How long will my car accident case take if I have bad injuries?

A common question that arises when seeking help with your personal injury case following a car accidentis how long will the case take to resolve.

This can be determined by a number of factors even though every case is different.

The primary (but not limiting to) determining factors of how long your personal injury case can take relates to the extent of your injuries and required treatment, the coverage available for your treatment, and the insurance companies that are involved for each driver.

The most critical item for your case is the extent of the injuries that you have.

If you have been substantially injured in a car accident, the treatment for your injuries will likely be substantial as well.

For example, a case with a sprained wrist may only require simple chiropractic care between one and six weeks. In the alternative, in a case where if you are suffering from back or neck pain that conservative chiropractic treatment has not been able to remedy and an MRI shows that you have a bulging disc, advanced treatment in the form of injections or other surgical intervention may be required with physical therapy which may take substantially more time for treatment.

(As a reminder, seeking conservative care by a chiropractor that specializes in auto accidents in auto accidents is always a good start to getting your personal injury case on track. As your attorney, or visit a doctor like this St. Pete Chiropractor.)

Your medical records can speed up your case. 

With each visit to a physician, notes are generated in your medical records that will serve as evidence of your injuries in order to properly make a claim with the insurance company.

For more extensive treatment, your medical records may be able to evidence substantial future treatment that will be required in months or years to come.

In this case, a Demand can be made to include any speculative costs for future treatment before the treatment has occurred.

To sum up that bit, your medical records serve as the evidence needed to make a proper Demand. Demands are made to the insurance company at the strategic time between your treatment history and the time that best suits your financial interests for the costs of your treatment and lost wages.

I bet you can now understand why having a smart and aggressive personal injury attorney to handle your claim is critical. 

Your car insurance coverage can also impact your case timeline.

The next determining factor that may impact the length of your case is the amount of coverage that is available to you for the treatment of your injuries. If the coverage that is available to you through personal injury protection, bodily injury and/or uninsured/underinsured motorist policies at a low amount, by default, it will be more beneficial for a Demand to be placed. If the demand is placed with the insurance company before the cost of your treatment approaches the limits of the case, there is a higher likelihood that your attorney can maximize the amount of the recovery to cover your future medical expenses and lost wages.

If the coverage that is available to you as at a much higher amount, there is more time allowed for additional or advanced treatment to be completed, creating the additional evidence with your medical record needed to show the extent of your injuries and to claim a higher coverage amount.

Therefore, the coverage available to you is something your attorney will take into account in order to determine when best to recommend submitting a Demand to the insurance company.

Who is your insurance provider?

The last primary determining factor in the length of your case relates to the insurance companies involved.

Some insurance companies are more reasonable than others and are more willing to negotiate a recovery amount that is commensurate with your injuries and lost wages.

An insurance company that is more willing to negotiate reasonably at the time of Demand will settle much faster than an insurance company that is not offering a recovery amount commensurate with your injuries and any lost wages.

Under this circumstance, a lawsuit must be filed against the insurance company in order to seek a more reasonable recovery amount for you through the court. This can substantially lengthen the time required to resolve your case.

So, the answer to the question of how long it will take to resolve your case can depend on these primary factors among others.

A standard case with minimal injuries, low coverage amounts and reasonable insurance companies can typically resolve within three to six months.

More extensive treatment required, higher coverage amounts and unruly insurance companies will likely lengthen the time it takes to resolve your case.

If a lawsuit is required in order to seek a recovery amount commensurate with your injuries and lost wages, the time it takes to resolve your case may take up to a year or more for the case to come to a resolution.

But in order to file that lawsuit, you will need a personal injury attorney to take care of your case. 

The attorneys at Pipas Law work tirelessly to get you the money you deserve as fast as possible.

Contact us today for your free case evaluation.