After being injured by another negligent party, you might be interested in filing a legal claim to hold them responsible for the damage they’ve caused you. But if you’ve never done that before, you might be hesitant because you don’t know how to go about it or don’t know how long it will take.
Talking with a personal injury lawyer is the best thing you can do in this scenario. They’ll be able to tell you what to expect and how your case will likely be handled. One of the biggest questions you’ll have for them is probably how long it’ll take to settle your claim. You want to get on with your life and get back to normal as soon as possible. Let’s take a look at how long your case might take.
Personal Injury Claim Length to Settlement
In most personal injury claims, the goal is to reach a settlement with the other party. Even though most cases settle out of court, that doesn’t always mean that it will wrap up quickly. It could just take weeks, or it could last months or even a year. It’s impossible to know exactly how long your claim will take, even if your lawyer has experience with cases like yours. They can give you an estimate based on previous claims, but they won’t be able to give you a firm promise.
That’s why it’s important to know the timeline of how most cases go, that way you can know where you are in the process and estimate how close you are to settling. At first, the opposing party or their insurance company will likely offer you a settlement. However, they’re looking out for their bottom line, so they offer you less than you deserve. You shouldn’t take their first settlement, and your attorney will help you navigate that situation.
Even though accepting the first settlement offer will make you claim end more quickly, if it’s not a fair amount for you that covers your damages, then you shouldn’t settle. There’s no way to know how much longer this will extend your claim. Your attorney will help guide you to make the right decision, even if that means your case will go for weeks or months longer.
If you can’t reach a settlement, then the case might even go to court. This would make your claim take even longer. Your attorney will be able to give you an estimate of how much longer it will take to reach a resolution, but again, there is no way to know for sure how long it will take.
Steps in a Personal Injury Case
Knowing the process of a personal injury case is one of the best ways to understand how long it might take. Even though you won’t be able to know exactly how much time it will take to settle, or if you’ll need to go to court, if you know the steps involved in your claim, then you can better estimate the timeline how much time you have left to settle.
Here are the basic steps in a personal injury case:
- Pre-litigation. Your lawyer starts looking into your claim and talks to the insurance company and adjusters.
- Discovery. After a claim is officially filed, you’ll get information from the other party, and you’ll share information as well, and you can both investigate and make your case.
- Settlement Negotiations. Both sides will attempt to reach a settlement that is fair, but they might not be able to reach one.
- Trial. If a settlement cannot be reached, the case will go to trial.
- Appeals. If you aren’t happy or don’t agree with the outcome, you can file an appeal, which would make your case extend even longer.
Your lawyer will guide you through this entire process and keep you updated about what’s happening at every step.
Our Lawyers Will Fight for You
Knowing the timeline for how long your personal injury claim is probably one of your biggest concerns before going into the legal process. Even though you want the process to be quick and settle easily, that might not be the case. When you have a Charleston personal injury lawyer from our firm, you can rest assured that we will do our best to settle as quickly as possible.
We can’t guarantee that it’ll be within a certain time frame, but we will work hard for you to get it settled as best as possible. If we can’t reach a settlement, at DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC, we’re prepared to fight for you in the court. Reach out to our office so we can discuss your case.