Injured in a crash? You’ll want to know how long it will take to settle your Chicago car accident claim.
If you are left temporarily disabled and cannot work, the loss of income could cause you financial burdens.
The time required to reach a resolution in a car accident claim depends on many factors. Firstly, it depends on the medical treatment plan a victim uses to recover from the injuries.
An attorney cannot negotiate the settlement of a claim until the victim completes medical treatment and recovers from their injuries. The longer the course of the treatment plan, the longer the process will take. And getting the right treatment plan is critically important as a car accident victim can only settle their claim once. The accident victim cannot come back after the settlement if they still feel pain or continues to suffer. Therefore, the medical treatment plan is the most important factor that determines how long for resolution.
A second major factor includes the conduct of an adverse insurance company. The insurance will carefully review the medical treatment plan to determine if all the treatment was related and required for the injuries sustained in the crash. A claimant’s prior medical history, including other accidents and injuries suffered near the time of the accident at issue, may complicate and delay that review.
The adverse insurance company will also carefully evaluate the cause of the accident and whether the claimant is at all responsible for the accident. The more cars involved in the accident, the more complicated that evaluation can be and the longer it might take.
A third and most important to note, factor the time it takes to gather all the facts of the case. Investigating all the facts and gathering all evidence takes time.
This includes:
- Extent of the damage to the vehicles,
- Costs of repairs
- Severity of the impact,
- Information contained in the police or traffic crash report
- A moving violation for either driver,
- Witnesses to the accident and their statements,
- And the sobriety of the drivers involved.
With all these different issues to review, claims that seem simple can quickly become complex. Insurance companies have the experience and also resources to reach farther. The name of their game: deny your claim.
Need help with your Chicago car accident claim?
When the insurance company decides against the medical treatment or the cause of the accident, and the claimant believes they aren’t correctly evaluating the claim, they can file a lawsuit. But lawsuits take time and accrue costs and expenses.
There is no crystal ball to predict how long your Chicago car accident claim will take. Having an injury attorney representing your interests ensures that the insurance company doesn’t take advantage of your situation. It will help get your compensation.
Our office hours range from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and we also answer our phones at 844-977-1900 24/7. You can reach us through our online form or our LiveChat service. So don’t wait! We look forward to hearing from you.
The information on this blog is for general information purposes only. Nothing herein should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.