Clinical negligence cases are complex. There are lots of steps that have to be undertaken before a case gets to Trial.  For this reason, it is not unusual for a case to take 3-5 years from the date of the first appointment to settlement.

Every case is different; there will be some cases that take less time and others that will take longer.  For example, a case may take longer because before we can value the compensation, we need to wait to see how the condition develops – this can be of great importance in cases involving very young children.  Another reason for the process being so long is that it is important to use experienced and objective experts to advise.  These experts are in demand and will have waiting lists.  Sometimes because of the limited number of experts in a particular field of medicine, it is necessary to wait as long as 10-12 months for an expert report.