Fast Track and Multi-Track Claims in 2022
Personal injury Claims

Fast Track and Multi-Track Claims

fast track

Fast Track and Multi-Track Claims

What are fast track and multi-track claims?

‘Tracks’ are formal court procedures that enable personal injury claims to be dealt with effectively and inexpensively. To put it another way, this implies that if your claim goes to trial, it will be handled in the most efficient and cost-effective manner feasible. The track your case is assigned to is determined by the value of your claim.

  • If your claim is valued at less than £25,000, it will be processed as quickly as possible.
  • If your claim is worth less than £25,000 and the problems are more complex, but a trial hearing will take more than one day to complete, it may be sent to the multi-track.
  • If your claim is worth more than £25,000, it will be distributed across the multi-track.

Most claims handled by an injury solicitor are settled without having to go to court. However, if your claim needs to go to trial – for example, if the defendant refuses to accept responsibility for your injuries – you will still need to choose one of these “tracks” in preparation for a hearing.

fast track
fast track

What’s the fast track?

The fast track is for straightforward claims with low value, and most of them can be settled in a single day’s time. For the most part, this track is the ‘standard’ procedure, and a final hearing takes place within 30 weeks. A claim may be moved from fast track to multi-track if the situation changes.

What’s the multi-track?

In most cases, claims that aren’t appropriate for the fast track are sent to the multi-track. Cases worth more than £25,000 are included in this category, as well as those that are more difficult – for example, if they necessitate the assistance of more than one expert witness.

The court will have a ‘case management conference’ (CMC) at the beginning of the case. This is a informal meeting where everyone involved in the case, including the judge, discusses how your situation is progressing and where to go next.

There is no formal process for how multi-track cases are handled. Depending on the sort of claim and how intricate it gets, the timetable may vary. Multi-track claims tend to take longer than fast track cases, with the trial itself frequently taking days.

At what point is your claim allocated to a track?

Once you’ve decided to pursue a claim, your solicitor will start the process by submitting a “Claim Form” and “Particulars of Claim” to the court.

The claim forms and correspondence give information on your claim and the value of it. Your lawyer will also arrange for you to get a free medical evaluation, which you’ll need to bring with the details of your case. A medical assessment may appear frightening, but it’s an excellent chance to obtain a second opinion on the injuries you’ve incurred.

The court will notify the other party of your intention to bring a claim. They’ll either accept responsibility for your injuries or file a response, denying responsibility. If this happens, your claim will be assigned to the proper track at this time.

If you win your case, the defendant will be responsible for your legal expenses. If you lose your case, however, you’ll have to pay for the other side’s costs – which is usually covered by ATE insurance.

The fee for this service is based on the amount of time your solicitor spends preparing and arguing your case at the final hearing. The larger the claim, the more complicated it becomes to defend it. If you have a large claim.

The court will issue a ‘costs order’ at the conclusion of the case – this determines what costs must be reimbursed by which party.

Starting a claim today

The first step to starting any claim is to get in contact with a trained legal adviser for free on 0141 319 5639. The adviser who takes your call will have the expertise to be able to answer your questions and let you know whether they think you can make a claim.

You are under no obligation to open a case if you contact them. However, they may provide you with a specialist solicitor on the same call if you decide to proceed. They’ll also be delighted to assist you with any additional claims questions that you have.

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