How Long Does It Take For a Personal Injury Claim To Settle?

How Long Does It Take For a Personal Injury Claim To Settle?

One of the most common questions that we hear is “How long will it take for my claim to settle and for me to receive my Compensation?”

It can be hard to answer that question exactly.  We will however be able to give you a very good idea of how long it could take for a claim to settle. There are a number of factors which affect how long it will take for a claim to resolve.  These include things such as the seriousness of the injuries and the circumstances of the accident.

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How Long Does It Take For a Personal Injury Claim To Settle?

If you are wondering how long it will take for your claim to settle then you can call us on 028 71 229 343 and speak to our team. We will get details of the accident and your injuries.  Providing you with a good idea of how long it will take for your claim to settle.

We offer a free consultation.  So, you have been in an accident give us a call and we will do our best to help.

To give you an idea as to some of the issues that can arise that may delay or speed up a case we have set these out below:-

Fast Track Compensation

In some cases we are able to rapidly resolve a case and ensure you get your compensation very quickly. If you have been in an accident and you urgently want your compensation then just let us know.  We will do everything to ensure your case is settled as quickly as possible.

If you are hoping to get your case completed urgently then let us know.  We will prioritise your case to ensure that it is resolved as quickly as possibly.

How Much Compensation Will I Get?

Find out how much compensation you could get now using our Personal Injury Compensation Calculator:-

We can fast-track your claim to ensure that you receive your compensation as quickly as possible and make sure you keep 100% of your compensation settlement.

Pre-Medical Compensation Offer

Some insurance companies will offer compensation in the region of £2,500 to £3,000 immediately after an accident without the need for getting a medical report. Essentially what happens is that the insurance company will offer a sum between £2,500 to £3,000 to quickly resolve the claim without the need for us obtaining a medical report for you. This can be a very attractive option for clients.  It means that they are able to obtain a significant sum of compensation very quickly after an accident and they do not have to be seen by a doctor or get a medical report.

It is essential that you speak to us immediately if you receive a Pre-Medical Offer! This means you will protected from accepting less compensation than you are entitled to.

It would not be appropriate to agree a pre-medical settlement in a case in which there are significant injuries and the claim is clearly worth a lot more. It is also important in most cases to obtain a medical report to ensure that there is nothing underlying or concerning regarding the injuries and the symptoms and pain that you might be suffering from.

If you have been in an accident and you think your injuries are relatively minor and you are not sure whether to make a claim, then call us to discuss this in more detail. It may be the case where we are able to obtain for you a pre-medical offer and ensure that you get compensated swiftly after an accident.

In cases where a pre-medical settlement is agreed all of the legal costs are paid for by the insurance company which means you will keep 100% of your compensation and there will be no outstanding legal fees.

Level Of Injuries After An Accident

The seriousness of the injuries that you have sustained in an accident also has a large bearing on how quickly a case can be settled. For example, if you have minor injuries that resolve within 3 to 6 months with no long-term effects, we will be able to get your case resolved very quickly.

However, if your accident was very serious involving life changing injuries where you need surgery or scans, ongoing medical treatment, and further medical reports in support of your claim then this will naturally slow things down. In those cases we ensure that every part of the claim has been properly documented. That every type of injury sustained has been recorded and included as part the compensation claim so that you are fully compensated for the accident.

A good example of this is someone who has been in a car accident and suffered whiplash injuries to their neck, shoulder and back and we obtain an orthopaedic report. They may also have sustained psychiatric upset and injury such as travel anxiety.  We would also obtain a psychiatric report . That means the claim is a little more complicated than a straightforward case and there can be a slight level of delay. However, the compensation figure will naturally be higher as a result of that.

A good example of this is a case we had recently where a lady was driving and the car pulled out in front of her and she sustained whiplash injuries. We obtained an orthopaedic report and an offer of £4,000 was made by the insurance company. It was clear that the psychiatric symptoms were not resolving as quickly as our client had hoped so we obtained a psychiatric report detailing her upset, flashbacks and anxiety after the accident. The compensation offer was then increased to £8,000 and the claim settled at that point. That case took under 6 months to resolve after the date of the accident.

Responsibility For The Accident

Another issue that can delay a case are the circumstances of the accident and who was at fault.

If it is a straightforward case where a vehicle has rear ended another vehicle then it is very likely that the car coming from behind is at fault and liability for the accident is often quickly resolved. However, if it is a more complicated car accident where it is alleged that there were no headlights on or two cars were changing lanes, difficulties can arise as to the circumstances of the accident. This can cause a delay in resolving the case and can lead to Court proceedings.

Another example of this would be in an accident at work where no protective equipment was provided. An employer could try to argue that the protective equipment was provided but not used by the employee and they are therefore not liable. There then can be a dispute over whether the personal protective equipment was available or whether there were instructions to use it, or whether the employer allowed a culture of not using protective equipment and was therefore negligent. These kinds of issues can arise and can delay a case and lead to insurance companies taking their time investigating the circumstances of an accident and delaying matters.

How Long Does It Take For a Personal Injury Claim To Settle?

Another reason why a personal injury claim can be delayed is that the solicitor dealing with the case may not specialise or prioritise a case sufficiently and ensure that it is being constantly progressed and pushed forward.

We ensure that all of our cases are constantly monitored and progressed on a regular basis to ensure that the time line for a claim is finalised as quickly as possible. One of our main priorities is to ensure that your claim is resolved as quickly a possible and you get your settlement money without any delay.

A large part of that entails us ensuring that the systems we use are state of the art and that we are constantly reviewing and progressing each case. We are specialists in personal injury claims and have a great deal of experience in all types of accidents.  These include car accidents, accidents at work and slipping/tripping accidents.

Because of this we are able to ensure that there are no delays in your case and that you are able to get your compensation settlement money as quickly as possible.

Free Advice Available

If you have been in an accident and you are unsure as to whether you want to claim or you may be wondering how long will it take for you to receive your compensation, then please contact us and we will be happy to discuss your case with you.

As each case differs it can sometimes be hard to estimate how long it will take for a personal injury claim to settle. However, once we have spoken to you and taken some details and looked at your injuries and the circumstances of the accident then we will most likely be able to give you a very good idea of how long your claim will take. We are happy to talk to you and discuss your case free of charge and without obligation.

We will be able to provide you with an idea of how long your case will take.  Advise you of some of the potential issues that could arise that may cause delay.

There are circumstances that can arise that can make a case take slightly longer.  We always try to assess what could delay your case from the outset.  We do our best to make sure that those issues do not arise and we are able to push things on as quickly as possible.

An example of this might be obtaining witness statements at an early stage.  This will ensure there is no delay and we are not having to get witness statements later on down the line where it might be more difficult. Another example is that we get your medical notes and records as quickly as possible so that there is no delay in getting that a later date.

We spend time with each case.  Working out how we can fast track each case to help resolve it as quickly as possible.   At the same time ensuring a great level of detail and care is taken with each case so that every element of your compensation claim is properly looked at, assessed and claimed for in the process.

Any claim can include loss of earnings where you have not been able to work as a result of an accident and not been paid.  Or for different types of injuries that you might have sustained in an accident. An example of this maybe that you have hurt your neck and back and we obtain an orthopaedic report.  You may also have sustained scarring and we then get a cosmetic surgeon to prepare a report. This is an example of two distinct types of injuries that might come up in an accident claim.  We ensure that both parts of those injuries are properly taken into account to ensure that you get the maximum amount of compensation that is due.

If you have been in an accident feel free to call us.  We will be very happy to help you.

Contact Us

If you have been in an accident give us a call.  You will be able to speak to our team who can give you practical advice.

Call us on 028 71 229 343, or email us on info@mcgeesolicitors.co.uk or Make An Online Enquiry.