Personal injury claim timeline — what happens at each stage
Official OIC timescales alongside real-world averages — so you know what is normal at every stage.
Most people expect a rough answer.
Here is the honest one.
In simple terms
Most Official Injury Claim cases take around 6–12 months.
Recent Ministry of Justice data shows an average of around 350 days, with the first offer typically arriving after around 90 days.
Recent data published by the Ministry of Justice from the Official Injury Claim portal shows that the average time from claim submission to settlement is around 350 days — just under twelve months.
That is not a worst case.
It is an average.
It includes straightforward claims and more complex ones — short recovery periods and longer ones. Claims that moved quickly — and claims that did not.
Your claim may move faster — or slower — depending on how it progresses through each stage. The figures below are based on recent OIC portal data and will vary over time.
The part that feels longest
On average, it takes around 90 days from submission to receiving a first settlement offer.
This stage often feels the slowest — because it is largely silent.
Silence does not mean nothing is happening.
It means the process is running.
What actually affects how long your claim takes
The single biggest factor is your prognosis period — how long your symptoms last. A claim where symptoms resolve in three months will move more quickly than one where symptoms persist for a year. The medical report determines this — not the accident itself.
Liability disputes
If fault is contested, the process becomes less predictable and may extend beyond the standard response window.
How quickly you respond
The portal requires action at several points. Delays in responding will delay the claim.
When you approve the medical report
Waiting for symptoms to fully resolve before approval is legitimate — and often sensible. It extends the timeline, but may affect the outcome.
Solicitor involvement
OIC data shows that represented claims take longer on average than unrepresented ones. This partly reflects that solicitors handle more complex claims — but the difference is still worth being aware of.
Only a small proportion of claimants use the portal without a solicitor. The system was designed to be used directly. Most people do not realise that.
How long each stage usually takes
The process is structured.
The timeline is not fixed.
Confused about where you stand?
Choose your stage. We'll show you what's normal — and what isn't.
Understanding the timeline is only part of the picture. The other key question is what the final figure will be — and how it is determined at each stage.
The decision about whether to use a solicitor is most consequential before the claim is submitted, not after. If you haven't decided yet, that is the right moment.
The medical report is the most consequential document in the process — it determines both the compensation value and the timeline. What to check before approving it and why the review window matters.
For a full explanation of what the OIC portal is, why it was created, and how it works in practice — including what it does not handle well — see the system guide.
Want the conditional answer — by stage and scenario?
The timeline maps every stage. This page answers the question differently — with real figures at each stage, what makes a claim run longer, and what is within your control.
Last reviewed: 6 April 2026
ClaimTalk provides general guidance only. Not legal advice. Not affiliated with the Official Injury Claim portal or any government body.
ClaimTalk cannot respond to questions about individual claims. If you need advice specific to your situation, a regulated solicitor is the appropriate route.