How Long Does a Compensation Claim Take to Settle?

 If you are considering making a claim, you may be wondering, “how long does a compensation claim take to settle?” The amount of time needed to settle an injury claim can vary significantly depending on the type of claim and injuries involved. For example, a simple car accident claim may take much less time to settle than complicated medical negligence.

If you have been involved in an accident, you may need compensation to help pay for medical treatment costs or even live off if you are unable to work as a result of your accident. Therefore, finding out the amount of time your compensation claim may take to settle as well as any potential interim payments you could receive, can sometimes be a matter of urgency.

If you have been involved in an accident and are looking to make an accident claim, but you are not sure how long your claim may take, below is some information that may provide some clarity on your case.

Average personal injury claim duration

 Although the amount of time it takes to settle a claim can be affected by several different factors, there are average claim durations that can provide more clarity; these include: 

·        Road traffic accident claims – The average claim duration time for road traffic accidents is around 4 – 9 months, depending on how quickly blame for the accident can be established. 

·        MIB claims (uninsured drivers) – MIB claims take less time to settle than road traffic accident claims as blame is easier to establish. 

·        Work accident claims – The average duration it takes to settle an accident at work claim ranges from around 6 – 9 months. 

·        CICA claims (criminal assault) – Criminal assault claims range can take anywhere between 12 – 18 months on average to settle in Court as these cases can be affected by a variety of factors. 

·        Medical negligence cases – Medical negligence claims can take the longest to settle as the claims process for these cases can take as long as 12-36 months on average, depending on the severity of the case. 

·        Industrial disease claims – Industrial disease claims can often be faster to process when liability is accepted, and the extent of the industrial disease contracted is known. However, if there is a question over liability or the extent of the illness, the claim can take anywhere from 12-18 months on average.

How long does a compensation claim take to settle? What factors affect claim duration?

There are a variety of factors that can affect the amount of time that it may take to claim compensation for your case. Some of these factors include: 

·        The type of accident – The type of accident that you were involved in will affect the time it may take to settle your claim as each accident claim has a different claim duration. 

·        The type and severity of your injury – The severity of your injuries can affect the claim duration for your case. For most, a thorough medical report and medical evidence can be obtained, which gives a detailed account of your injuries; however, for others with more complex injuries, it can take a substantial amount of time. 

·        Obtaining evidence – The amount of time it takes to settle your claim can also be affected by how much time is required to gather the relevant evidence needed to support your case. 

·        Defendant identity – In certain cases, such as criminal assault or road traffic accidents, it can sometimes be difficult to identify the defendant. Therefore, more time may be needed to identify and prosecute them. 

·        Defendant liability – If a defendant denies liability for the accident that took place, it can prolong the claims process, as time is then needed to prove the defendant’s liability. Court action could be required if the defendant does not accept liability or offer an acceptable compensation settlement.

 For more information and guidance on the claims process and how your accident claim could potentially be affected, please contact our personal injury solicitors at Beacon Law.

How long does a compensation claim take to settle?: Personal injury claim time limits

The time limit for most personal injury claims is three years. This means that you should begin your claim within three years of the accident or negligence happening or within three years of you becoming aware that the accident caused your injuries. This three-year time limit can be extended if the claimant is a minor or lacks mental capacity either prior to the negligent treatment or as a result of it.

Due to the complexity of some of these cases, the processing times can vary. Therefore, you should get in contact with our team at Beacon Law as soon as possible to begin your claim.

How much will it cost?

Beacon Law offer services on a no win, no fee basis. A no win, no fee agreement is used as a method of funding a compensation case, where the accident victim is not required to pay upfront for our services if they wish to make a claim for personal injury.

If we believe your case has a good chance of success, we will usually agree to proceed with your case, offering a ‘no win, no fee’ agreement. One important feature of this agreement is that if your claim is not successful, you will not be required to pay our firm’s fees.

The main advantage of a ‘no win, no fee’ claim for compensation is that the financial risks of legal action are decreased. In most cases, you will not have to pay any legal fees if your claim is unsuccessful. If your claim is successful, we will deduct a percentage of your compensation as a success fee for any work we have completed when your claim has been settled.

Why choose Beacon Law?

Beacon Law are a leading firm of no win, no fee Solicitors in England and Wales, offering a range of personal injury claim services a for our clients. Our law firm works hard to provide a high level of service to all our clients, ensuring they receive the appropriate treatment and highest level of compensation for their injuries.

We listen and follow our client’s instructions whilst providing specialist legal advice for each case. We care about our clients and aim to support them through this difficult time. Our main objective is to provide the best case management possible throughout all legal proceedings.

We can offer you advice on how to progress with court proceedings, as well as any advice we can offer on how long your claim will take to settle.

If you require any legal advice or assistance on a potential case, please get in touch on 0330 1332 857, or please fill in our online form, and a Personal Injury expert will contact you to talk to you about your potential case.

Beacon Law are a Solicitors registered in England and Wales. We are regulated and authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.