How long does a claim take to resolve when the negligent party has admitted that they were at fault for causing my injury?
Without knowing the specific details of your accident or injury, it is impossible to inform you how long does a claim take to resolve and when you might receive a settlement of personal injury compensation. This is because there are several factors which affect the process for claiming compensation and how long your claim may take to resolve.
If your injury was sustained in a motor vehicle accident, at work or in a place of public access, you have to apply for an assessment of your claim through the Injuries Board. This process can take up to a year, as the Injuries Board needs to receive acknowledgement from the negligent party that they were at fault for causing your injury and has to wait for the negligent party´s insurers to agree to their assessment before the Injuries Board will issue an “Order to Pay”.
How long does a claim take to resolve in other categories of personal injury claims depends on the complexity of your case. For example, even though a medical practitioner may have admitted that they were at fault for causing you an injury due to medical negligence, it may take several months or even years before the full consequences of your injury become apparent and your claim can be settled.
There are circumstances in which personal injury claims can be resolved much quicker. These usually occur when a solicitor engages with the negligent party´s insurance company to negotiate a settlement after constructing the strongest possible case on your behalf. Again how long does a claim take to resolve is going to be variable depending on the type of injury you have sustained, but often it is the quickest way to get a settlement of personal injury compensation.
One thing you should be wary of though is unsolicited approaches from insurance companies. In recent years insurance companies have contacted plaintiffs directly with an offer of compensation in return for a quick settlement. It may be tempting to accept an offer if you have concerns about your short-term finances, but generally these offers do not reflect the plaintiffs´ injuries nor the how much personal injury compensation they are entitled to.
In order to avoid being undercompensated, and to settle your claim in the fastest possible time, you should speak with a solicitor at the earliest possible opportunity. After hearing about your injury and the circumstances that caused it, the solicitor will be able to advise you how long does a claim take to resolve in your specific situation, and act on your behalf to achieve the maximum possible settlement in the shortest amount of time.