FAQ: How Long Will It Take To Settle My Personal Injury Claim?
When someone else’s negligence injures you, wondering when (or even if) you will receive compensation can be a tremendous source of stress. Many people need that money.
Why? To help them cope with the financial trouble that often accompanies a slip and fall accident, car crash, or other situation that results in a personal injury claim.
While recovering from your injuries, our lawyers at Alonso Krangle, LLP, work hard to ensure your claim moves along smoothly. But, the actual time it takes to resolve your personal injury claim depends on various factors.
What Factors Determine When My Personal Injury Claim Will Settle?
Several factors can contribute to the timeline of a personal injury claim. The speed at which you reach a fair settlement agreement can depend on some of the following:
- the type of accident you experienced
- the parties who might be liable for your injuries
- the severity of your injuries
- the cooperation and response times of others
- your goals
At Alonso Krangle, LLP, our lawyers want to ensure that you receive a settlement that is fair and is a true representation of the nature of your physical, financial, and emotional injuries. Doing this can take time.
Along the way, you can be certain that your claim is in good hands. We can keep you informed of the progress of your claim while you focus on recovering from your injuries.
It is important to remember when you pursue a personal injury claim that collecting compensation is never guaranteed. Seeking damages from the party who caused your injuries is often worth it: you might obtain a settlement or award that can ease the financial strain caused by your accident.
What Happens During Personal Injury Settlement Negotiations?
Many personal injury claims get settled before trial. Some can settle even before legal action becomes necessary. Negotiations usually occur between the insurance company and you, or ideally, your personal injury lawyer. They have lawyers protecting their financial interests, and so should you.
The participants can exchange documents, including photos, medical records, receipts for medical expenses, and property damages. There might be depositions or meetings where the parties try to agree on what amount the insurance company should pay.
Insurance companies almost always employ tried-and-true tactics to reduce the amount of money they will have to pay the victims of accidents, even if the accidents are their clients’ faults. Insurance companies know that you are vulnerable because of your injuries. This is one reason it is critical to have legal representation.
What can you expect?
The insurance company may try to blame you for the car accident, slip, and fall, trip, and fall, or another incident that led to your injuries. It might claim that your negligence caused or contributed to the accident.
The insurance company can also allege that your injuries were pre-existing conditions that were not actually the result of their client’s negligence.
Knowing you are under pressure the insurance company might offer a settlement that is far less than what you deserve or are entitled to by law.
At Alonso Krangle, LLP, our personal injury lawyers can ensure that you don’t accept a low-ball settlement offer because of pressure or desperation. We want you to get the compensation you deserve- an amount that is fair.
Contact us right away after you are injured. We can protect your legal rights to receive a settlement or pursue a personal injury lawsuit.
Will I Have To Go To Trial?
Most personal injury claims settle without a trial. But, it sometimes becomes necessary to proceed with litigation to obtain the best possible outcome.
From the start, we can work on your case and prepare for all potential scenarios that might arise.
What Damages Can I Recover?
Our personal injury lawyers want you to receive an outcome that provides the financial compensation you deserve, and the maximum allowed by law. However, every case is different and prior results in one case do not guarantee a similar outcome in another.
You might be entitled to obtain compensation for:
- Your medical expenses such as bills from doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, therapists, rehab centers, nursing care
- Future or ongoing medical expenses for injuries that require long term care, further medical treatment, or cause permanent disability
- Lost wages caused by your injuries
- Diminished earning capacity, lost future income.
- Pain and suffering
After an accident of any type, it can take time to recover from your injuries. The financial stress this often puts on the patient and their family can make things incredibly difficult. The pressure to succumb to a low-ball settlement offer might become appealing.
We don’t want you to take less than you deserve. Pursuing the compensation that represents the best possible outcome requires patience and diligence.
Our personal injury lawyers at Alonso Krangle, LLP, can focus on securing your financial recovery while you concentrate on healing from your injuries.
How Can I Move My Settlement Along?
In your personal injury case, not everything is under your control or that of your injury attorneys.
But, you might help expedite the process by promptly providing as much evidence as you can.
Evidence might include:
- medical records and reports
- police reports
- receipts for medical bills
- store incident reports
- insurance policies
- names and contact information of witnesses or other parties
- photos of the accident scene or surrounding areas
- any other records you might have that are related to your personal injury and accident
Many factors beyond our control might cause delays. But, the sooner you can get these things to your lawyers, the sooner we can begin working toward a fair settlement or other resolution of your personal injury claim.
Call Alonso Krangle, LLP To Handle Your Personal Injury Claim
Settling a personal injury case takes time, and various elements influence the length of time it will take.
The settlement process and the time it takes to resolve personal injury cases vary. A reasonable settlement offer can take less than a year or more than a year. A quick settlement can also be a possibility. Other cases in New York can go on for many years.
The truth is, every case is different and we need to assess your unique situation to help you get the best possible outcome.
Let a member of our law firm investigate your accident, determine whether you have a legitimate claim, establish your legal options, and formulate a plan to secure the outcome you want. Our goal is to secure fair compensation.
Call Alonso Krangle, LLP today at 800-403-6191 for a free evaluation. We handle personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis, which means we don’t get paid until you do.