How Long Can a Car Accident Case Take?
If you have been injured in a car accident and are planning to sue the at-fault party, you might be wondering how long your case might take to settle and when you might be able to receive the settlement from the insurance company.
The truth is that there is no definitive answer to the question, as it can take anywhere from 1 to 3 years – or even longer in some cases – for your claim to settle. In this post, we will take a look at the key factors that can impact a car accident settlement process in New York.
Value of Your Claim
This is perhaps the most important factor that can determine how long it might take for your car accident case to settle. If you are demanding a substantial amount of compensation from the at-fault party, the insurance company will try to do everything they possibly can to delay or stall the claims process in order to force you into accepting a lowball offer.
Severity of Your Injuries
If your injuries are serious in nature, it might take you several weeks or even months to fully recover or reach the point of maximum medical improvement. And many injuries might be permanent. Until then, your New York car accident lawyer might not be able to determine the value of your claim, as they might not know what kind of medical care you might need in the foreseeable future and whether your earning capacity might be affected in any way.
Liability
If there are multiple parties that can be held liable for the car accident, apportioning fault to each of them can be a difficult and time-consuming task. Similarly, if your own negligence or recklessness contributed to the accident, the other party might try to assign a disproportionate share of blame to you or try to argue that the accident happened primarily as a result of your own negligence, just so they can minimize their own liability. As a result, the settlement process might drag on for several months or even years.
Expert Witnesses
Depending on the circumstances, your lawyer might decide to use reports or testimonies from expert witnesses to strengthen your claim against the at-fault parties. Coordinating with experts from different fields and industries and getting them to testify can be a laborious process, which can take several months.
Litigation
Over 95% of tort claims filed in New York are resolved out of court through negotiation and mediation. Moreover, if the insurance company refuses to pay you what you are owed, your lawyer might decide to take your case to trial to recover the damages you deserve. Depending on how complex your claim is, the litigation proceedings might drag on for several months or even years.
Injured in a Car Accident? Our Car Accident Lawyers will Fight to Maximize Your Compensation
If you have been injured in a car accident, you need a lawyer who can protect your rights as an injury victim, stand up to the insurance company, and fight tenaciously to get the compensation you deserve.
Attorney Michael S. Lamonsoff has been fighting for the rights of injury victims in New York for decades and has received numerous awards and professional recognitions for his accomplishments. Under his guidance, our legal team has recovered well over half a billion dollars in settlements and jury awards for our clients.
You only have one chance to get the compensation you deserve. Make sure you choose the right person to fight for you. Call our firm today at 212-962-1020 or contact us online and schedule a free consultation with an accomplished and proven New York car accident attorney from our firm.