Consent judgment

A consent judgment is a settlement that both sides have agreed to, which the court then records as its own formal judgment.

Once filed, it carries the same weight as a judgment after a full trial and can be enforced the same way if a party fails to pay. Most road accident claims settle by negotiation, and a consent judgment makes that agreement final.

It is usually difficult to reopen once signed, so the figure and terms should reflect your full medical picture. An independent lawyer can check this before you agree.

How a settlement becomes a consent judgment explains the steps.