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. It covers the injury itself, not costs you paid out, which fall under special damages.
What do general damages 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 does a court assess general damages?
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 medical evidence.[1]
The Compendium gives ranges for each type of injury. It is a guide rather than a fixed rule, which is why medical evidence counts for more than your own description of pain.
Why is no figure shown on this page?
Each range responds to the type and severity of injury, your treatment, your recovery and any permanent effect. One figure would misrepresent how individually this loss is assessed.
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 most important document for this head of loss, so arrange a thorough one early. How compensation is worked out shows how this fits with the other heads, and a road accident claim covers the wider process.
An independent lawyer can take on the claim and arrange the specialist report with you. Send the accident date, where it happened, whether anyone was injured (yes/no) and the police report status.
Need a lawyer to handle your injury claim?
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
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)
Need a lawyer to handle your injury claim?
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.