After a car accident, you are likely to be confused and disoriented, but once you have regained your senses, a sense of urgency is likely to settle in. That is because you will be wondering about how much repairs to your vehicle will cost, whether you might need a brand new vehicle, and what you will do for transportation while your vehicle is incapacitated. A car accident claim can help to take care of most of those problems since a settlement will take care of any repair expenses or reimburse you for the value of your vehicle.
Of course, you will want that settlement as soon as possible since having a car is important to you. The fastest way to get that settlement is by hiring an experienced personal injury attorney. They can quickly and efficiently navigate any legal obstacles to make sure that you get the settlement you need to cover any repair costs. If you live in the Fresno area, then you should visit personalinjuryattorney-fresno.com after you have been in a car accident to get the help that you need.
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Factors That Affect The Timeline Of A Car Accident Settlement
There are quite a few factors that go into the length of a car accident settlement, but ultimately the length of the case depends on its complexity. The more complicated the case, the longer it will take to resolve. In general, a settlement can take a few months to years depending on how simple or complicated it is. The following are some of the factors that can affect how long it takes to get a settlement.
Proof of Liability
If you are seeking a settlement for your car accident, then you must be sure that the other driver was at fault. Even if that is the case, it may take some time before your attorney will be able to prove it. And of course, the other driver will likely dispute their liability in the accident as well. Ultimately, the amount of time spent on proving liability depends on how much clear-cut evidence there is to implicate the other driver.
The Extent of Your Injuries
A big factor in how long it takes to receive your settlement is the extent of the injuries you suffered in the car accident. If you have relatively minor injuries, then you can receive your settlement once you have received treatment and know what your medical expenses are. If you have more serious injuries that require lots of treatment like surgery, a long hospital stay, or physical therapy, then you will have to wait for your settlement.
That is because you will want to make sure that your settlement accounts for all of your injury costs. You will need to reach the stage of Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) before you attempt to collect your settlement. MMI is when your condition has improved as much as it is likely to even if you are still receiving treatment. That way you are more likely to get the settlement you need to cover all of your medical expenses.
Negotiating With the Opposition
Once your injuries and expenses have been collected, your attorney will document them in a demand letter that they will send to the insurance company of the party responsible for the accident. The demand letter details the settlement amount that you need and when the insurance company receives it, they can choose to accept it, make a counteroffer, or reject it. If they accept it or they make a reasonable counteroffer, then the case ends here. However, if they make a counteroffer that is too low or if they reject the demand, then you will have to file a lawsuit.
Once the lawsuit is filed, negotiations will continue as both parties enter the discovery phase where they exchange the information they have gathered with each other. Next, they will enter mediation where they attempt to resolve the case with the help of a neutral third party. If a resolution cannot be reached, then the case heads to trial. However, this is rare in personal injury cases as the situation tends to get resolved much sooner. When you take all these factors and variables into account, it could take a few weeks or several months to get a settlement for a car accident.
Hire a Lawyer to Help You Get Your Settlement Faster
The amount of time it takes to get your settlement as well as the amount of your settlement are both dependent on your hiring a highly experienced personal injury attorney to help you. They are your best chance of receiving a timely settlement that is enough to cover all of the expenses caused by the accident. So, make sure to hire a lawyer as quickly as possible if you want to get your settlement as fast as possible.