Average Car Accident Settlement Time – How Long Can It Take?

If you have been involved in a car accident that you were not at fault then it isn’t out of place if you file an injury claim that you can get compensation for the damages that you and your vehicle has suffered.

A lot of accident victims tend to wonder how long the average car accident settlement time might take for it to get settled but the answer on how long it would take rests solely on the case. It could however last from anywhere between months to years.

There are cases that are quite straightforward and would not take more than few months for it to get settled while in some other cases that are considered to be very complex, the details might not be clear enough and this would definitely require a whole lot of work to be done behind the scene before any settlement can be reached.

Average Car Accident Settlement Time

There are quite some key factors that are responsible for or may have an influence on how quick a car accident settlement can be reached and below are these key factors;

• Extent of damages and injuries
• Issues with proving and figuring out liability
• Quantity and quality of evidences of damages you have suffered
• How fast the insurance company would respond to your injury claims
• Amount of settlement negotiation that is involved here
• If you are able to hire a car accident lawyer that is experienced or not

We would take a look at some of these important factors so we can be able to tell how they really affect the average car accident settlement time.

Proving and Figuring Liability

If it is negligence on the part of the driver that caused the accident then they are to bear the cost of your damages. The only time it becomes difficult for them to bear the charges is when it is hard to figure out who is at fault or the cause of the accident and this might make it difficult for the insurance company to make a reasonable offer with you.

Injuries Sustained From The Car Accident

The type of injuries sustained in the accident can also play a huge role in the average car accident settlement time. For example, if you sustained injuries that you still visit the hospital for treatment then the car accident settlement time might take up to some months or weeks in some cases so as you can be able to fully calculate what you medical damages are.

Injuries that are not specific tends to slow down the process and in some cases, doctors might not be able to tell you how long it would take for you to recover from your injuries.

Issues With Figuring Out Damages

Sometimes, the doctor treating the injured person here might not be able to tell if the injury sustained was as a result of negligence on the part of the other driver and if this is ever the case then the insurance company is likely to use it to their advantage not to respond to your insurance claims or pay for any compensation.

Looking for a doctor that can be able to ascertain if the injuries were as a result of the other drivers negligence is what you would need and trust me, that might take some time as well.

Response From The Insurance Company

It is normal for these insurance companies to take so much time before finally deciding to respond to your injury claims and this can also be frustrating thereby causing the case to last for a longer period of time.

These delays on the part of the insurance company might be a scheme to get you to walk away since you got tired of waiting or if it happens that there are lots of damages then it would require quite some time for every detail relating to the damages and liability to be looked into.

Finally, if the insurance company finally responds to your injury claims then the next thing for you to do is;

• Accept what they are offering
• Appeal a claim denial
• Not accept their offer but push for a higher settlement
• Turn down the offer and file a civil lawsuit that would get you fully compensated

Consulting with a car accident lawyer at this point is simply the wisest thing you should do before taking any step and he can be of help when it comes to weighing your advantage and disadvantages and also finding out the best line of action for you to take that would be profitable to you.