If you have a personal injury claim, you may be wondering how long it will take to resolve it. However, there is no standard for handling such sensitive legal matters. Every case has unique details and stories involved. A lot of factors come into play in the litigation timeline, especially in terms of dealing with insurers and how challenging it is to reach a settlement. If the at-fault party refuses to pay for your injuries or denies your claim, resolving your case can take even more time. Philadelphia, PA personal injury attorneys can explain the factors that can affect the length of time your case can get resolved. They can walk you through the stages of a personal injury case. These stages include the following:
Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney
You must find a possible lawyer to represent you. Although you should move quickly, ensure you do your homework and pick a lawyer who has proven results, excellent credentials, extensive experience, and exceptional reviews.
Reviewing Evidence
Once you have chosen a lawyer to represent you, an investigation of your claim must be done. Your attorney can review all evidence available and identify the facts of your injury case. You may need to tell your side of the story to your attorney and how your injuries have affected your life. In addition, your attorney will collect all official documents such as the official police report, medical records, eyewitness testimony, and others.
Making Demands and Negotiating
After your lawyer reviews the details of your case, they will help you determine if you must settle your case out of court or take it to trial. Typically, you will pursue settlement first. Based on the calculation of your attorney, you will demand a dollar amount from the negligent party or their insurer. Then, back and forth negotiations can occur. If you and the other party come to an agreement, your personal injury case will be concluded on the value agreed upon.
Filing a Lawsuit
If you and the insurance company fail to reach a settlement agreement, the litigation process starts. Your personal injury lawyer will bring a lawsuit against the negligent party within the statute of limitations. Your lawsuit will contain details such as the nature of the accident you were involved in, the extent of your injuries, why you want to sue the negligent party, and the compensatory damages you want to pursue. After both parties have filed all documents, the discovery stage begins.
