If you’re making a personal injury claim, it’s natural to wonder how long the process will take. The quick answer to this question is that each claim is unique so there’s no fixed timeframe. When you make a claim with us, your solicitor will talk to you about how long your claim could take and will keep you updated if anything happens to change this estimate.
What factors influence how long a claim takes to settle?
While no two claims are the same, there are common factors that influence how quickly we can get compensation for you.
- The nature of your injuries – the major factor in how long your claim takes is the nature of your injuries. Most claims don’t settle until the injured person has fully recovered and how long this takes will depend on the severity of your injury.
In cases where a full recovery won’t be possible, or will take a very long time, we can settle your claim based on an expert medical opinion on your long-term health prospects. If your injuries are serious enough to fall into this category, we’ll arrange for a full medical report. It’s important that your compensation settlement covers all of your ongoing and future care needs, so it’s worth taking time to get this part of the claim right.
- How you suffered your injuries – the circumstances of your accident play a big part in how long your claim takes. If there were witnesses and you’re able to provide their contact details, we’ll be able to settle your claim more quickly. Similarly, if the other party involved in your accident admits being at fault, we’ll be able to get your compensation more quickly than if they deny responsibility.
- Whether your claim goes to court – you’ll get your compensation more quickly if we can agree an out of court settlement with those responsible for your injuries. We agree a settlement in most cases but if that’s not possible then we may need to go to court, which will take longer.
Do I need to wait until the end of my claim for my compensation?
In some cases we can help clients to get some of their compensation while the claim is still in progress. We call those payments “interim payments”.
Interim payments are really useful in complex cases where we might not be able to agree a full settlement for some time. These payments can help to cover your lost earnings and the cost of care and rehabilitation.
To begin with, you can only ask for interim payments if the people you’re claiming against admit that they were responsible for your injuries. However, we can also ask the court to order an interim payment if:
- The people you’re claiming against admit being at fault once the case has started
- A trial is likely to go your way
- You have a good reason to request an interim payment, such as an urgent medical bill
- Your interim payment request is for a reasonable amount that’s less than your total compensation.
Want to know more about making a claim? Contact us today
If you’re thinking of making a personal injury claim, call us on 0800 056 4110 for a free initial consultation.
