When you are dealing with a car accident injury and all the expenses it creates, such as medical bills and lost wages, you are probably asking yourself how long it will take for the insurance process to wrap up. You need that settlement check to get yourself out of the financial hole caused by your accident.
Below, the car accident lawyers at Sigman Janssen explain some of the main factors that affect the settlement of a car accident claim. Each claim is different, so we encourage you to contact us so we can learn more about the details of your claim.
Three Major Factors That Can Affect Your Settlement
Three of the most important factors affecting your settlement can include:
Maximum Medical Improvement
It is important that you have reached the point of maximum medical improvement. This means that you have met treatment goals and your medical condition is unlikely to get any better.
It is important to wait for this point so the cost of all your medical expenses will be included in your settlement. People reach the point of maximum medical improvement at different times depending on how they respond to treatment and how severe their injuries are.
All Expenses Have Been Accounted For
It is important when pursuing a personal injury claim that all the expenses you incurred from the accident have been accounted for. You do not want to settle your case only to find out later that you had other unexpected expenses.
Your attorney can work to gather all records and accounts from expert witnesses to add up all your expenses, such as:
- Medical expenses
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Lost future earning capacity
- Disability-related expenses
Response to the Demand Package
Once your lawyer has all the information described above, he or she can submit a demand package to the insurance company. The amount of time it takes the insurance company to respond to this package also affects when you will receive a settlement. This response time could range from a few weeks to longer.
Other Factors
There are a variety of other factors that can affect how long it takes to receive a settlement, including:
Type of Claim
Property-damage only claims tend to be less complicated and involve less expense than medical claims. That means it could take much less time to process.
Claims for medical bills often cause more disagreements than property damage claims because the insurance company may question if certain expenses should be paid for.
Nature and Severity of Injuries
The extent of your injuries and the available treatments may also affect how long it takes to reach a settlement. The more complex and severe the injuries are, the longer it will take to reach a settlement. If the injuries are not very severe, the insurance company might pay without a long investigation.
The Insurance Company
Some insurance companies resolve cases more quickly than others. Some have a higher likelihood of settlement while others try to avoid settling as much as possible.
Some larger insurance companies may offer smaller settlements and may be more likely to go to court to try to avoid paying out high settlements.
Insurance adjusters with a larger volume of claims to work through will typically take longer to process a claim than those with fewer claims.
Specifics of the Accident
Other factors that could affect how long it takes to reach a settlement are if:
- A governmental entity is involved
- Multiple parties are involved
- There is a lack of documentation to support the case
Contact a Lawyer for Help
If you were injured in an accident, it is critical that you retain an experienced Appleton car accident attorney for help with your case.
The dedicated legal team at Sigman Janssen can quickly get to work on your case to try to secure a fair settlement. We fight for your fair compensation after being injured by a negligent driver.
Call us now at (877) 888-5201.