Were you injured in a car accident that someone else caused? If so, you’re probably dealing with some considerable expenses and wondering how long it might take to receive the settlement you deserve. Although no one can predict precisely how long it may take for you to get a settlement, you can bring down the stress levels by learning the factors that can affect this timeline and what you can do to expedite your claim.
Factors That Affect How Long a Car Accident Settlement Takes
How long does a car accident settlement take?
Some of the factors that may influence how long it can take to secure a settlement in your car accident case include:
- The nature and severity of your injuries
- The duration of your medical recovery
- The number of parties involved in the car accident
- Whether at-fault parties contest their liability
- The availability of insurance coverage
- The insurance company’s processing times
- Whether you need to file a car accident lawsuit and the court’s schedule/availability
Typical Timeline for an Alabama Car Accident Settlement
The stages of an Alabama car accident case may include:
- Step 1: Reporting the Accident (0-2 Weeks) – The initial stage of a case involves reporting the car accident to law enforcement and your auto insurance company. Although you may call the police and your insurer immediately after the accident, it can take a few days for the police crash report to become available for you to request a copy of the document. Furthermore, your insurer may take a few days to assign an adjuster to your case; the adjuster may ask you for preliminary information, such as the police report, before processing your claim.
- Step 2: Medical Treatment & Injury Recovery (Weeks to Months) – Before finalizing a car accident claim, you will want to complete your medical treatment and recover from your injuries. Completing your treatment before finalizing your legal claim can help you by giving you a complete picture of your financial losses from the accident, including your medical expenses and lost wages. When your recovery stretches past a few months, you might also pursue compensation for future medical expenses and lost income.
- Step 3: Investigation & Evidence Collection (1-3 Months) – After hiring a car accident attorney to help you pursue your car accident claim, your lawyer will need a few weeks or months to investigate your case and gather evidence to support your claim. Your lawyer will gather evidence such as police reports, accident scene photos, surveillance/traffic camera or dashcam footage, and eyewitness statements. Your attorney may also retain an accident reconstruction expert to review the evidence and provide an opinion, based on scientific principles, of what happened in the accident and who caused it.
- Step 4: Filing an Insurance Claim & Initial Negotiation (1-6 Months) – After filing a compensation claim with the insurance company, the adjuster may take several weeks to investigate the accident and review your records to prepare an initial settlement offer.
- Step 5: Settlement Negotiations (3-12 Months) – In many cases, the insurance company will offer a settlement far below what you consider fair compensation. As a result, you and your attorney may undergo weeks or months of negotiations with the insurer to try to reach a mutually agreeable compensation figure.
- Step 6: Filing a Lawsuit if Necessary (1-3 Years) – If several months of negotiations fail to produce a settlement, you may have to file a car accident lawsuit to continue pursuing your claims in court, especially as the deadline for filing your lawsuit under the statute of limitations approaches.
How Long Does It Take to Get Paid After a Car Accident Settlement?
It can take several weeks to several months after reaching a settlement to actually get paid, depending on how long it may take to finalize the settlement agreement. The insurance company may take a few weeks to issue payment after finalizing the settlement, depending on whether other parties, such as healthcare providers or workers’ compensation insurers, have liens on your car accident claim. Furthermore, the insurance company will issue the settlement check to your attorney, who will deduct their legal fees and costs before issuing the final payment to you.
Can You Speed Up a Car Accident Settlement in Alabama?
Things car accident victims can do to help secure a car accident settlement as soon as possible include:
- Promptly notifying the insurance company about the accident
- Seeking immediate medical attention for your injuries
- Gathering relevant documents, such as police crash reports and medical bills, as soon as they become available
- Hiring an experienced car accident attorney to handle the settlement process for you
Should I Accept the First Settlement Offer?
After a devastating car accident, an insurance adjuster may pressure you into accepting the first settlement offer by reminding you of your growing stack of bills or claiming that the insurance company won’t increase its offer. However, you may maximize your financial recovery by declining the first settlement offer. Early in your case, you may not fully understand your injuries or losses. By making the first settlement offer, the insurance company hopes you will accept the money now, which can make your case disappear before you incur additional losses. Remember that once you accept a settlement, you cannot demand more money from the insurance company or at-fault driver if you need future medical care or sustain additional income losses.
Why You Need a Car Accident Lawyer in Birmingham, Alabama
Pursuing a car accident settlement can prove challenging as insurance companies have various tactics to convince claimants to accept less than fair value for their claims. A Birmingham car accident lawyer can shoulder the burden of pursuing maximum compensation for you in a car accident settlement so you can focus on your treatment and rehabilitation. An attorney can benefit your case by:
- Investigating the accident to recover evidence to build your case
- Identifying liable parties and avenues for seeking compensation, such as insurance coverage
- Documenting your injuries and losses to determine what a fair settlement looks like
- Preparing and filing your insurance claims and demand letters
- Negotiating with insurance adjusters on your behalf
- Taking your case to court if a personal injury case becomes necessary
If you’ve been hurt in a car crash in Birmingham, you deserve experienced legal guidance and advocacy to help you seek financial relief and accountability. Contact Collins Law, LLC, today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a knowledgeable Alabama car accident lawyer to learn more about what to expect when pursuing a settlement of your claim.
