How Much Money Can You Get From Pre-Settlement Funding?
An accidental injury caused by someone else’s negligence often involves unexpected expenses and financial strain. Perhaps you’re physically unable to return to work, leaving you without any income. Maybe you no longer have reliable transportation after a car accident and now must budget for alternative means of getting around.
Depending on the specifics of your claim, it can take several months or even years to receive compensation for your injuries and incurred expenses. While a settlement or fair court award is always worth waiting for, it doesn’t help if you are financially struggling now.
What can an injured plaintiff do in the meantime? Many opt to obtain pre-settlement funding with USClaims. You may qualify to receive usable cash when you need it the most: now. But how does pre-settlement funding work? And how much can you expect to receive? Read on for answers.
How Much Lawsuit Funding Can I Get?
Generally speaking, you can receive 10% to 20% of your anticipated compensation in pre-settlement funding[1], but the exact amount varies based on the financing company’s internal policies. In some cases, however, you may qualify for a much smaller percentage, especially if your case has an abnormally high value and the financing company has a set maximum funding amount.
When you receive pre-settlement funding, you do not yet have a guaranteed payout. Rather, you receive an advance on an expected amount. Because of this, the judgment or settlement amount may be higher or lower than the estimate.
In addition, you will still have legal expenses, medical liens, and other fees that deduct from your final compensation. Limiting the pre-settlement funding to a set percentage or amount helps ensure you can cover all your costs upon receiving a payout.
While financing companies typically place limits on how much you can receive per lawsuit, there’s usually no set limit on the number of pre-settlement advances you can receive.
Factors that Determine Funding Amounts
Every case is different. That means the final payout varies based on factors like insurance policy limits, damages incurred, and the evidence showing the liability of the defendant. Likewise, factors that potentially weaken the case, such as a lack of evidence, may reduce the amount you qualify for. An ambiguous case without clear liability can also make it difficult to receive funding.
We evaluate each case individually to determine if you qualify for funding and, if so, how much.
Our applicants must have an attorney working on their case on a contingency fee basis. Your attorney provides us with crucial details that help our underwriters determine how much funding you qualify for. They look at several factors, such as:
- The specific circumstances of your claim. We only get paid if you do. Because of this, we prioritize cases with a high likelihood of receiving a settlement or judgment.
- Whether you have a mature legal case. Maturity refers to whether a case warrants judicial intervention. To have a mature legal case, you must have one that has fully developed facts and a clear argument for defendant liability. Your case must also meet our qualifications.
- Any previous settlement negotiations. Previous negotiations can help us determine the trajectory of your course. We can look at these negotiations as a starting point for the total compensation you may receive.
- The strength of the evidence against the person or organization that caused your injuries. The stronger the evidence is against the defendant, the more likely it is that you will receive a settlement or judgment. Because we assume the risk when offering pre-settlement funding, and you won’t pay us back if you don’t receive anything, we must be confident that you have a strong case before we can extend an offer.
- The limits of any applicable insurance policies. The defendant’s insurance policies likely have limits on how much coverage they offer. These limits will also factor into settlement amounts, so we must consider them in our calculations.
It’s hard to estimate how much you could qualify for without these details. However, we try our best to fund as many settlements as possible for the maximum amount possible. Generally, we fund up to 10% of the value of each lawsuit. We work quickly to get you the money you need once we determine your unique situation falls into the types of cases that qualify for funding with us.
Can You Get Your Entire Settlement Funded?
We understand that you want access to your funds as soon as possible. However, we can’t fund the entire estimated settlement amount. As previously mentioned, you do not have a set, legally binding amount for your compensation at the pre-settlement stage. We work with estimates that may vary considerably from your final payout. Further, there is always the possibility that you will not receive a payout at all.
We generally limit funding to 10% of the value to ensure you can meet your financial obligations once the final settlement pays out. Before you see a dollar of that final amount, you must first settle the expenses accrued.
How to Qualify for Funding
USClaims makes qualifying for funding simple. In fact, attorney testimonials attest to how streamlined the process is. Applicants can expect four steps from start to finish:
- Complete an application. It only takes a few minutes to complete an application over the phone or using our online system. We gather some personal details and your contact information, information about your pending injury claim, and your attorney’s name and contact information.
- Discuss your case. Our litigation funding specialists will get in touch with your attorney to discuss the specifics of your case. We need to find out how much your case might be worth and how long that might take. We also want to know if your case has merit and will be successful.
- Complete your funding agreement. After approval, you will complete your funding agreement. You and your attorney should review this agreement for accuracy so that you understand the terms and conditions of your funding. This agreement will include how much funding you will receive and any fees and interest charges associated with it. You will typically receive your funding within 24 business hours of your funding approval.
- Receive your money. Once you receive it, the money is yours to spend on your family and personal necessities. There are no monthly payments or fees associated with lawsuit funding through USClaims.
How to Repay Your Lawsuit Funding
Once your case resolves with a settlement or judgment, it’s time to pay off expenses accrued during the legal process. This includes medical liens, your attorney’s share per the contingency agreement, court fees, and repayment of any pre-settlement funding.
You will repay us out of the proceeds you receive in your final settlement or court reward. Until then, you don’t need to worry about making any kind of payments or how you will repay us. The agreement you signed before receiving funding dictates the repayment process and the total balance due, including fees.
We realize that some lawsuits don’t quite turn out the way our clients or their attorneys anticipate. As such, if you do not receive a settlement or a court award for your injuries, you no longer owe us anything for your pre-settlement funding. We don’t get paid unless you do. Because we assume the risk in this transaction, you have nothing to lose by applying for lawsuit funding.
Contact Us to Find Out How Much You May Be Eligible For
You usually need access to funds the most after you’ve sustained a personal injury due to someone else’s negligence. Unfortunately, the litigation process can stretch out dramatically, delaying the time it takes for you to receive your payout. We provide injured parties with access to pre-settlement funding to help cover the costly expenses that build up during the case.
Wondering how much lawsuit funding you can get for your claim? Review our settlement funding FAQ. Give us a call today at 1-877-USCLAIMS or fill out our online contact form. We’re happy to help you discover your options for pre-settlement funding. Your bills won’t wait, so why should you?
The availability of pre-settlement funding varies by state. Contact USClaims for more information.
Sources
- “Pre-Settlement Funding: What Is It & How Does It Work?” Annuity.Org, 16 Sept. 2023, www.annuity.org/structured-settlements/pre-settlement-funding/