om average how long does it take to get a wreck settlement from lawyer

by Skyla King 8 min read

It can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months (or years) for a car accident case to settle. There is plenty to investigate on each party's end, and if you suffered extensive injuries and property damage, this could explain why the settlement process is lengthy.

How long does it take to settle a car accident case?

Jan 13, 2022 · The typical time limit is three years, but it ranges from one to six years depending on the state. Fight For Fair Compensation Don’t accept …

How long does it take to get a final settlement offer?

Apr 15, 2021 · Nonetheless, on average, it takes approximately 8 to 16 months from the date a case is started until a plaintiff receives a final settlement payment. However, this is only an average. ... a lawyer may postpone a settlement until the extent of the victim’s damages are known. When medical treatment is ongoing, it can be hard to accurately ...

How long does it take to settle an insurance claim?

May 25, 2020 · The insurance company responds to our demand for settlement for your car wreck case with a first offer in about two weeks to thirty days. Let us take a closer look at these four factors determining how quickly a Tennessee or Georgia car wreck case to settle. You Must Finish Treatment or Reach Maximum Medical Improvement

Do I need a lawyer for a car accident settlement?

Apr 07, 2016 · But wait…that check may take another two weeks to clear. There’s no need to be concerned with your lawyer keeping the money in the account longer than necessary. In fact, no lawyer may deposit your settlement money with his or her own money. Indiana has an Interest on Lawyer Trust Account (IOLTA) program.

How long does it take to settle an accident claim?

Nonetheless, on average, it takes approximately 8 to 16 months from the date a case is started until a plaintiff receives a final settlement payment. However, this is only an average.

Why do settlements take so long?

Here are some additional reasons a settlement may take longer than anticipated: 1 The insurance company delays responding to the demand package 2 The other driver and/or their insurer disputes who is at fault for the accident 3 The defendant asserts the plaintiff’s injuries were pre-existing rather than a result of the accident

Why do insurance companies want to avoid trial?

Therefore, simply knowing the victim’s attorney is prepared to go to court may be enough to motivate the insurer to increase its settlement offer. Sometimes the parties use an outside mediator to assist in the negotiations.

What is an initial settlement offer?

Initial offer. The insurance company may make an initial settlement offer, which is typically far below what most victims need and deserve to compensate them for their losses . Depending on the situation, your attorney may make a counter offer before proceeding to the next step. Demand package.

What to do if your insurance is at fault?

While taking this step may prolong the legal process, it often motivates the other party to increase their offer in order to settle the case without a trial.

How long does it take for an insurance company to respond to a demand letter?

It may take a few months for the at-fault driver’s insurer to respond to the demand package. Sometimes, the insurance company rejects the demand outright, claiming the driver they represent was not at fault. Or, the insurer may make a counter offer that is usually lower than the amount in the demand letter.

What happens when a case goes to trial?

However, when a case goes to trial, the plaintiff risks winding up with nothing if the case is decided in favor of the defendant. In addition, even if a jury awards more than the amount previously offered, a plaintiff could end up with less after the trial expenses are deducted from the verdict.

What are the four steps to getting a good settlement offer for your car crash injuries?

You must have completed all of your medical treatment so that you have reached maximum medical improvement. Treatment for your accident related injuries may be as short as one day or several years.

You Must Finish Treatment or Reach Maximum Medical Improvement

Either you have fully recovered from your car wreck injuries and need no more treatment; OR

Getting All of Your Medical Bills and Records

What is the key to getting your case to settle as quickly as possible? Having an experienced Chattanooga accident lawyer like Tricia Dennis or Russell King personally working as hard as possible to collect your medical bills and records and getting them to the insurance company as quickly as possible.

Are the Records Always Enough to Persuade an Insurance Company to Pay Out a Generous Settlement?

Maybe. In most cases, the doctor’s findings and injury diagnoses in his or her medical records are enough. However, sometimes, we need the doctor to supplement his record, such as stating future surgery is more likely than not or emphasizing the cause of the injury is the car wreck.

How Long Does Settlement Take If My Car Wreck Injury is Serious?

We realize that if you have read this much, you will wish to settle your case quickly. But, if you have a very serious car wreck injury, you probably will need to sue the driver to get the most money for your case.

What Should Happen When the Insurance Company Makes a Settlement Offer?

First: you should never take the insurance company’s first offer unless it is for policy limits.

What If You Decide to Settle Your Case? How Long Before You Get the Settlement Check?

Some insurance companies use every excuse to delay getting a check to the injured car wreck victim. You need your Chattanooga car wreck lawyer to push the insurance company to get the check to you as quickly as possible. We know you need your money quickly.

What Costs Might Your Settlement Cover?

The general principle is that when you’re involved in a serious car accident for which you’re determined not to be at fault, you’re entitled to compensation for any expenses incurred as a result of the event. Such costs might include:

Analyze the Offer

Weeks and months may well pass while all this negotiating and information-gathering is going on, and while the situation becomes more clear:

Getting Your Settlement

As the next-to-last step of the process, the settlement check is deposited into your lawyer’s trust account.

Settling a Car Accident Claim in 2-6 Months

In other cases, the insurance company may delay your claim or say they need time. This can be legitimate if they are investigating the details of the claim, but it could also be a tactic. This is when a lawyer is particularly helpful.

Why Some Car Accident Settlements May Take a Year

Rarely, insurers refuse to negotiate or simply won’t come up to an acceptable number that truly covers your losses. In this case your lawyer will likely recommend filing a lawsuit. Although the lawyer can handle all of the legal work for you, the court process takes time.

What do I do if I need the money right away?

Your lawyer can help you. Normally, you will be facing large medical bills—and may be without income because of the injury. Your lawyer can help you defer those costs, meaning you don’t have to pay out of pocket until you receive your settlement. This gives you breathing room so that you aren’t under pressure to accept less than you deserve.

Talk to an Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer for Free

Don’t get stuck feeling unsure about your car accident claim. Let us give you a FREE consultation to get you the answers you need—and help you get paid. Call us at (404) 341-6555 or fill out the form to the right to get your free consultation today.

How long does it take for a lawsuit to be filed?

Each state has a different process and set of regulations for this, but expect it to take at least 6 months to one year and in some cases, it may even take up to two years before the case finally goes to trial.

What is personal injury case?

Personal injury cases are legal disputes that result from the accident and are followed by steps to protect your legal rights after the accident and injury as well as allowing you to obtain compensation for the settlement.

When is a mediator needed?

A mediator is needed when the two parties cannot agree on a settlement. The mediator will offer their unbiased opinion on the matter and will help the parties try to settle outside of court. The trial takes place – Very few civil personal injury claims end up in a trial.

What happens if you are represented by an attorney?

Once the insurance company is notified that you are represented by an attorney their behavior is likely to change as well. Instead of pushing for the quick settlement for the injury claim, they might start trying to slow or delay the process. Another tactic often deployed by the insurance company.

What is interim payment?

An interim payment may be paid on account of the compensation you are likely to receive from your claim. Following your accident and injuries, you may experience limited or stopped income from work on top of all the additional expenses resulting from the accident.

Can you settle a personal injury claim?

Never settle the claim until you have reached the full and final basis, meaning everything is in order or you have completely recovered. Once the settlement is final, no further compensation will be granted, so it is best to follow the steps as outlined by your personal injury attorney.

How long does it take for a settlement check to clear?

The attorney may hold the check in a trust or escrow account until it clears. This may take several days, especially if it is a large check.

How to get a settlement check?

The first step in receiving your settlement check is to sign a release form that states that you will not pursue any further monies from the defendant for the specific incident in question. The defendant or the defendant’s insurance company will not send a check for your damages without such a form. Otherwise, the defendant could be put in the precarious position of being the continued subject to a lawsuit. If certain portions of your claim will continue, the release form should be very specific as to which claims you are agreeing to release the defendant from. Your attorney submits this form to the insurance company or the defendant, along with any other papers that he or she agreed to send.

How does the release time work?

At this point, the release time depends largely on the defendant’s internal process. Some states have specific deadlines in which a defendant must provide settlement funds after receiving the release form. Some state laws strengthen the leverage over the defendant by requiring him or her to start accumulating interest on the settlement funds from the date that the release form is received so that there is a disincentive for the defendant to delay payment.

Do insurance companies have loopholes?

However, there are usually loopholes that experienced defendants and insurance companies know about to avoid these negative ramifications, such as the statute not saying how long an insurance company has to process the actual release form.

February 05, 2013

Often clients ask how long before I can get my money? This question arises once the lawyer has settled a personal injury claim with the insurance company.

How Long Does It Take To Pay Out a Personal Injury Settlement?

Often clients ask how long before I can get my money? This question arises once the lawyer has settled a personal injury claim with the insurance company.