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Writer's pictureTom Fowler

How Long Do Car Accident Settlements Take?

A typical question among car accident victims is: "What should I do if I'm in a car accident?" In a typical vehicle accident case, how long does it take to receive a settlement check?


The reason a person wonders how long their insurance company is taking to pay them is quite obvious. A person wants to get as much money as soon as possible.


What Has to Happen Before a Car Accident Settlement Offer?

What Has to Happen Before a Car Accident Settlement Offer?


Receiving an initial offer is the crucial first step towards receiving a car accident settlement check, three things must happen before:


  1. The patient must have reached maximum medical improvement or completed his or her treatment. This could take anywhere from a day to a year.

  2. All medical records and bills, as well as any doctor's assessments for future lost wages and medical expenditures, must be acquired. The timeline for this varies depending on the volume of medical data and reports that must be collected, and it might take anything from a few days to many months.

  3. Obtaining an answer to the demand package. This can take anywhere from 15 to 90 days.


Let's take a closer look at the three important criteria that determine how long it takes for a case to approach the settlement stage.


How Long Does It Take to File a Car Accident Lawsuit?


Instead of a settlement, we're now talking about a vehicle accident lawsuit with the help of auto accident lawyers in Des Moines.


A personal injury case might be settled at any time if a case has been filed for an insurance payout. There are a few commonly found inflection points for settlement that might help someone predicts just how long something like this should take.


The optimum moment to settle a case is usually shortly after it is filed. Once the client calls the insurance company that they’re serious. It can sometimes result in an instant and significant rise in the offer from many insurers.


After the discovery phase of the action is completed, the second important milestone occurs during the pre-trial meeting.


The third time is when the literal courthouse steps are ready for a settlement. When a lawsuit is on the line, insurance providers are at their most reasonable. A lawsuit can settle at any time, but these are the three most frequent options for post-lawsuit settlement.


The Time It Takes to Get a Settlement Check Varies


If the client and their insurance company can reach an agreement on a reasonable settlement, they should get their money in four to six weeks.


They can be asked to sign a release form by the insurance company. This concludes the claim and specifies that the client is relinquishing their right to sue the driver or any other party who caused their injury.


Once they have sent the release and the insurance company has received it, they should pay him or her the agreed-upon amount. This is normally sent to his or her vehicle accident attorney as a check. After attorney fees have been removed, the client may receive a check from their attorney for the outstanding balance.


The Different Stages of a Car Accident Lawsuit


If the client and their lawyer decide to take the case to civil court, the client needs to prepare for the following stages:


● Pleading\Discovery

● Pre-trial

● Trial\Post-trial


Depending on the specifics of their case, it can take anything from a few months to a few years.


Why Do Some Car Accident Claims in Iowa Take so Long to Settle?


Issues of law or fact – A vehicle accident claim may take longer to settle if the insurance company believes the client does not have a valid claim or if proving liability is difficult. Another factual difficulty is when the person who caused the collision is being questioned about his or her negligence or recklessness.


Monetary amount – Insurance companies are notorious for avoiding paying out significant sums of money to vehicle accident victims, and they do everything they can to avoid doing so if the price of their client’s case is high, they usually try to wait their clients out so that they settle car damage for less compensation than what they deserve.


Recovery times - Determining the total costs of injuries caused in an automobile accident might be difficult if the recovery process hasn't ended and the injured parties are still receiving medical care.

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