Our advice is to consult a lawyer as soon as possible after an accident.

In the case of traffic accidents, the general rule is you need to file a claim no later than four years after the accident.

In the case of work or spare time accidents, the final disability assessment must be complete within three years from the accident.

Generally, the injured party does not have to pay any costs related to the case, such as medical records or lawyers’ fees.

If compensation is awarded, the legal fees are deducted from the compensation. In many cases, for example car accident cases, a large part of the lawyers’ fees is paid by the insurance company.

If compensation is not awarded, the injured party does, in most cases, not incur any costs.

When you first meet with a lawyer it is necessary to inform the lawyer of when and where the accident occurred and when you first saw a doctor because of the injuries you sustained.

In most cases, the injured party has a right to get a reimbursement for medical expenses, physical therapy and medicine. An application along with the original copy of the receipt is sent to either the insurance company or the Icelandic Health Insurance (Sjúkratryggingar Íslands) who will reimburse you for the cost, when they have accepted liability.

In the case of spare time accidents, there is usually a maximum reimbursement amount, according to the insurance policy.

Reimbursements for medical expenses are usually paid up until the time of the disability assessment.

The calculation of compensation in the event of damages is subject to tort/insurance law. There are also several factors which need to be taken into consideration, e.g. the age of the injured person, last years’ wages and the results of the disability assessment.

The calculation of compensation in work-related accidents and accidents which occur in spare time, is dependent on the specific insurance which applies in each case.

It is impossible to know how high the compensation will be until we get the results of the disability assessment.

A disability assessment is an assessment between you and the insurance company. This assessment is in no way related to the assessment of disability by the Social Insurance Administration (Tryggingastofnun).

Each case is different, and it varies from case to case how long they take. Obtaining all relevant medical records can be an extensive and time-consuming task and it is impossible to predict how long it will take to receive compensation. Injuries from accidents can generally not be assessed until, at the earliest, one year after the accident, but that depends on the circumstances of each case.