People often ask us, “How long will my case take?” Unfortunately, they usually don’t like our answer because it’s almost always, “It depends.” We understand getting compensation for your injuries is important, but it doesn’t always come quickly.
Getting you full value for your injury and helping get your life back on track are our top priorities. This could be one of the most important moments of your life, and you don’t want to rush it.
It’s impossible to give you an accurate timeline for a personal injury case for many reasons. Here are four factors that could impact the length of your personal injury timeline.
Liability
After an injury, especially a car wreck, it can sometimes be difficult to determine who is liable, or who’s at fault for the injury. If both parties can’t agree on who’s responsible, there will be a period of investigation from either side to determine liability.
Establishing liability is detrimental to your case. You can’t hold the other party liable or seek compensation for the incident without proving they were at fault. So, this could extend the timeline of your case.
Severity of Your Injuries
We can’t settle with the insurance company until we know the extent of your injuries. If your injuries are severe, you’ll need ongoing medical treatment. There’s no way to put a timeline on your recovery, and your health is most important.
If you need more surgeries, injections, or physical therapy, these are all procedures we would want to schedule before moving forward in your case. Unfortunately, once you accept an offer from the insurance, your case is closed forever. Settling too early is one of the biggest mistakes you can make in a personal injury case.
Negotiations
The insurance companies rarely offer fair settlements right away. Normally, they start with a lower offer hoping that you’ll accept it. Reaching an agreeable settlement can require multiple rounds of negotiations. Certain factors, such as your medical treatment and gathering evidence, can prolong the negotiation process.
While you may feel tempted to accept a lower offer to get some financial relief quickly, clients almost always benefit more by waiting it out. If we can collect all necessary evidence, such as medical records, life impact, and expert testimonies, the value of your case will increase substantially.
Trial
If the insurance company won’t offer a fair settlement during negotiations, your attorney will help you file a lawsuit. Filing a lawsuit doesn’t always mean your case will go to trial. In fact, attorneys settle over 90% of cases before they reach trial. However, sometimes a jury needs to hear your unique story to get you full value for your injury.
A trial date can be set months in advance to allow both parties to prepare. This process includes gathering all evidence and documentation, witnesses, and expert testimonies. Then you have to go through the trial process. While going to trial can make the claims process much longer, you’ll likely receive a higher verdict amount which is better for you in the long run.
Remember, this is a single moment that could impact the rest of your life. Even if your case takes two years to resolve, think of how much better the next 20 years of your life can be because you took the time to put your recovery first.
If you or a loved one has been injured, contact a qualified personal injury attorney to help get your life back on track.
