14 May How long do personal injury claims take?
Being injured in an accident can be stressful and have long-lasting effects on your life, therefore it is reasonable to want to resolve your claim quickly. Unfortunately, because no two personal injury claims are the same, the time it takes to deal with a particular claim can vary.
While this means there is no set time frame for exactly how long a claim will take, it is usually possible for an experienced personal injury lawyer to give a good indication of how quickly a claim might be resolved based on the circumstances involved.
There are various factors that can affect the length of your claim, so it’s important to work closely with your solicitor who will ensure that your claim is resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Things that can affect the time it takes to claim for personal injury
There are many factors that can affect the time it takes to make a claim. The main ones are:
The extent of your injuries
If your injuries are severe or require treatment over a longer period of time, then it will take more time to gather the medical evidence required to build your case. It will also take more time to consider the exact amount of compensation suitable for the damages that you have suffered, not just in terms of physical pain, but how the injuries have impacted your life, i.e. loss of earnings through time off work.
The complexity of the case
Depending on the circumstances of your accident, if you are claiming against an individual for a car accident, or an organisation for an accident at work or in a public place, the time it takes to gather the evidence will vary. For a car accident, your solicitor may have to get access to CCTV footage and sift through it for evidence, which can take time. If the accident happened at work, additional time may be needed to check health and safety records, accident books and to go through witness statements. This will all vary on who you are claiming against and the complexity of your case.
Disputed liability
If the defendant denies liability, this can slow down the process of your claim. Your solicitor will need to negotiate with the defendant’s solicitor and may have to gather more evidence by taking witness statements, reviewing documents or looking through CCTV footage. Depending on the complexity of the case, discussions about liability can take some time to be resolved. If the defendant accepts liability, then the claim can usually proceed much more smoothly.
Get expert legal help to resolve your personal injury claim faster
At Smooth Law, we have years of experience representing personal injury clients and have successfully settled thousands of cases. We have the know-how and the compassion to guide you through the process of making a personal injury claim to ensure you get the best outcome. We work on a ‘No win, No fee’ basis. This means that you only pay an agreed sum if you win, and nothing if you lose.
Call us today on 0800 161 5709 and speak to a member of our dedicated team or use our simple enquiry form to start your claim.
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