You were in an accident. You hired a lawyer, went to physical therapy. Turned in all your bills. Now, what?

If you’re wondering how long it will take before your case settles, it can be fairly quick, but there can be extenuating circumstances that delay your case. Things like waiting for the attorneys, missing paperwork, and a few other factors…

So let’s take a look at a few examples of what happens in accident cases to help you understand how much time is really involved:

What Delays an Accident Claim?

• When liability comes into question: In some accidents there are factors that can delay a settlement offer. For example, if liability isn’t clear this can slow things down as both sides may not claim liability. If a car accident occurred when a vehicle stopped to avoid a vehicle that swerved in its path, a third-party crash can sometimes take longer to prove.

• When government agencies are involved: If an accident occurred due to a traffic light that malfunctioned or a missing stop sign, liability may also be questioned and an insurance claims adjuster may deny a claim which can take more time to prove.

• Missing paperwork: Another scenario is when there’s paperwork that’s missing. If the adjuster doesn’t have all the medical reports or the police report, this can slow down the settlement process.

The reason you want to know how long it takes is obvious. You probably have medical bills that need to be paid and you want to put a traumatizing experience behind you. That’s understandable, too.

Most people in accidents are hoping for the settlement money sooner rather than later especially if their vehicle was damaged, they lost time off from work or they fell behind on bill payments due to them being off work or in some circumstances, out of work.

When to Expect Your Case to Settle

For starters, there are a few things that need to be in place to reach settlement talks and receive an offer:

• all medical treatment should be completed with a doctor’s release from care
• all medical records and police reports have been forwarded to the attorney
• a settlement demand has been sent to the attorney’s office

The time frame can vary depending on how long you might be treated. If you only need a few weeks of physical therapy, that may mean you get a settlement offer sooner, but if you need a few months of care, then the process can take longer.

If you were in an accident and have turned in all your medical records, the police report and any other information that was requested, you may just want to call your attorney to confirm that the settlement demand was sent. If it was, they may call the other party’s attorneys to get an update on your case.

The Time Frame After All Paperwork is Completed

Typically, it may only take about three weeks after you finish your medical treatment and all paperwork and documentation have been turned into the insurance adjuster for the insurance claim to be completed. Your attorney may need to contact the insurance company if your claim goes beyond this. Once a settlement offer has been reached, it shouldn’t take long before you receive your payment.

When You Need a Lawyer: Contact Schenk Podolsky

Getting the right lawyer can help with your accident case. If you were involved in a car accident, get a FREE online consultation today at (480) 757-5000. Arizona accident lawyers are ready to help. Contact Schenk Podolsky today!