How long will it take to settle my auto accident or other personal injury case?

If you were hurt in a car crash or other personal injury accident, two important questions you want the answers to quickly are “How much am I entitled to?” and “How long will it take to settle my case?” That is understandable when the accident was not your fault, yet you are the one seriously hurt with mounting medical bills and no wages while you are off work recovering. One mistake you do not want to make is to settle your claim quickly for less than what it is worth.

Factors That Can Influence How Quickly a Car Accident or Personal Injury Claim Is Resolved

Every case is different, and its strengths and weaknesses will affect how quickly an attorney is able to negotiate a settlement. While there is no fixed answer on how long yours will take to resolve, certain factors can influence how quickly—or slowly—this process will be even with the help of an experienced car accident attorney. These factors can include the following:

• Severity of injuries. The more severe your injuries are, the larger the potential value of your claim. This also can mean that it can take longer to convince the insurance adjuster to pay you what you are entitled to.
• Length of medical treatment. Although frustrating to wait for your medical treatment to be completed or your prognosis determined, you do not want to settle your claim until your doctor determines this. If conservative treatments like physical therapy and medications are not resolving your medical problems, it could take a year or longer for your medical treatment to be completed enough for future as well as current medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering to be determined.
• Disputes. If the insurance company is disputing who caused the accident, whether you were partially at fault, or the seriousness of your injuries, it could take longer for your attorney to convince the adjuster to be reasonable.
• Preexisting injuries. Whenever there was a preexisting injury to the body part injured in a crash, the insurance company for the negligent driver could argue that this prior incident and not your crash caused your injuries. Resolving this issue could make the settlement process take longer.
• Large settlement. The insurance company will fight harder—even if the insured driver’s liability and your injuries is clear—when a claim is worth more money. If you suffered long-term injuries, you should realize that your claim may take longer to settle and could require the filing of a lawsuit before this happens.

The experienced legal team at Wayne Wright LLP can give you an idea of how long your case will take to settle as well as answer your other questions regarding your auto accident. Call our office today at 210-888-8888 to schedule your free and confidential case evaluation.