If you have suffered an injury in an accident caused by a negligent party, you may be entitled to monetary compensation through personal injury Pleasant Grove. And you may be wondering how much time it will take to get a settlement check. A personal injury lawyer Salem can explain to you the factors that can influence the amount of time it takes your case to be settled. Also, they walk you through the personal injury claims process, so you know how your claim may play out.
What to Expect from the Personal Injury Claim Process
Every personal injury claim in Salem will progress differently due to the varying facts and circumstances. But the majority of cases adhere to the following general stages:
- Accident investigation. Your injury attorney will investigate the circumstances that surround your accident. Such investigation is meant to gather evidence that supports your claim, determine all liable parties, and identify all sources of damages.
- Demand letter. Your lawyer will send a letter to the negligent party or their insurer. The letter details the amount of compensation you are demanding, the reasons you deserve that compensation, and supporting evidence.
- Negotiations. Once the other party responds to the demand letter with a settlement offer, your attorney can negotiate with them until a fair settlement agreement is reached.
- Lawsuit. If negotiations fail, your attorney can file a lawsuit for you and take your case to trial. After the filing, pretrial discovery, preliminary investigations, and other processes will occur.
- Trial. Sometimes, a personal injury case can end up in a trial before it’s resolved.
Factors that Influence the Amount of Time It Takes to Get a Settlement Check
How long your personal injury claim takes to settle depends on some factors. One of these factors includes the need to reach Maximum Medical Improvement or MMI. The reason is that evaluating your claim’s value can be hard before your full recovery. Also, your case can drag on if a huge sum of money is at stake. In this case, the at-fault party or their insurer will do everything to minimize their liability or avoid it altogether.
Moreover, your case can also take a long time to settle when you file a lawsuit. Cases that end up in court take longer to resolve than those that do not. But a case can still be resolved through a settlement at any stage in the process. Additionally, filing a lawsuit can be in your best interest as it lets you secure a sufficient settlement amount.
