Receiving a settlement for injuries suffered in a car accident can take time. The reason it takes time is due to numerous factors such as the nature and type of injuries and medical treatment, the duration of the medical treatment and the willingness of the insurance company to engage in good faith settlement negotiations are some of the factors that come into play. Generally, settlement discussions do not commence until the injured person has completed their medical treatment. Waiting until treatment is completed allows your attorney to have a full understanding as to the nature of your injuries, the suffering you have and continue to experience as well as the impact on your daily life. Consequently, there is no set time frame as to how long it takes before a car accident settlement occurs. If the case cannot be settled, then a Judge or Jury decides how it gets resolved.
Overview of a the Settlement Process
Having an auto accident attorney on your side can help guide you through the process and protect you from the at fault party’s insurance company taking advantage of you. An injury attorney will know how to handle the insurance company in order maximize a settlement for you.
Your injury attorney will provide the insurance company the proof necessary to prove your case and secure a settlement.
Those items include: Related Medical Treatment Records and Bills; Lost Wage documentation; Photographs; Witness statements; Life expectancy Tables as well as other information relevant to your particular case.
A person who has recently suffered injuries should not have to deal with stressful phone conversations with insurance adjusters, who are known to trick individuals into believing they are at blame for an accident or share culpability, and hence do not deserve much, if any, compensation. Your injury lawyer will have the experience to present your case and secure you a financial settlement.
Your auto accident lawyer can pursue a reasonable settlement using the information they collect (medical records and bills; wage information; photographs; statements) and if necessary, the assistance of medical professionals and/or accident reconstruction experts to place your case in the most favorable position to achieve a settlement.
There is no way to predict how long it will take to reach a settlement or the amount of compensation, however, since injury cases are generally based on a contingency fee your attorney will look to work hard for you to receive maximum compensation.
What Determines a Car Accident Settlement Process?
There are several factors that impact the settlement process
Doubts Regarding Liability
In some auto accidents, determining fault and demonstrating carelessness might be more challenging. If you shared blame, it could be more difficult to determine fault and damages in jurisdictions that use comparative negligence. The process of settlement may take longer if liability needs to be established.
Reports From Eyewitnesses
If there were several witnesses to the accident and you shared information with them so they could provide statements, either you or your personal injury attorney will need to do a substantial number of interviews. This procedure might take weeks, months, or even longer. Coordination with all the witnesses and getting them to fulfill their crucial duties at the perfect moment could not be simple.
Recovery Time for Your Injuries
The total cost and duration of your medical treatment, if you still need to get treatment for your injuries then that questions must first be answered either by your medical provider or completion of treatment. Having the answer to that question allows your attorney to properly value your case. And that is the reason why your injury lawyer will often wait to settle a case until you have concluded your medical treatment.
Insurance Companies Are Not in A Hurry to Reach A Settlement
Every time an insurance claim is paid, the insurance company suffers a loss. This sadly means that they are not motivated to quickly settle a claim unless it can settle it for less than its actual value. The insurance company would much rather hold on to the money as long as it can as opposed to paying it out. While your claim is pending it will invest that money so when it comes time to settle your claim the financial impact to it is not that great.
An auto injury lawyer knowledgeable with insurance companies’ strategies can use his or her experience to fight the delay tactics of the insurance company in order to secure your settlement.
Ganim Injury Lawyers, Will Fight For You
With your best interests in mind, an auto accident attorney at Ganim Injury Lawyers, will fight for the compensation you deserve. Keep in mind that the moment your accident occurred the other driver’s insurance company is already working against you to fight your claim so it is always best to contact an injury attorney right away. The sooner you get in touch with us, the sooner we can start working for you. For a free case evaluation with a member of our staff, call (203) 713-8383 today.