How Long Does a Car Accident Claim Take to Settle?

If you are considering filing a claim against a negligent driver who caused your injuries in an accident, you may wonder how long a car accident claim takes to settle. Each case’s length depends on its individual facts, but in general, it can take anywhere from a few months to a few years to reach an insurance settlement.

Typically, those motor vehicle accidents that involve significant, life-altering injuries may take longer to settle than those where victims receive a diagnosis quickly and are able to return to work after only a few days. Letting a Maryland car accident lawyer review your case can give you more insight. 

Factors That Affect How Long It Takes Your Claim to Settle

There are certain factors that will influence the time it takes to settle a car accident claim. Simply put, the more complex the car accident is, the more time it takes to reach a settlement. Complexity often stems from the following factors: 

Determining Fault in the Car Accident

In many injury cases, police investigating the crash can use the facts to show that one driver’s actions led to the accident in their police report. If the other driver caused the crash, resulting in the accident victim’s injuries, the victim may be entitled to seek compensation for lost wages, pain and suffering, medical bills, and possibly more.

However, in some cases, the police may not be able to fully determine which driver’s actions led to the injury. In a case like this, you and your personal injury accident lawyer in Maryland will need to use the facts from the accident scene to show how the other driver was primarily or fully at fault.

Some of the ways you may be able to show that the other driver was at fault for the accident include:

• Traffic ticket:Where law enforcement issues a ticket to the other driver, indicating he or she was acting negligently.
• Using drugs or alcohol:according to Maryland Transportation Code § 21-902, a person may not drive or attempt to drive while under the influence or impaired by alcohol, drugs, a controlled dangerous substance, or some combination of these factors. Even a small intake of alcohol or drugs can lead to an error while driving.

Your accident attorney can also investigate the car wreck and obtain evidence demonstrating how the other driver was at fault for your injuries.

Severity of Your Injuries

If the injuries you suffered in a car crash are significant, your case may take longer to settle than a crash involving minor injuries.

Cases involving severe to catastrophic injuries often take longer because the insurance company for the at-fault party will want to gather as many facts about your potential recovery as possible before offering a settlement. You and your car accident attorney will also want to be certain that all of your injuries have been diagnosed.

If you agree to a settlement, any new injuries that appear in the future may not be reimbursed, so you should be sure you have all of the facts.

Determining Your Long-Term Diagnosis

If your injuries require that you visit a rehabilitation facility, you may be entitled to a larger accident settlement. It could take longer for the insurance company to determine the proper amount to offer.

If you and your personal injury attorney are seeking damages for a reduction in your quality of life, the other driver’s insurance company may take longer to investigate the case and interview your healthcare providers.

If the car crash resulted in injuries that lead to a disability that will affect your ability to work in the future, this may be part of your long-term diagnosis and should be part of any settlement. An insurance company’s investigation can drag out the time to settle your accident case.

Treatment and Recovery Should Be Your Focus

Following any accident, you and your personal injury lawyer’s focus should be on treating your injuries. To truly determine a fair settlement for your injuries takes time. It takes time to receive the best medical care possible, and it will take time for your lawyer to develop a case.

If you are looking for a quick settlement, you may be cheating yourself on funds that could be necessary for your full recovery. Do not be fooled into accepting a low settlement. You can fight back for the fair compensation you deserve.

Our Team Can Work to Bring a Favorable Settlement to Your Case

It’s impossible to say how long a car accident claim may take to settle because each case will have unique aspects that can affect the time required to settle. An attorney may be able to give you an estimate on how long settlement negotiations could require, ranging anywhere from months to years, but it is hard to provide a definitive time frame. 

The best thing you can do is to follow your doctors’ orders and give yourself the time to heal and your lawyers the time to build your case. 

At Adam Smallow Injury Lawyers, our legal team knows the frustration clients may feel as the process of settling a car accident injury claim drags out over time. We can help you work to move the settlement process along, ensuring the insurance company for the negligent driver is not stalling or purposefully delaying the process.

Two Key Factors to Your Success

When we combine access to high-quality medical providers and 24/7 communication with your legal team, we have garnered outstanding results for our clients. 

Keeping Your Claim on Track

We can also help you meet all deadlines in your case. In the state of Maryland, personal injury lawsuits must be filed within three years, according to the statute of limitations set by Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 5-101. Should the other driver’s insurer refuse to come to a fair settlement during negotiations, we can stand by your side in a court case. 

Call Adam Smallow Injury Lawyers for Your Car Accident Claim

Get what you need to go From Hurt to Help®. Call our law firm today for a free case consultation and learn more about your car accident claim.