We get this question a lot, and for good reason.  After suffering an injury in an accident, your expenses can rapidly add up.  Medical bills, coordination of healthcare services, and loss of property and income can make it feel like each day introduces new financial obstacles.

This may understandably cause you to want to resolve your claim sooner rather than later. Rushing a settlement, however, can leave you with a payout which is inadequate to cover your losses.

In most cases, being patient is in your best financial interest.  That said, here are a few factors that can affect how long your personal injury case takes:

1. The Severity of Your Injuries

A serious injury can take months or years to heal. During your recovery, you may incur unanticipated costs associated with medical procedures, prescription medications, diagnostic testing, and other healthcare related services.  In most cases, it would be premature for you or your lawyer to explore a final settlement of your personal injury claim before you have reached a plateau with your medical treatment.  Settling too early may lead to a resolution that does not fully contemplate or account for all of your future needs. For instance, you may have unanticipated therapy or medical treatment in the future.

2. AVAILABLE Evidence

The more your attorney has to investigate or litigate issues related to gathering critical evidence in your case, the longer your claim will take to resolve. Discovery disputes can take months to resolve in court.  That is why it is always best to gather whatever evidence you can on your own before meeting with your attorney.  For instance, if you were hurt in a car wreck, try to obtain surveillance video of the collision, photographs of the accident scene and vehicles, and eyewitness statements which may help establish what happened.

Evidentiary holes can cause delays.  After all, the insurance company and defense lawyer may be skeptical of your claim if there is inadequate evidence to support it.  A personal injury attorney can help investigate your accident, prove your injuries, and collecting the necessary evidence to establish your claim.

3. The Number of Liable Parties

Generally speaking, claims with many litigants take longer to resolve than those with just one plaintiff and one defendant.  More litigants typically means more lawyers, greater scheduling challenges, more legal and factual issues to sort through, and more motion practice with court.  If you are seeking compensation after a truck wreck, for example, potential defendants may include the truck driver, his or her employer, shipping brokers, and other parties. Although naming multiple defendants in a case may lengthen the duration of your claim, doing so is necessary in many cases to ensure your claim is fairly resolved.

Discuss Your Case with a Miami Personal Injury Attorney Today

Were you hurt in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence? if so, you have a right to seek compensation for the losses that you have incurred. At Viñas & DeLuca, PLLC we offer free and confidential consultations where we can assess with you the strengths and weaknesses of your case and answer any questions you might have.

We have over 35 years of combined legal experience and have recovered millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our clients. Contact us today at (305) 372-3650 or head over to our Contact Page to lock in a case review with a Florida personal injury lawyer.