These delays have a significant impact on access to justice. Victims have to wait longer for the financial support and answers they urgently need, and are forced to endure a more time-consuming and stressful process in their path to justice. Delays also push up legal costs unnecessarily. Indeed, NHSR themselves acknowledge that “the longer cases run for, the higher the costs”. These increased costs risk paving the way for damaging changes which undermine access to legal support and justice. 8 YEARS + the average time victims with the highest value clinical negligence claims have to wait for their claim to settle 10 MONTHS LONGER victims of clinical negligence are now waiting, on average, ten months longer for their claim to settle when compared to 2013/14. 2 YEARS + the average time a victim of clinical negligence has to wait for their claim to settle PAGE 13
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