How Long Does it Take to Settle a Personal Injury Case in Santa Rosa, California?

The truth is, there is no boilerplate answer to this question. However, there is agreement among personal injury attorneys that settlement times depend heavily on how quickly you decide to settle your case. Timetables constantly shift for variables such as insurance company policies, how many parties are involved and the unique aspects of your case.

As a Santa Rosa personal injury lawyer, I feel it’s always best to understand your options when it comes to your accident and its outcome. Whether you believe your injuries are not that bad or damage to your vehicle is easily repaired, it’s important that you know your legal recourse and learn if you should be financially compensated for your injuries and losses. A quick settlement almost always favors an insurance company so they can avoid paying higher damages. The proper compensation will likely be a longer process as there may be additional research, investigation, and evaluation of your case by both sides of the claim. In either situation, the Law Office of Erin Aaland would be happy to represent you as your personal injury law firm in Santa Rosa.

Understanding the Personal Injury Case Timeline

As I mentioned above, the time table for settlement can vary from case to case. Let’s first take a look at why a personal injury claims in Santa Rosa can take so long to settle.

• Fact Discrepancies – Personal Injury cases are determined on where liability and negligence reside. Any facts that don’t add up for an insurance company, in most instances, will delay your claim. For example, if your account of a car accident differs than that of the police report, the insurance company is going to want to investigate that in more depth. If your medical care physician can’t determine if your injuries are a result of the car accident, this too will cause an insurance company to request a further evaluation. In either of these examples, you can still win your case, it just means that more details are needed to prove negligence which we can help you with.

• The Case Involves a Large Money Settlement – Due diligence will be sought almost everytime if a significant amount of damages (money) are at stake. This might be one of the more frustrating parts for a Santa Rosa personal injury attorney, as we want to see those who have suffered see financial compensation quickly to help them heal. Any time a large amount of money is requested, you can pretty much bet that an insurance company is going to take painstaking time to make sure all the facts of your case are thoroughly evaluated.

In this investigation, an insurance company will seek ways to defend their own side of the case. They will try to find evidence that your injuries are not as severe as you claim or try to find a way to discredit through various strategies. If all of these stall tactics don’t work, they will hold a case up just to see if you will cave to the waiting period and take less money as a result.

• Your Medical Condition Isn’t Improving –  Another less obvious reason your personal injury case may take longer to settle is if your medical condition isn’t improving following treatment. While it is true that a full recovery is desired, it also means fewer damages are usually awarded. At the same time, if you aren’t improving, the insurance company has no way to evaluate your full damages and will hold off on settling until that assessment can be made.

When Waiting Isn’t an Option

55-million Americans are not prepared for an emergency. In fact, only 26% of Americans have a 6-month financial cushion in the instance they are either out of work or hit with a crisis. As a Santa Rosa personal injury lawyer, I am all too familiar with this delicate balance and understand if waiting just isn’t an option.

There is no real “typical settlement” in these situations as an insurer could offer anywhere between 5%-35% of what they might otherwise provide through a lawsuit or settlement. The more critical factor is that you know one way or another, how your case could go by consulting with a personal injury lawyer in Santa Rosa.

One thing is for certain, there is a statute of limitations on personal injury claims, so it’s essential you work immediately for the future of your case. If you have been injured in some way, please contact us today so we can hear the details of your case and get you moving toward a resolution.