Weeks, Months, Years? How Long Will My Car Accident Case Take to Settle?

When you’re injured in a car or truck accident in Mississippi, it’s important to speak to an attorney as soon as possible, so that we can help you determine the best course of action in moving forward.

In working with car accident victims, however, one of the primary questions we hear once we get started is how long it takes for car accident cases take to settle. The short answer is it depends. Though each case is unique, we’ve put together an overview that will help you understand what factors play a role in the amount of time it takes for a car accident case to settle.

The Car Accident Settlement Process and the Timeline You Can Expect

First, there is the trauma of the actual wreck. In some instances, injured victims can begin discussing their case right away. In others, there needs to be some time given for the victims to be in a position where they’re able to have a discussion. This can often depend on the severity of the accident as well as other factors.

Then, once transported to a hospital or emergency room, you can begin to seek initial treatment for your injuries. While there, doctors will recommend a course of action, which may involve additional visits to a doctor or specialist, physical therapy, or other subsequent steps and treatments before a doctor will indicate that you have finished with the total treatment you need to recuperate from the accident fully.

Why the time it takes to settle greatly depends on the extent of medical treatment needed

Finishing treatment is a critical step because we have to know what the entire case is worth before we can begin settlement. We must understand the medical endpoint, so there’s nothing left on the table. This helps us determine exactly how much money to pursue in your case. In some cases, we won’t even begin discussing how much a case is worth until you’ve recovered completely or reached a point of maximum medical improvement.

Remember, once closed, a case cannot be reopened. Therefore, if the amount of money received in a settlement isn’t enough, we do not have another opportunity to open your case to get more. We can’t begin to tell you the frustration in our client’s voices when they made the decision to settle only to realize they needed additional treatment beyond what the settlement provided.

If you do decide to accept the initial offer from the insurance company before knowing the extent of your injuries, which we would absolutely never advise you do, you may settle within a matter of weeks.

Trust us, we understand; when an injury occurs from a car accident, it’s easy to feel like you deserve instant relief from the pain and suffering it has caused you. However, it is always best not to rush these things. It’s much better for our clients, in the long run, to complete all courses of medical treatment first before we settle the case with insurance agencies.

Other factors to help you determine how long it will take to settle your car accident case

Although your injuries play the biggest role in determining how long your case will take to settle, the insurance company we’re dealing with can also affect the timeline. Some are known to take longer to review claims than others, whether because they’re handling more claims or because they have a more lengthy process they’re required to go through.

Though most car accident cases settle out of court, when there’s a dispute, a lawsuit may be needed, and in this case, a few months may be added to the process. Remember, this is not typical for these types of cases though.

This entire process can take a matter of months or even years to complete, but most victims can expect at least a year before their case is settled. At the same time, it’s important to keep in mind, every case is different.

Learn more about how long it will take to settle your car accident case from ‘MAGGIO LAW in Jackson, MS

Contact ‘MAGGIO LAW, serving Gulfport, Jackson, and surrounding areas for a number of legal issues. We do what’s best for our clients. You can always trust us to be honest and have your best interest in mind. Just give us a call today at (601) 265-6869.