Dec 20, 2021
Suffering a car accident injury can be a traumatic experience that leaves a victim facing a long and arduous road to recovery. Multiple stressors can arise after a car accident involving an injury, including how one will pay for medical bills, whether lost wages will be involved, and dealing with pain and suffering.
While a quick settlement offer from the at-fault party’s insurance company might be enticing, car accident victims may stand to benefit significantly from consulting with an experienced personal injury attorney. But when facing mounting medical bills and an inability to work as a result of your injuries, you may be wondering how long a car accident settlement will take to secure, allowing you make a complete recovery – physically, emotionally, and financially.
Below we will review what’s involved in a car accident personal injury claim, discuss how long the settlement process may take, and provide information on how to file a civil lawsuit in pursuit of a maximum financial damages award.
When you hire an attorney to handle your car accident claim, the first step of the settlement process will likely involve issuing a demand letter to the at-fault party (or his or her insurance company). This typically begins the settlement negotiation process, and your attorney will work to secure the largest possible settlement based on liability, the severity of your injuries, etc.
If the at-fault party or insurance company responds quickly to the demand letter, your attorney may be able to negotiate a maximum settlement without even having to file a lawsuit. Such cases can often be settled quickly – often in less than three months. However, insurance companies are frequently slow to respond to demand letters (particularly if a car accident attorney isn’t involved), and in many cases a lawsuit will need to be filed. Once a lawsuit is filed, the defendant usually has between 30 and 45 days to respond. A car accident case involving a lawsuit will typically take a bit longer to reach a settlement – potentially between three and six months depending on the complexity of the claim and severity of your injuries.
If a settlement cannot be reached, your attorney may have to take your case to trial. However, some car accident lawyers do not have courtroom experience, and they may be either unable or unwilling to proceed accordingly (and therefore more likely to accept an unfair settlement offer).
At Dordulian Law Group (DLG), we prepare every car accident claim for trial, and our founder, Sam Dordulian, has more than 100 jury trial victories. When selecting the best car accident lawyer to handle your claim, an important question to ask during the free consultation phase is: Do you have courtroom experience and are you willing to take my case to trial if a settlement isn’t reached through negotiations?
Hiring a car accident lawyer to handle your injury claim can be a prudent decision for a number of reasons. For example:
The Insurance Research Council (IRC) recently conducted a study which confirmed the following:
Injured car accident victims are encouraged to always consult with an experienced, trusted, and proven attorney before:
As every car accident can vary in terms of overall liability, severity of injuries, and various other factors, no exact settlement timeframe exists. However, a skilled car accident lawyer will be able to evaluate your unique case and help provide an estimate for not only how long the settlement process may take, but also how much your claim will likely be worth. Some car accident lawsuits take just a few weeks to settle, while others may take four to six months or even a year if the claim is particularly complex. If your car accident claim involves straightforward and easily proven liability on the part of the at-fault driver, you can likely expect your settlement to be secured in less than three months. If you were involved in a multi-car crash where severe injuries occurred and liability is shared by several drivers, it may take a year or more to settle your claim. But again, each case is unique, and only your experienced car accident lawyer will be able to give you the most accurate estimate for the settlement timeframe and overall value of your claim.
Although each car accident case is unique, the following is a general overview regarding the average timeframe for a car accident settlement:
Your car accident involves easily proven liability and minimal injuries:
Your car accident involves moderate injuries and liability requires an investigation:
Your car accident involves hard to prove liability and severe injuries:
* Each car accident case is unique, and the time required to settle your claim will depend on the specific circumstances. A DLG car accident lawyer will be able to provide a more accurate estimate after reviewing your case. DLG’s car accident lawyers always work tirelessly to secure a maximum settlement in the shortest possible timeframe.
Schedule an appointment online for a free consultation today, or call us directly to speak to our top-rated, expert car accident attorneys.
Contact a DLG Car Accident Division lawyer today for a free consultation. We’ll review the facts of your case and provide an estimate for how long the settlement process may take and how much your claim may be worth. DLG’s car accident lawyers have helped injured victims like you recover more than $100,000,000 while maintaining a 98% success record.
For a free and no obligation consultation with a car accident lawyer, contact us today at 818-322-4056. DLG’s No Win/No Fee Guarantee means you never pay a penny until we recover a maximum financial damages award for your car accident claim.
DLG is led by Sam Dordulian, a former Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County with more than 25 years of experience helping injured victims secure the justice they deserve.
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