How long will my case take?
It is hard to determine how long any case will take as each case is individual. A lawsuit must be filed before one year (in most circumstances and in some claims even sooner) after the accident and if the case is not quickly resolved litigation time can vary. A case can only begin to start the settling process once you (and your passengers) have completed treating with the doctor. We work to get your case settled as quickly and fairly as possible.
Cases are typically not ready to begin the resolution process until the severity of the injury is fully known. Since this is the one opportunity victims of negligence have to receive compensation for their injuries, one should not attempt to resolve a case before the magnitude of the injury is understood. When a doctor concludes that the client has reached a medical end result and issued an opinion as to the likelihood of a full recovery should the process begin. This doctor’s opinion could occur within months or years of the injury producing incident. Once the doctor’s determination has been made, attempts can resolve the case can begin. Normally, witness statements, accident reports, photographs and other documentary evidence have already been acquired during the time that the client was receiving medical attention. Then, medical records and bills are requested, and if necessary, narrative reports from medical experts are obtained.
The answer to this question depends on the complexity of the case. In other words, the last thing we want to do is resolve a case while our client is still healing or does not have a good understanding on what their future medical condition and expenses or losses will be. With that being said, typically the average automobile accident claim is resolved within 6 to 12 months after an accident. Once your treating physician places you at MMI (Maximum Medical Improvement), which is usually 4 to 6 months after the injuries occur, we then prepare and send out a demand letter for settlement, subject to your approval, to the insurance company, and negotiate the highest possible settlement you are entitled to. Naturally, the estimate of time is subject to fluctuation depending on the facts of the case.
