The Dintilhac classification is the reference classification of compensable personal-injury damages in France, established in 2005. It lists around twenty heads, organised along two axes: pecuniary (economic) or non-pecuniary (personal), and temporary (before consolidation) or permanent (after). Non-binding, it serves as a common framework for lawyers, judges and insurers.
It comes from a report submitted in July 2005 to the Ministry of Justice by a working group chaired by the judge Jean-Pierre Dintilhac. Its aim: to provide a common framework for assessing each type of harm consistently. It has no statutory force, but has established itself as the standard used by the courts.
The classification crosses two distinctions. The table below summarises the families and their main heads.
| Family | Timing | Example heads |
|---|---|---|
| Pecuniary, temporary | before consolidation | current healthcare expenses (DSA), miscellaneous expenses (FD), current loss of professional earnings (PGPA) |
| Pecuniary, permanent | after consolidation | future healthcare expenses (DSF), adapted-housing costs (FLA) / adapted-vehicle costs (FVA), future loss of professional earnings (PGPF), impact on career (IP) |
| Non-pecuniary, temporary | before consolidation | temporary functional deficit (DFT), suffering endured (SE), temporary aesthetic damage (PET) |
| Non-pecuniary, permanent | after consolidation | permanent functional deficit (DFP), loss of amenity (PA), permanent aesthetic damage (PEP), sexual damage (PS), loss of the ability to establish a family life (PE) |
The classification also provides for the damages of indirect victims (by ricochet) and for exceptional damages. The exact count varies by source (around twenty heads for the direct victim, close to thirty in total), because the list is neither statutory nor fixed.
It is there to make sure nothing is forgotten and to speak the same language as the insurer and the court. Each head is valued separately, then carried over to the summary schedule that accompanies the claim. A head that is omitted is a head that is not compensated, hence the value of an exhaustive checklist.
The permanent functional deficit (DFP), suffering endured and future loss of professional earnings concentrate most of the debate, because their assessment depends heavily on age, rating and professional situation. See our dedicated article on valuing the DFP.
How many heads does the Dintilhac classification have?
Around twenty heads for the direct victim, plus 7 to 9 heads for indirect victims depending on the count, split between pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages, temporary and permanent. The list is neither statutory nor strictly fixed.
Is the Dintilhac classification mandatory?
No, it has no statutory force. But it is used by almost all courts, insurers and lawyers, which makes it a de facto standard.
What is the difference between pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage?
Pecuniary damage has a quantifiable economic impact (costs, loss of income). Non-pecuniary damage compensates the harm to the person (pain, after-effects, quality of life).
What is consolidation?
It is the date on which the victim's condition is stabilised. It separates temporary damages (before) from permanent damages (after).
How do you value all these heads quickly?
A vertical tool such as Plato automatically breaks the heads down from the expert report and produces the schedule, drawing on quantified case law.