How Long Do Personal Injury Cases Take to Settle?

Getting money for a personal injury case can be complicated. How long it takes for your case to settle depends on how seriously you were injured, how long your recovery time takes, how complex your case is, whether your case goes to trial, and how experienced your personal injury lawyer is.

Luckily, there are many reliable car accident attorneys in Phoenix that you can hire for your personal injury case, like those at Gage Mathers. When you hire an attorney, you need to make sure they have the experience and skills that will help you file a successful personal injury claim. They should advise you on the main parts of your case, including what is considered personal injury and how to file your claim.

The following factors will determine how long it takes to settle your case:

Severity of Your Injuries

You need to show how serious your injuries were from the accident and how these injuries have affected your life. This will help determine how much money you receive from your claim.

However, severe injuries usually need more time to prove how they have lasting or long-term effects. This can add more time to your case.

Recovery Time

Your recovery time depends on how serious your injuries are. Because severe injuries take longer to heal, you need more time to show their full impact.

Details of Your Case

Personal injury cases involving several people often take longer to settle because everyone wants to have it their way. They take even longer if there’s disputed liability, meaning someone says they are not responsible for the injuries when you say they are.

Extended Negotiations

If the person you believe caused your injuries or their insurance company isn’t happy with how the case is going, they might try to draw out the case. For instance, they’ll offer unreasonable settlements or reject your offers, leading to stalled negotiations.

Going to Trial

Most personal injury cases are settled out of court, meaning you don’t have to deal with long court proceedings. However, if you can’t reach an agreement with the party responsible for the injury, you may end up settling in a full-fledged trial.

Trials take time to settle, especially when the court has many other cases to handle. So, if you choose to go to court, the timeline might take several weeks or months, depending on the court’s schedule and the details of your case.

General Timelines for Settling Personal Injury Cases

A simple personal injury case can be settled within a few weeks or months, while a complex one might take more than a year. Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to speed-up your case:

Strong Evidence

You need to gather enough evidence to support your claim, even before you file it. For example, gather your medical records, hospital bills, and important documents that can prove the full extent of your injuries. You can also find witnesses to support your claims.

Legal Representation

Ask your attorney questions before you file the claim, such as whether a personal injury settlement is considered income. This is important because some personal injury settlements are taxable income.

Closing Thoughts

It’s important to remember that every personal injury case is unique. Consult your personal injury attorney for a more specific timeline for your case.

Get an experienced personal injury lawyer from Gage Mathers to help speed up the process. We know the best routes to take to settle your case quickly and successfully!

About the Author

Joseph D'Aguanno

Guided by the belief that being a highly skilled specialist in a narrow field is better than being ordinary in everything, Joseph “JD” D’Aguanno leads Arizona’s best personal injury law firm in Phoenix, AZ. Having extensive cross-training in pre-litigation negotiations and trial lawyer skills, with decades of experience, JD strives to provide clients with the most valuable legal services a personal injury lawyer can provide. Under his direction, Gage Mathers Law Group is an award-winning personal injury law firm providing aggressive representation to victims of a car accident, medical malpractice, dog bite, motorcycle accident, and other injurious events. Gage Mathers is trusted by thousands of lawyers and clients throughout the country because of their reputation for getting clients the maximum compensation they deserve.

Years of experience: Over 23 years
Bar number: 020421
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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