How long will a Personal Injury Lawsuit Take?
One of our most frequently asked questions from potential and current clients is “How long will it take to settle a personal injury claim?” Every single case is unique therefore it is difficult to determine the actual amount of time it will take to settle your case. In most circumstances, a personal injury case will settle more quickly if you are willing to take less money. As your personal injury attorney we want the best result for you not the quickest one.
There are many factors as to why your personal injury case is taking so long. Here are some of the main three reasons why your case could be moving slower: disputed facts, the case involves quite a bit of money, or you have not reached maximum improvement from your injuries.
Disputed Facts
The value of a personal injury case is determined by who was at fault and the damages. Unfortunately not all cases are cut and dry. For example, in an auto accident if our client said that the light was green but the defendant claims it was red we would need to prove it was actually green. A lawyer would have to prove the defendant was at fault by reviewing police report and/or contacting witnesses.
Maximal Medical Improvement
Healing from injuries due to an accident can take days, months, or even years. If you are still treating with a doctor you do not want to settle your claim. Prior to settling your claim, you want to make sure you are completely healed from your accident physically, emotionally, and mentally. Maximum medical improvement means that you are as good as you are going to get. When your doctor/s claim you have fully recovered from your injuries then you can consider talking settlement options. Other timely processes involving medical include: attaining all medical bills and records, deciphering between new and old injuries,
Case Involves “Big Money”
Settlement may be delayed if there is a significant amount of damages involved. Damages may include pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of consortium, loss of earnings, loss of future earnings, medical bills, cost of future medical care, etc. If there is a lot of money on the line the insurer will investigate every aspect of the case prior to making a settlement offer. In most cases, an insurer will try to settle your claim by giving you less compensation than you deserve.
Contact Us
Although the process can be lengthy, we will do what is necessary to make sure you are compensated for your damages. At Sam C. Mitchell & Associates, our attorneys take the time to evaluate each and every case and will make decisions to benefit the client. If you have been in an accident and need an attorney give us a call at 618-932-2772 or contact us via our convenient online form.