How Long Will It Take to Resolve My Personal Injury Case?
It’s natural to worry about your finances after sustaining serious injuries. The costs associated with recovering, after all, can add up fast. In addition to direct expenses like medical bills, for example, you may be facing indirect expenses like lost wages.
Thankfully, if you were hurt at the hands of someone else, you may be entitled to compensation for the damages you incur. Until your case is resolved, though, your financial security may very well be in jeopardy.
Since legal proceedings are ultimately unpredictable—and personal injury claims are inherently complex—there’s no way to predict with 100 percent accuracy how long it might take to resolve your case. There are, however, a number of factors that your attorney can evaluate to give you some idea of what to expect along the way.
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest factors that influence the duration of personal injury proceedings:
1. The Severity of the Plaintiff’s Injuries
There’s no way to confirm the extent of the damages until you’ve reached maximum medical improvement. Since you shouldn’t accept a payout until you’ve made a full recovery (or your progress has plateaued), the severity of your injuries will have a major impact on the duration of your case.
2. The Defendant’s Willingness to Cooperate
If the defendant refuses to accept liability or to negotiate for a fair payout, it will inevitably stall the proceedings. While your legal team will try to facilitate a prompt resolution by presenting strong evidence, there’s only so much you can do if the opposing party is simply uncooperative.
3. The Circumstances Surrounding the Cause of Action
Some scenarios are simply more complicated than others and therefore demand much lengthier investigations. If you were struck by a drunk driver, for example, proving fault may be relatively straightforward. If, on the other hand, you were the victim of medical malpractice, your claim may call for testimony from all kinds of specialists.
4. Whether the Case Proceeds to Court
Because both parties are usually inclined to avoid the hassle of going to court, most personal injury cases are settled. There’s always the chance, however, that yours is one of the few that proceeds all the way to trial.
Naturally, actions that go to court take considerably longer to resolve than those that don’t. Unfortunately, the speed at which a judge can hear your case will depend on a number of factors that are beyond your control, like the jurisdiction’s current caseload.
Call (605) 777-7466 to Discuss Your Case with a Rapid City Personal Injury Attorney
At Beardsley, Jensen & Lee, PLLC, we’re committed to helping accident victims secure the compensation they deserve as quickly as possible. If you were seriously hurt through no fault of your own, we’ll conduct a thorough investigation and gather evidence of both liability and losses so you can pursue the maximum payout possible.
Call (605) 777-7466 or use our online contact form to set up a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in Rapid City.
