How Long Does It Take to Get Approved for Pre-Settlement Funding?

Most straightforward pre-settlement funding applications are reviewed within 24 to 48 hours. Complex cases may take three to five business days. Attorney cooperation speed is the biggest variable.

The approval timeline for pre-settlement funding is primarily determined by two factors: the complexity of the case and the speed of attorney cooperation. For straightforward personal injury cases — auto accidents with clear liability, documented injuries, and an experienced personal injury attorney — most applications are reviewed and approved within 24 to 48 hours of the complete application being submitted.

Attorney responsiveness is the biggest variable in the approval timeline. The funder must contact the attorney's office to obtain case documentation and get the attorney's assessment of the case. If the attorney is immediately responsive and the case file is organized, the process moves quickly. If the attorney is in trial, traveling, or simply slow to respond to the funder's information request, the timeline extends accordingly.

More complex cases — those involving disputed liability, multiple defendants, unusual case types, serious catastrophic injuries requiring detailed damage modeling, or states with specific regulatory requirements — may take three to five business days to review. Appellate cases or cases with insurance coverage disputes require more thorough underwriting and may take longer.

To accelerate your approval: inform your attorney before you apply, confirm they are willing to cooperate and have the contact information for the funder, and make sure your attorney's office is available to respond to the funder's information request promptly. A two-hour attorney response time produces a very different outcome than a two-week response time.

Source: ALFA Consumer Litigation Funding Code of Conduct. Approval timelines vary by case complexity and funder.

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