How Long Will My Car Accident Lawsuit Take?

When most people think of a car accident claim, they imagine months or even years of a long drawn-out court battle. The reality, however, is that most personal injury cases are resolved through the settlement process in an out-of-court setting. Besides being cheaper and involving less conflict, settlement negotiations also tend to be resolved much more quickly than cases that are litigated. How long a car accident case takes to resolve will also depend on the specific facts of the case at hand, including the severity of the injuries and the number of parties involved. Read on to learn more about the factors that can affect how long it takes to resolve a car accident case in Florida.

Factors that Could Influence Your Case 

Not all car accidents are the same. In fact, each one is very different, which is why it’s so hard to give an estimate on how long it will take to resolve a case. There are, however, a few factors that can give claimants a better idea of how long their case will take, including:

• Whether the accident was a minor fender bender with minimal damage, a major collision with serious injuries, or a multi-car pile-up involving a number of parties;
• Whether the accident resulted in no injuries, minimal injuries, or serious injuries;
• Whether fault for the accident is disputed or clear-cut;
• The efficiency of the insurers, including whether they are willing to negotiate in good faith; and
• Whether the parties take a case to court or attempt to resolve their issues in an out-of-court setting.

For an analysis of how these factors apply in your own case, please call our experienced Florida personal injury legal team today.

A Rough Estimate 

Based on these factors, a car accident claim can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months. If, for instance, an accident involved only two vehicles, was a minor fender bender, and the person who collided with the other car was clearly at fault, an insurer will likely be willing to settle the case with minimal conflict and relatively quickly, probably within a month. If, however, an accident involved multiple vehicles and serious injuries, the proceedings may end up in litigation and could take up to a year to resolve. Generally, the more money is at stake and the more people are involved, the harder it is to negotiate a settlement that satisfies all parties. In these situations, having an experienced attorney on your side is critical.

Call Anderson & Anderson for Help with Your Car Accident Claim 

How long it takes to resolve a car accident case can range from a couple of weeks to several months. For a rough estimate of how long it will take to settle your own case, please call Anderson & Anderson at 813-251-0072 and set up a meeting with one of our dedicated Tampa car accident lawyers today. You can also set up a free consultation by completing one of our brief online contact forms.

Sources:

 forbes.com/advisor/legal/auto-accident/typical-car-settlement-amounts/

forbes.com/advisor/legal/personal-injury/personal-injury-lawsuit/