How long will it take to make a compensation claim?

We are often asked how long it takes to make a compensation claim. It is often difficult to give an exact timescale at the start of a case as there are a number of factors that influence the length of time it may take to reach the best possible compensation outcome for our customer.

The main factors influencing the time it takes for a compensation claim to be settled are:

The severity of your injuries and the time it takes you to recover from them

Whether the person you hold responsible for your accident accepts that
they were to blame

It is never in our customer's interests to rush into settling an accident claim early as this can hugely affect the amount of compensation they are likely to get. For example, if you made a full recovery from a whiplash injury within 6 weeks of the date of a car accident, you are likely to receive around £2,000 in compensation. However if you were still suffering ongoing problems six months after the accident, this figure is likely to be substantially higher.

See Compensation amounts for more information.

In all cases we arrange for our customers to see an independent, Court approved medical expert (this will be a doctor at a local hospital or surgery) approximately 3/4 months following their accident to ensure that any ongoing or permanent effects of the accident are factored into the amount of compensation that is awarded to them.

Cases where people make a full recovery from their injuries within a few months are usually settled in 4/6 months, provided the other side accepts responsibility for the accident.

Cases where injuries are much more severe can sometimes take years to settle, as it can take this long to know the full impact that the accident has had. In severe injuries a significant part of the compensation may be for care and loss of income in the future, so it is absolutely essential that the amount of compensation received is adequate.

See How much compensation will I get? for more information.

In cases that do take a long time to settle, interim payments can be sought to ensure our customers are not in financial hardship, and to pay for treatment, rehabilitation and support services.

Even in cases where our customer has recovered from their injuries in a few months and has no ongoing problems, if the other side denies that they are to blame for your accident, or claims that they are only partly to blame, this is called a liability dispute (ie: a dispute over who caused the accident).

Claims where there is a liability dispute nearly always take longer to settle. Lengthy negotiation is often needed between both side's solicitors and strong evidence must be presented to support and prove your version of events.

Take the easy route to compensation now
Whilst the process of claiming personal injury compensation can be complex at times, we make it as easy as possible for you to make an accident claim. The hardest thing you have to do is pick up the phone and call us or fill in the online form. Once you have asked us to help you with your compensation claim, our personal injury solicitors do all the hard work. We keep you informed at every stage of your claim, until you receive your cheque for compensation.

Call us now on 0800 781 7789, our advice line is open 24 hours a day.