How Long Will it Take to Settle My Personal Injury Case?
If you’re considering filing a personal injury claim or lawsuit, you may wonder how long you’ll have to wait before actually receiving compensation for your injuries.
Many Americans aren’t familiar with the legal system, especially as it relates to personal injury. An injury can put you out of work, as well as make other aspects of your life come to a screeching halt. This can affect the quality of your life and cause a lot of anxiety.
How long should it take to settle your case? Well, it depends on a few things…
Length of Medical Treatment
It is important to note that you must complete the full course of treatment before your attorney can even send a demand or begin negotiating a settlement. Without knowing the full cost of treatment, the total amount of work you’ve missed, and other costs associated with your injury, it’s simply impossible to know or predict the full value of your claim.
Once you’ve reached “maximum medical improvement” (a state where your injuries have healed to a point where you’re not likely to improve further), your attorney will prove up your existing damages and draft a formal demand letter.
Let’s go back to the injuries factor and how long it takes for you to recover. Most soft-tissue injuries will “mature” within six months. However, up to 20 percent of people in this category will continue to experience a low quality of life on account of their injuries up to a year later, with 50 percent of these people being so affected that they can’t work or carry out activities like they did in the past. If you’re unable to return to work, your attorney will also seek compensation for your loss of future income.
Insurance Adjusters
It’s incredibly common for insurance companies to offer a low-ball settlements to personal injury victims, but understand that they are doing this for their own advantage. If you accept anything from them, you are also waiving your right to pursue compensation for any related damages in the future. Their hope is that you will take a quick settlement before you speak to an attorney or before you find out the true financial costs associated with the injury.
Insurance companies are in the business of making money, and you need to understand that they will take advantage of you at every opportunity. They will drag their feet in order to cause you frustration and stress, and without an attorney advocating on your behalf, you’re simply at their mercy.
Problematic Issues
Problematic issues tied to your case will also determine the amount of time it will take to recover compensation. For example, conflicting eyewitness testimony such as in the case of a car accident will mean that police reports and witness claims will be contested and investigated. Non-compliance with regard to medical treatment on your part might also allow the insurance company deny your claim outright.
Sometimes there may be issues regarding liability, policy limits, insurance coverage, liens, jurisdiction, etc. Your attorney is well-equipped to handle such issues, and as they don’t get paid unless they win your case, you can be sure they are well-aware of how to navigate through these potential complications.
Get Your Compensation Fast!
While these factors may make it seem that you have to wait quite a while before getting the compensation you deserve, understand that the sooner you hire an attorney, the better chance you have of quickly settling your case for a fair amount. That being said, each case is unique, and because of this, it’s always best to discuss the facts of your case with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.
Category: Lawyer's Advice
