Interim Payments
In cases involving more serious injuries it may be some considerable time (months and maybe years) before the medical situation settles down. This delays any final assessment of the amount of Compensation payable because you only get one chance of getting it right (nearly all settlements / awards are on a once and for all basis so there’s no coming back for more if things don’t turn out as expected). In the meantime the injured person may be unfit for work and sustaining a loss of earnings or may need some private medical treatment that they cannot afford to pay for themselves.
What can be done in this situation?
If liability is admitted then we can normally persuade the opponent to make voluntary “Interim” payments as an advance against any final Compensation figure either negotiated between the Parties or determined by the Court. This is particularly the case where there is a continuing loss of earnings. After all people have everyday living expenses to cope with and State Benefits will never fill the gap. What’s more, disability is hard enough to cope with as it is without the extra stress that comes with the worry of how you are going to pay everyday bills. In some cases an Interim payment may be helpful in paying for private treatment such as physiotherapy or CBT. From a tactical point of view one can also be useful to help pay for expert fees that will secure more Compensation at the end of the case.
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