After being injured in an accident, you may be torn between wanting to resolve your case quickly and wanting to recover adequate damages. It is not unreasonable to want to know how long it will take to resolve your personal injury case so you know when to expect to receive your money. Unfortunately, however, there is no set date or typical time frame because the length of your case depends on several factors.
- Fault for the Accident
If the other party was completely responsible for your injuries, you should be able to recover full compensation. Knowing this, the other party’s insurance company may try to shift the blame over to you, even going so far as to use dirty tricks to try to get you to admit fault without knowing what you are saying.
On the other hand, it may be that careless actions on your part contributed to the accident as well. Depending on where you live, this can decrease the amount of your damages, sometimes down to zero. The process of determining fault can extend the case’s time frame.
- How Much Money You Are Seeking
Insurance companies usually come back with a low-ball offer fairly quickly. However, this is almost always far less than what you really deserve. If you make a counteroffer for more money, the insurance company may respond by dragging out negotiations as long as possible. It can be worth the wait, though, to receive what you really deserve. You can cheat yourself out of the possibility to take legal action later if you are too quick to accept a settlement.
- Type and Amount of Insurance Coverage
If you were injured in a car accident or a slip and fall, chances are that the accident is covered by the other party’s auto insurance or property insurance, respectively. However, if it was an unusual type of accident, insurance may not cover it. Even if the policy does cover your injury, the amount may not be sufficient to fully compensate you.
- Treatment You Received
Hopefully you sought medical attention directly after the accident and obtained your medical records related to it. The insurance company may try to argue that the treatment you received was not medically necessary and you do not deserve compensation. Your medical records can help disprove this.
While it may be impossible to determine exactly how long your personal injury case will take, a skilled attorney, like a personal injury attorney in Indianapolis, IN from Ward & Ward Law Firm, should be able to answer other questions you have in regard to the case. Contact a law office to schedule a consultation today.