Personal injury cases in America cost the country a lot of money each year in lost wages and medical costs, in addition to pain and suffering. According to the National Safety Council, it’s estimated that over 6.8 million Americans were treated in an emergency room for a fall-related injury in 2019. The most common question people often have when researching personal injury law offices during this process is, how long will this case take? If you are ill or injured as a result of an accident or fall, you may be out of work and will want your claim settled as soon as possible. Let’s take a further look at this process.
The Length
The average length of a personal injury case is going to depend on several factors. Many elements are involved in every legal matter, as both sides will need time to submit documentation to support their claim. Some personal injury cases are straightforward and can be settled in a very short amount of time, while others can be more involved and lengthy.
A lengthier personal injury case will be one where some of the facts are disputed, or more time is needed to gather evidence. It is possible that a personal injury case could take over a year, or even two to three years to come to a conclusion. Personal injury cases that take longer are ones that require a number of hearings or dispositions to gather evidence to support the claims and the responses.
The Settlement
The average settlement in a personal injury case is also going to vary greatly. The amount you can expect to receive from your personal injury case will depend on what costs you have incurred as a result of the accident. Whether you seek additional costs such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, or loss of companionship will be determined with the help of your personal injury attorney.
It’s a good idea to get in contact with a personal injury attorney very early after an accident. This way they have more time to work on your case. With the extra time, they should be able to work towards getting a larger settlement. You always want to be on top of your case. To ensure this, have your lawyer keep an open line of communication with you so that you are aware of any changes to your settlement.
When you have questions about personal injury law, conduct thorough research on your local personal injury law offices to find a good fit. Get in touch with Putnam Lieb Potvin Dailey today to learn more.