After an accident or illness, especially one involving serious injury, medical bills may be mounting and financial strain increasing as you need time off work to recover. Many of our clients at Brandon J. Broderick immediately have questions about what the average time is for a personal injury settlement and how long it will take to receive it. All cases are unique, and the length of time it will take to resolve your claim will depend on the facts and circumstances involved.
The average time for a personal injury settlement varies greatly, from over a month to several years. There are several key factors that play into how long your personal injury claim will take and how much your claim is worth:
- Severity of your injuries
- Evidence of liability
- Multi-party claims
- Perseverance
Severity of Injuries
The more severe your injuries, the more costly your medical treatment will be and the more time it will take to understand your full prognosis. These factors usually make for a longer time to reach a settlement, but keep in mind that this is in the best interest of the injured victim.
Serious injuries often require extensive hospitalizations, surgeries, and long-term care, which are some of the costliest medical expenses for a family. Personal injury claims typically include the value of your medical expenses which may also include compensation for future damages. For instance, if your injuries will require ongoing long-term care or if you will not be able to return to your job, your personal injury claim could include a demand for compensation for future medical expenses and the lost income you would have received if you had not been injured.
Insurance companies do not like to pay out high value personal injury claims involving serious injury without a fight and will try to offer initial settlement amounts that could be far below the compensation you really need. By settling too quickly, you risk losing out on compensation for your damages. Once you settle your claim, you cannot reopen it down the line when you realize the ongoing medical needs are greater than the amount of your settlement.
Evidence of Liability
Personal injury claims require that you prove negligence or negligent acts were the cause of serious injuries and damages. There are many instances when the negligent acts of another are not so easy to prove so an investigation needs to happen to uncover evidence to prove your case.
In a car accident case, for instance, your personal injury lawyer may need to interview witnesses, review electronic evidence, and even recreate the accident scene and consult with traffic or medical experts. By building your case with strong evidence, negligence will be easier to prove which will bolster your claim.
Multi-party claims
In some cases, third parties may also be involved in a personal injury. For instance, if you were involved in an accident involving a commercial truck, the business owner of that trucking company may be partially responsible. In other cases, a defect product or car part could be to blame and the manufacturer of those products could be fully or partially liable. Other examples include multi-vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents, or ridesharing accidents.
Personal injury claims involving multiple defendants or third-parties tend to take longer to settle because the negotiations are more complex. Each side may try to blame the other. Or, if you’re going up against a large company, the other party may put a lot of resources against fighting the claim.
Perseverance
While the vast majority of personal injury claims are resolved through a settlement, that doesn’t mean that you should be quick to accept any offer that comes your way. This may mean that after an initial period of negotiation, a formal lawsuit is filed and the process continues to fight for adequate compensation for your damages. While the legal process may feel long and never-ending, perseverance is one of the key ways to maximize your compensation.
Brandon J. Broderick, Personal Injury Attorney at Law
Don’t let the time frame for a personal injury settlement hold you back from seeking the justice you deserve. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident or suffered an illness that you believe was caused by another person's negligence, contact Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law and speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
Our firm has an in-depth knowledge of personal injury law resulting in years of experience and proven results. We pride ourselves in being able to provide clients with the passionate representation they deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.