Written by: Michael Roberts, June 1, 2021
One of the most common questions in a personal injury case is “how long will it take to settle my case?” Most people injured in an accident, understandably want to be made whole from the settlement and move on with their lives. However, due to the different complexities and factors involved in each case, it is impossible to determine when the case will settle.
Factors such as the facts and circumstances surrounding the accident, the nature and extent of the client’s injuries, the type and duration of the client’s medical treatment, the reasonableness of the insurance company’s evaluation, and the other driver’s insurance policy limits, all play a role in the amount of time it will take to settle. For example, a case where the other driver is clearly at fault and the client has relatively minor injuries with a couple of months of treatment will usually settle quicker than a case where liability is in dispute and the client has life-altering injuries with multiple surgeries.
It is also important to remember that other, non-case-related factors may impact the amount of time it takes to settle a case. For instance, some hospital records and bills can take weeks to obtain. Similarly, treating doctors may take up to 30 days to provide the attorney with the client’s medical records and bills. These records and bills are necessary to provide to the insurance company with your settlement demand. Also, the insurance company that is evaluating your claim may impact the length of time it takes to settle a case. The insurance company may request additional documents or have an internal review system that prolongs the evaluation of the case. All of these factors will certainly impact the amount of time it takes to settle.
Regardless of the type of case, it is most important to find a personal injury attorney that treats and prepares each case, from the very beginning, as though it is going to trial. Being prepared to take a case to trial often results in earlier settlement and, most importantly, it usually provides the client with the best possible case outcome. At Wade and Nysather, we have over 25 years of experience handling, and litigating, personal injury cases. If you have been injured in an accident, we encourage you to give us a call for a free consultation at (602) 547-2222.
