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How Long Does a Personal Injury Case Take to Settle?

If you have a personal injury case, how soon can you expect your case to settle? For many accident victims, this is a key question. Not only does obtaining a settlement provide the financial resources you need for your recovery, but it also allows you to start moving on with your life. 

So, how long does a personal injury case take to settle? 

The short answer is, “It depends.” 

While we’d like to give you a more straightforward answer, this simply isn’t possible. Numerous factors affect the timeline of a personal injury case, and every case truly is unique. Some cases settle quickly, while others take much longer. Then, of course, some cases don’t settle at all. Ultimately, whether you decide to accept a settlement offer is up to you—and you get to decide when you are ready to move on. 

5 Factors that Affect the Settlement Timeline in a Personal Injury Case

Here are five examples of factors that will affect the settlement timeline of a personal injury case in Wisconsin: 

1. The Evidence that is Available to Prove Liability  

Filing a successful personal injury claim requires evidence of liability. Generally speaking, the more evidence you have on your side, the more likely you are to obtain an efficient settlement (though there are no guarantees). To make sure you have as much evidence on your side as possible, you should hire a lawyer to investigate your accident right away. 

2. The Value of Your Claim 

The value of your claim can also impact the personal injury settlement timeline. The more money that is at stake, the harder the insurance companies are going to fight to avoid liability. Even with clear evidence of liability, the insurance companies may use a variety of tactics to try to avoid paying less than the full amount you deserve. When you have a personal injury claim, it is essential that you know how much you are entitled to recover—and this also involves putting an experienced lawyer on your side. 

3. The Complexity of the Issues Involved 

The complexity of the issues involved in your personal injury case can impact the settlement timeline as well. For example, one way the insurance companies often try to reduce settlement amounts is by blaming victims for their own injuries. If your case involves allegations of comparative negligence, your lawyer will need to deal with these allegations during the settlement negotiation process. If you have a personal injury claim against a negligent driver’s employer, a lessor, or any other party that was not directly involved in your accident, this can also add to the complexity of asserting your legal rights. 

4. The Insurance Company (or Companies) Involved 

Obtaining a personal injury settlement involves dealing with the insurance companies, and different insurance companies handle personal injury cases differently. As a result, the insurance company (or companies) involved in your case could have a major impact on how long it takes to obtain a favorable settlement offer—or whether you receive a favorable settlement offer at all. 

5. Whether You Hire an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer

One of the most important steps you can take to make sure the insurance companies treat you fairly is to put an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side. Hiring a lawyer shows that you are serious about asserting your legal rights, and this can have a major impact on how the insurance companies approach settlement negotiations in your case. 

Should You Settle Your Personal Injury Case? 

While settling your personal injury case allows you to obtain financial compensation without going to trial, this isn’t necessarily the best outcome in all scenarios. If you receive a settlement offer, it is critical that you determine whether the offer represents just compensation for your injury-related costs. This includes not only your costs to date, but also your costs in the future.

Why? Because you only get one chance to settle. If you settle for less than you deserve, you don’t get to go back and ask for more. As a result, while you may be interested in obtaining a quick settlement, it is ultimately more important to make sure you receive the full compensation to which you are legally entitled under Wisconsin law. 

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Personal Injury Lawyer in Madison, WI

Do you need to know more about seeking a personal injury settlement in Wisconsin? If so, we encourage you to contact us promptly for more information.

Contact Boller & Vaughan today online or at 608-268-0268 for a FREE case evaluation. We serve clients throughout Wisconsin from our office in Madison. We handle elder abuse cases on a contingency fee basis, which means if we don’t win, you don’t pay.