How long does a personal injury claim take to settle?

What is a personal injury?

Thankfully, most accidents don't result in any serious harm. However, sometimes they can lead to more substantial injuries that can take their toll on your everyday life. For example, a broken ankle could prevent you from driving or being able to work. In other cases, personal injuries can even be life-changing. 

Injuries can arise in a variety of ways, from simple slips, trips and falls to being injured on a site that hasn't been secured under health and safety measures. If you become severely injured due to circumstances that aren't your fault, you might be able to claim compensation. 

What are the main causes of a personal injury?

You might suffer a personal injury in one of the following places:

• At work: There are laws in place to implement health and safety measures in the workplace. However, accidents can still happen. 
• Out on the roads: Road accidents can be very common in Great Britain. According to the Department for Transport, there were 137,013 reported casualties of all severities in the year ending June 2022.
• In public: There were 52,724 public liability claims made between 2021 and 2022. Hazards can arise in all kinds of spaces, including indoors at a shopping centre or outdoors in a public area. 

What are some examples of personal injury claims?

There are several types of personal injury claims. Examples might include:

• Ankle injuries: Even if your injury feels insignificant compared to what it could have been, you may still be entitled to compensation. 
• Brain and head injuries: Brain or head injuries can take their toll on your lifestyle, whether this is on a short-term or long-term basis. Receiving compensation to help you and close ones deal with your injuries can make a huge difference.
• Serious injuries: Some injuries can be life-changing, making your journey to receiving the right compensation even more important. 
• Fatal injuries: If you need to claim on behalf of someone else, our team can support you through this process.

How long does a personal injury claim take?

If you're planning to make a claim and you're not sure how long an injury claim takes to pay out, it's worth setting your expectations. As with any claim, there is no simple answer. Each takes a different amount of time to settle because several elements can influence the case. 

The severity of your injuries, whether the defendant accepts responsibility (and to what extent), as well as the time it takes to compile evidence on both sides all come into play.

Speaking in a very general sense, the claim could be settled within 12-18 months if liability is accepted immediately. However, it is important to manage your expectations, as not all cases run as smoothly as you might hope. More complex cases can take quite a bit longer.

How long do medical negligence claims take?

The amount of time it takes for a medical negligence claim to settle can depend on several factors. It's worth bearing in mind that it can be a significantly longer process than workplace or road traffic accident claims, for example. 

After receiving notification of your claim, defendants have four months to investigate and respond before proceedings can be issued. Whether they admit responsibility or not can influence whether the case is prolonged, with additional steps to complete. 

The number of injuries, as well as the extent of them and how they have impacted your life, also influences how long your medical negligence claim takes. The process of compiling evidence and records on both sides can also be time-consuming. 

The NHS has set out advice to claimants who have experienced medical negligence. This will help you understand the process and prepare to help things run as smoothly as possible from your side.

Can I ask for an interim payment?

If the party you are claiming against admits responsibility, you could be eligible for an interim payment. This depends on the circumstances of your personal injury. 

An interim payment can be used for treatment that's immediately needed or to cover lost wages, among other things. Assuming you are eligible, your lawyer can send through a request.