It generally takes between 1 to 3 years to resolve a personal injury case.
A personal injury case should not be evaluated or settled until it is determined whether the injured party has a permanent injury. The compensation that lawyers obtain for their clients is for past, present and future pain and suffering, disability and impairment and the effect upon the quality and enjoyment of life.
Medical evidence is an important part of any personal injury case.
Most doctors agree that they cannot give an opinion on whether an injury is permanent until at least 6 months to a year from when an individual is done treating and their condition has stabilized.
Accordingly, lawyers who have knowledge and experience in handling personal injury cases know that they cannot properly evaluate a case until they can get a specific report from the doctors giving their opinion within a reasonable degree of medical probability whether an injury is permanent and will cause some permanent pain and discomfort and restrictions on an individuals activities for their life expectancy.
Every case is different and the length of time that it takes to resolve a case depends upon many variables including:
- the nature and extent of the injury;
- the length of treatment and number of doctors involved in the care and treatment;
- how many defendants are responsible;
- whether there is a claim that the injured party could have avoided their own injury; and
- the amount of insurance coverage.
Lawyers for injured parties generally take cases on a contingent basis and therefore have the same interest as their client in trying to get an expedient resolution of the claim.
Unfortunately, insurance companies and their defense counsel have a different objective. Their objective is to delay, deny and defend.
That is why you should choose a lawyer who has considerable experience in this field and whose reputation and results are known by insurance companies and defense attorneys.