Getting Through Your Divorce and on With Your Life

Getting Through Your Divorce and on With Your Life

How Long Does Settling An Injury Claim Take?

Celina Henry

The process of settling an injury claim is structured in a fairly easy-to-understand way. However, the relative straightforwardness of the process doesn't mean that every claim will be processed in the same time frame. If you're worried about how long it might take to arrive at a settlement, here are three things an injury attorney would likely tell you.

It Depends

Arguably, this is the answer of nearly every attorney in nearly every situation, even outside of injury law. When it comes to injury claims, though, it is especially true. Some cases are simple because it's clear who the defendant is, whether they're insured, what happened, and how inclined the insurer is to pay. These cases typically are wrapped up within a few weeks or months of the initial demand letter going to the insurer.

Conversely, cases can get complicated by several factors. For example, the injury lawyer for a victim of a slip-and-fall accident may have a hard time identifying who is liable for the property where the incident happened. There also may be problems with uninsured defendants or cases that insurers don't consider so open-and-shut. Many of these cases take several months to a couple of years to resolve. The very worst ones can stretch for more than a decade and lead to lawsuits.

Medical Recovery Time

A major impediment to settling a case quickly may come from determining what the victim's level of long-term recovery is likely to be. Whenever possible, an injury attorney never wants to settle a case before they know what a client's long-term prognosis is going to be.

Lawyers hold back on such claims because they don't want clients to risk recovering too little. Suppose you suffered a back injury by falling down a set of steps. Most likely, you might have suffered some muscle strains and broken bones. However, there are scenarios where the victim suffers undiagnosed spinal or nerve damage. You wouldn't want to settle for the price of a broken bone only to learn you need spinal surgery.

The Defense's Response

While insurance companies have a duty to expedite all legitimate claims, that doesn't guarantee a case moves quickly once you send a demand package to the insurer. An insurance adjuster may want to investigate the incident and your medical condition.

They may send requests for additional medical reports and victim statements, too. Oftentimes, these are about getting you on the record to protect their interests. While it may delay the settlement by weeks or even months, it's wise to meet with an injury lawyer to discuss your response to any insurance inquiries.

Reach out to a lawyer at a local law office like Law Office of Robert Karwin.


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Getting Through Your Divorce and on With Your Life

Going through a divorce? I know how you might feel – alone, stressed out, and probably even a little sad due to the loss of the life you have always known. Whether you have children or not, you might even feel a little guilty about the break down of your relationship. But I'm here to tell you that a divorce is not the end of the world. In fact, once you get used to the idea and start to move on with your life, you may find just as much, if not more, happiness than you ever had while you were married! Getting through the proceedings of your divorce in a dignified manner is the first step, and hopefully this website will give you the insight, support, and motivation you need to get through the process as painlessly as possible.

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