How Long Does It Generally Take To Resolve A Car Accident Claim?

Thus, you’ve just been in a major car accident. Your car was totaled and you’ve suffered from substantial bodily injuries and pain and suffering. What’s worse is that you were not at fault and you can’t afford all of these new expenses! What can you do? Well, you can hire a personal injury lawyer and file a personal injury claim or case. But this brings up another equally important question, “How long does it generally take to resolve a car accident claim or case?” Well, read this article to find out the answers.

You should know that since no two car accidents are the same, no two car accident claims or lawsuits are the same. Insurance companies and adjusters’ approach and handle each car accident claim or case differently. In some cases, the fault is obvious and the facts clearly indicate this. The plaintiff will get a big settlement right away. However, in other cases, who is at fault is unclear and the evidence may be spotty at best. The plaintiff can expect a long and drawn out claim or case with the defendant’s insurance company trying ‘every trick in the book’ to get out of paying a settlement to the plaintiff.

How long does it take to negotiate a car accident settlement?

Most (95%) car accident claims settle out of court. This means that the best interests of the plaintiff play a large part in determining their length. In most cases, the plaintiff doesn’t want to settle quickly because it means that he or she will be accepting a much lower settlement amount than he or she needs. The plaintiff’s personal injury lawyer in Lincoln will advise him or her of this.

If you are the plaintiff, you’ll want to wait a while before you determine the true extent of your bodily injuries and all expenses you will incur to treat them. This could take several months. In this case, you’ll want to wait and your car accident claim will drag on.

How long will you be in court?

If you go to court, you’ll want to know how long your trial will last. Your personal injury lawyer will tell you that ‘it depends!’ you’ll learn from your lawyer that the average court case lasts a year but that there are lots of exceptions to this.

There are five factors that will affect the length of your car accident claim or case:

1. If you seek medical attention right away and you attend all of your doctor’s appointments, your chances of settling quickly increase dramatically.
2. If you seek, collect, and preserve key evidence, your chances of getting the settlement amount you want right away increase dramatically.
3. If you choose the right personal injury lawyer, your chances of getting the settlement amount you want immediately will increase dramatically.
4. If you engage your attorney right away, your chances of getting the settlement amount you want and need immediately increase
5. If you are proactive in your case, chances are, you’ll settle with the money that you want and need quickly.

The factors mentioned above make all of the difference in determining how long your case or claim will drag on for.