Personal Injury

Personal Injury Lawyer Springfield Gardens

May 11, 2022

How Long Do Personal Injury Cases Take to Resolve?

Following an accident in which you sustained injuries, it’s likely you’ll be wondering what to do next. Well, you should definitely get looked at by a medical professional. Next, you should get in touch with a personal injury lawyer, as they’ll help you seek damages. If you’re awarded damages, you can use the money to offset costs associated with the injury.

But how long does a personal injury case take to resolve? This is a question that a lot of individuals have before they ever reach out to a personal injury lawyer. To get an answer to this question, and answers to other questions related to the personal injury case timeline, read on!

Call 1-800-HURT-511 now and speak with top-tier personal injury lawyers in Springfield Gardens. We’ll do whatever we can to expedite the process for you, and the lawyers we work with have secured hundreds of judgments for Queens accident victims and their families.

What Factors Affect How Long a Case Takes?

When a case begins, there are certain processes that need to be followed, and these largely determine the time it takes for a case to resolve. However, there are other factors that influence how long a case takes to resolve, including:

Evidence Gathering

Gathering evidence is probably the most crucial part of the process. Without evidence, you won’t have a case. In order to prove you weren’t at-fault for the accident that left you injured, you’ll need as much evidence as possible to build a strong case. Gathering evidence can take months, but this process happens concurrently with other critical processes, such as negotiating and interviewing witnesses.

Injuries

The extent of your accident-related injuries will play a role in determining how long the case takes to resolve. If you were severely injured and therefore it’s taking you awhile to recover, your lawyer should be in no rush to reach a settlement, as more redressable injuries may present later on.

Involved Parties

The kind of parties involved in a case will also determine how long the process takes. If multiple parties are involved, then it’s likely things will take awhile to resolve. Also, if you’re dealing with an insurance provider, there’s a chance they may purposefully elongate the process in an effort to make you give up.

Process Pursued

Settling out of court is by far the quickest route. If you take the case all the way to trial, which is uncommon, the process will be elongated, possibly substantially. From beginning to end, a claim process that involves going to trial can take upwards of one to two years.

Which Part of the Process Is Longest?

Although one can’t assert that one stage of the process is always the longest, it’s quite often that the evidence gathering stage is the longest. That’s because evidence gathering is so crucial to bringing a case. A lawyer will want to make sure they have all available favorable evidence, and they’ll want to be aware of all unfavorable evidence.

It’s quite likely your lawyer will be gathering evidence as you negotiate a settlement, as they’ll need to prepare for a possible trial. If settlement negotiations fall through, and trial is inevitable, your lawyer will have all the evidence they need to present your case before a judge and jury. This preparation can increase the likelihood that the ruling goes your way.

Will Having Significant Injuries Make the Process Longer?

Having significant injuries may elongate the process. This is because your lawyer will want to wait until you’re fully recovered (or mostly recovered) before they consider a settlement. If a settlement is reached too soon, and then accident-related injuries present later on, you won’t be able to pursue damages for these, as doing so will be precluded by the settlement agreement you signed. Also, if you suffered a severe injury like a traumatic brain injury, you may be deemed physically and/or mentally unfit to participate in the process.

Will Going to Trial Elongate the Process?

In a few key ways, going to trial will elongate the process. For example, you’ll need to go through the formal discovery process, which is a lot like evidence gathering. The difference is that here, things are a lot more formal, with depositions, witness interviews, and getting evidence approved all being conducted. The next stage will be jury selection, and then the trial itself can take one to two weeks. In the end, going to trial is the last option, and that’s why most cases never make it here. Going to trial doesn’t only elongate the process but makes it more expensive as well.

Is There a Way to Reach a Quick Resolution?

If you want to reach a quick resolution after filing a personal injury lawsuit, you can accept a settlement that’s presented. However, you should have a personal injury lawyer look over any settlement offer you get, as they’ll ensure you’re not getting lowballed. Getting the process over with quickly is not worth missing out on damages, especially if you were saddled with a range of expenses following an accident. Also, avoiding trial is a great way to reach a quick resolution, though this isn’t to say settlement negotiations are always quick; they can be drawn-out too.

What Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Do to Expedite the Process?

A lawyer can expedite the process in a variety of ways. For one, if they have relationships with local hospitals, police departments, and courts, they’ll be able to get evidence for you quicker. They can also demonstrate to the parties they’re opposing that they’re not going to be pushed around, and this could lead to a fair settlement being reached sooner. In any case, bringing on a personal injury lawyer after an accident is critical, as they’ll ensure your rights are protected and do whatever is possible to get you the damages you deserve.

Finding a personal injury lawyer who will be there for you through thick and thin can be challenging. But not if you call 1-800-HURT-511. We’re a one-stop solution for individuals who are looking to bring a personal injury case. We partner with the best personal injury lawyers, and they’ve secured over $1 billion for those they’ve represented. Here’s what makes them sought-after: