If I had a gold star for every disappointed client I have when they receive an unclear answer to this question, I’d be rich in gold stars. The real answer is there’s many different factors that play a part in how long it can take to settle car accident claim. To understand the reason behind car accident settlements taking long you have to understand all the moving parts that end up making this a longer process than expected. Trial Pro, P.A.
https://www.trialpro.com
250 N Orange Ave 14th Floor
Orlando FL 32801
(407) 300-0000
Statute of Limitations
First and foremost, it’s important to understand your accident claim has a statute of limitation. Which is just a fancy legal term for an expiration date. In Florida your auto accident claim holds a four-year statute of limitation. This means that you need to either settle your claim with the insurance company or file a lawsuit within the four-year statue. Failure to do so will forever bar your case from an opportunity for settlement. Four years sounds like a long time, but it can fly by much quicker than you think.
Extent of your injury
The nature of your injury will undoubtedly affect the length of your auto accident claim. In order for you to be properly compensated for your injuries and pain and suffering you must prove to the insurance that your injuries are extensive, and the damage done to your person and your life is requiring of compensation. In order to do this, you have to seek medical care from qualified medical professionals. The problem is that right away you don’t really know how extensive your injuries may be. Something that starts as some soreness could turn into extreme pain and could result in serious and permanent injuries which may require more medical care over a longer period of time. How extensive your injury is and how much medical care it will require can and will extend the length of time it will take to settle your auto claim.
Presenting your claim
Whether or not you chose to hire an attorney there will come a time where you will be in a position to seek compensation for your auto accident. When the times comes you will want to make sure the insurance company has a clear picture of what you’re seeking compensation for. Clients involved in auto accidents are often seeking compensation for injuries, pain and suffering and future medical needs. If you present your claim to the insurance company with missing information it can elongate the amount of time it takes to settle your injury claim. Our team at Trial Pro is trained and experienced in making sure we get you all the treatment and attention you require before pre-emptively presenting your claim to the insurance company for compensation. Not providing the insurance company with all the information necessary for them to properly evaluate your claim can lead to low offers or delays in negotiations.
Negotiations
If you hire an attorney for your auto accident case they will make sure that your case has been properly been built up that way when it’s sent off to the insurance they expect a solid settlement offer. Presenting an auto accident claim with incomplete medical records, lack of treatment, lapses in treatment or missing viable information will lead to delays in the negotiation process. These delays can look like low settlement offers, miscommunication with insurance companies, inaccurate evaluations of your claim and can and will extend the length of time it takes for your auto accident claim to settle. Your attorney wants to make sure you end up happy and properly compensated so making sure they’ve presented and gathered all the necessary information is pertinent in doing their part to move things along as much as they can.
Liability & Causation
Many times, insurance adjusters/companies will take a stance arguing causation of injuries or liability on an accident claim. It’s imperative to make sure the cops are called, and a report is made up at the scene of the crash. This will help your attorney argue the liability stance should it be challenged by the insurance companies. Liability disputes and causation issues will often create a back and forth with the insurance companies and your attorney. This can sometimes lead to longer periods of waiting for your auto claim settlement.
Pre-Existing Conditions & Past Medical History
Often times clients forget to mention past medical history or pre-existing conditions. Negating to mention these things to your attorney can affect the length of time it takes to resolve your claim. If your attorney presents your claim not knowing about injuries they may end up asking for large amounts of money or presenting the claim as a new injury. If the insurance company has information showing otherwise it could delay the length of time it takes to come to a resolution for your claim. Being honest and up front about any pertinent past medical history or pre-existing conditions will allow your attorney to properly present your claim and get you compensation for the related issues. It will allow the insurance company to properly evaluate your claim and not come back with any surprises that could cause delays.
Choosing the right attorney
Perhaps the most important step is making sure the attorney you’ve chosen is best suited to represent you and properly present a complete and valid claim to the insurance companies. At Trial Pro we take pride in our transparency with our clients from the get go. We do our best to make sure you understand the time claims similar to yours could take. We also make sure you’re provided all of the necessary information to understand what could delay the process or cause any kinds of problems throughout. When you hire us, we guarantee to be communicative and clear on what is to be expected at every step of your case with our firm. With Trial Pro you get an excellent team of honest, caring professionals who want to get you compensated in the most efficient way possible.