What general damages cover
You want to understand what pain and suffering actually covers in a claim.
General damages is the legal term for compensation for pain, suffering and how the injury affects your life. It is assessed against a published guide of injury awards and your own medical evidence, not a number this site can offer. It covers the injury itself, not costs you have separately paid out, which fall under special damages instead.
What general damages actually cover
Pain, suffering and loss of amenities (PSLA) is what general damages compensates for. This includes physical pain, mental distress connected to the injury, scarring, and a reduced ability to do things you enjoyed before the accident.
How a court actually assesses it
Section 28A of the Civil Law Act 1956 sets out how this head of damage is assessed for an injury that does not result in death.[2] Malaysian courts weigh pain, suffering and loss of amenities against the Revised Compendium of Personal Injury Awards, last revised in 2018, alongside your specific medical evidence.[1]
The Compendium gives ranges for each type of injury, and a court is expected to stay within them, though it remains a guide rather than a fixed rule. This is why medical evidence matters more than a description of pain in your own words.
Why no figure appears on this page
Every range in the Compendium responds to the type and severity of injury, your treatment, your recovery, and any permanent effect. Publishing a single figure here would misrepresent how individually assessed this head of loss actually is.
What builds a strong claim for this head
- A detailed specialist medical report describing the injury, treatment and prognosis.
- Photographs of visible injuries such as scarring, taken during recovery.
- A clear account of how daily activities, sport, or hobbies have been affected.
- Follow-up reports where your condition changes materially over time.
How this differs from special damages
General damages compensates the injury itself. Special damages is a separate head for costs you can point to and prove, such as bills and transport. Most claims include both.
What to do next
A medical report for your claim is the single most important document for this head of loss, so arranging a thorough one early matters. How compensation is worked out shows how this fits with the other heads, and a road accident claim covers the wider process.
Common questions
Can this page tell me what my pain and suffering claim is worth?
No figure is given here, since the Compendium range for your injury and your own medical evidence decide that together, not a general estimate. What matters most at this stage is a thorough specialist report that describes your injury, treatment and recovery honestly.
What does loss of amenities actually mean?
It refers to the activities and quality of life the injury has taken away, such as sport, hobbies, or simply moving comfortably. A medical report that records these specific effects, not just the injury itself, supports this part of the claim.
Does a permanent scar increase what I can claim?
Scarring is generally reflected within general damages, alongside the underlying injury, based on its location, size and permanence. Photographs taken during recovery, alongside the medical report, help document this clearly.
Can a psychological injury from the accident be included here?
Yes, where it is properly diagnosed and connected to the accident by a specialist. Mental distress that is genuinely part of your injury generally falls within general damages, alongside the physical harm.
Sources
- Malaysian Bar Council Circular No. 255/2018 (Revised Compendium of Personal Injury Awards, 2018) (accessed 2026-09-22)
- Civil Law Act 1956, s.28A (Attorney General's Chambers) (accessed 2026-09-22)