South Florida Personal Injury Attorneys Have Extensive Experience Pursuing Settlements of Car Accident Claims in Palm Beach County, Broward County, and Across South Florida?
After you’ve been involved in a car accident that was caused by another negligent or reckless driver, one of the most important questions you may ask in the days and weeks following the accident is how long it might take you to reach a settlement in your insurance claim. Obtaining a swift settlement to your car accident claim is obviously important to you, as you will understandably want to put the crash behind you and get the money you need to help pay for your medical bills and other expenses.
How long does a car accident case take to settle in Florida? In a car accident claim, settlements are usually reached after the accident victim has completed their treatment, all their economic losses (such as medical bills and lost income) have been documented, and the accident victim or their attorney have sent the at-fault driver or their insurance company a demand package. Although this process may seem complicated and time-consuming, the South Florida car accident attorneys at Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A. have extensive experience with pursuing settlements of car accident claims. We can help walk you through the settlement process and vigorously advocate on your behalf for fair and full compensation for your injuries and losses.
Contact our firm today for a free case review to learn more about the settlement process when pursuing a car accident claim and how experienced legal counsel can help you secure the financial compensation you need and deserve following a car accident in South Florida.
Establishing the Value of Your Claim
It is difficult to ensure you are receiving maximum compensation in your car accident case until you’ve established the value of your claim. Calculating the value of your car accident claim begins with determining your financial or economic losses, such as medical expenses, lost wages or earning capacity, and repair bills for your own car’s damage. While in most cases it is preferable to wait until you’ve finished treating the injuries you suffered in the car accident (also known as reaching maximum medical improvement, or the point at which no further treatment is reasonably expected to improve your condition), it is often possible to have your doctors and other medical experts estimate what future treatment you may need for your injuries and what that treatment may cost.
You’ll need documentation to establish the value of your claim, including your medical records to prove the extent of your injuries, along with bills, invoices, receipts, and pay stubs or income statements to calculate the total of your medical expenses, lost income, and earning power, and property damage. In addition to the compensation you claim for your pain and suffering or lost quality of life, you’ll have a total amount that you will seek to recover by sending a demand offer to the at-fault driver or their insurer.
Settling Your Car Accident Claim After Filing a Lawsuit
Once the at-fault driver or their insurance company has received your demand package, it can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to receive a response, depending on how long it takes for the other side to review your records and investigate your claim. You should expect that your initial auto accident settlement demand will be rejected by the insurance company, since their goal, understandably, is to pay you as little money in compensation as possible. A car accident claim might be settled in as little as a few weeks if the other side doesn’t contest their liability for the accident and your injuries and the amount of your expenses and losses are well-documented.
However, if the insurance company tries to deny their insured’s liability for the crash or contest the extent of your injuries and losses, it can take upwards of several years to reach a settlement in your claim. When settlement negotiations drag on, it often becomes necessary to file a lawsuit to preserve your legal rights to compensation and to put pressure on the insurance company to settle. The prospect of a lawsuit and a potentially large verdict at trial often motivates many insurance companies to begin offering more reasonable settlement amounts. Once you file a lawsuit in your case, you may still settle your claim at any time, even as late as the middle of trial.
Contact Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A. Today for a Free Consultation
When you need experienced legal representation to help you through the process of settling your car accident claim, reach out to us to discuss your rights and options for pursuing compensation from the driver at fault for the accident and to learn more about how our firm can help maximize your financial recovery in your case.
Contact our firm today for a free case review to learn more about the settlement process when pursuing a car accident claim and how experienced legal counsel can help you secure the financial compensation you need and deserve following a car accident in South Florida.
Frequently Asked Questions about How Long It Takes to Settle a Car Accident Claim in South Florida
If you’ve been injured in a car accident and have medical bills and lost wages, Florida’s no-fault insurance system allows you to first turn to your insurance company for compensation under the personal injury protection coverage in your own auto policy. PIP coverage helps pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses and helps cover lost wages due to missed work because of injuries you suffered in the accident. If you have collision/comprehensive coverage in your auto policy, it can also help pay for repairs of damage your vehicle sustained.
It can be difficult to estimate how long any particular car accident claim will take. Factors that can affect the length of your claim include the severity of your injuries, whether the other driver denies liability for the accident or claims you were partially responsible for the crash, and whether and when you file a lawsuit to pursue your claim. If your case ends up going to trial, it can take as long as two to three years from the date you file your lawsuit to reach trial.