What is an interim payment?

An interim payment is a payment made by the Defendant (the other side) or their insurer while a case is ongoing on account of the final damages that you may recover.

Because litigation involving serious injuries can last some time, an interim payment is intended to alleviate the financial hardship that many injured people face following a serious injury.

How can an interim payment help you?

An interim payment can help you to fund the everyday expenses and the unexpected costs that have arisen because of the accident. This could be private rehabilitation and treatment costs to help you work towards your goals. It could also pay for the equipment that you need to help you reach those goals and facilitate independence.

We have secured interim payments that have helped our clients to fund:

• specialist inpatient residential neurorehabilitation
• a specialist chronic pain management programme
• private support workers and nursing care
• specialist case managers
• the purchase of an adapted vehicle
• rental costs of an adapted vehicle
• the rent for accessible accommodation
• home adaptations, furniture and equipment costs for accessible living

We have also secured interim payments on account of accommodation. However, historically the Court has been reluctant to make an interim payment on account of accommodation costs and they would only make an interim payment for a capital sum to enable the purchase of property where they could be persuaded that there was a real need for the accommodation. This is because, for the last three decades, the calculation of accommodation claims has been unfavourable towards injured individuals. Damages awarded for other losses such as their loss of earnings had to be used to meet an individual’s accommodation needs.

Following the recent decision of Swift v Carpenter the landscape for securing interim payments for accommodation has improved.  We will work with you and your case manager to help find and evidence a suitable property in any interim payment application for accommodation costs.

How much can you claim?

It depends on your individual needs and the evidence available.

The Court will only make an order for an amount that is no more than a reasonable proportion of the total damages that you are likely to receive at the conclusion of your claim.

How can you obtain an interim payment?

Wherever possible we will ask the Defendant to agree to make an interim payment. If the Defendant does not agree to make an interim payment, we can apply to the Court for an interim payment for you.

All personal injury claims are pursued on a No Win No Fee basis so you can rest assured that there is no financial risk.

To begin a personal injury compensation claim or obtain further advice with no obligation contact Sintons 24/7.