustment disorders, anxiety states, and depression caused by the incident are valued under the broader Psychiatric Damage Generally brackets, which have similar severity scales but lower headline figures. A psychiatric assessment as part of the claim often produces a formal diagnosis that wasn’t made clinically.

How does PTSD compensation compare to physical injury?

Severe PTSD compensation is broadly comparable to serious physical injury under the JC Guidelines. The brackets reach into six figures for cases that prevent the claimant from working entirely. Where PTSD and physical injury combine in the same claim, both are recovered subject to a modest overlap discount. For severe cases, the combined claim value can be substantial.

What about historical PTSD — incidents from years ago?

The three-year time limit runs from the date of knowledge of the injury and its cause, not necessarily the date of the incident. Many PTSD claims arise from incidents years earlier where the claimant only later identified the symptoms as PTSD or only later sought help. Provided the date-of-knowledge test is met, historical claims can succeed. Specialist firms handle these complexities, particularly for assault, abuse, and medical incidents that produce delayed PTSD recognition.

Do I have to give evidence in court?

Almost all PTSD claims settle without the claimant giving evidence. The expert psychiatric report provides the substantive evidence on diagnosis, severity, and prognosis. Specialist solicitors are aware that requiring claimants to repeatedly testify about trauma can worsen symptoms; settlement processes are designed to minimise this. In the rare case that proceeds to trial, special measures are available to limit the impact of giving evidence.

What are the Judicial College Guidelines?

The Judicial College Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases (currently 18th edition, published April 2026) are the reference work used by judges, solicitors, and insurers across England and Wales to value personal injury claims. They set out compensation brackets for every category of injury and are updated every two to three years.

How accurate is this calculator?

The calculator gives a directional estimate based on published guidelines. Actual settlements vary based on the specific facts of each case, the strength of evidence, the prognosis at the point of settlement, contributory negligence findings, and the negotiating position of the insurer. Treat the figure as a starting point — a specialist solicitor will give you a more precise figure after reviewing your evidence.

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Gavin Cooper

Gavin Cooper

Claims Expert, Claims Bible

Gavin writes and reviews Claims Bible's guidance on compensation claims. Claims Bible is a trading style of Forces Compare Ltd, authorised and regulated by the FCA for claims management activities (FRN 785329).

Updated 24 July 2026 · Part of our Personal Injury guide

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