Time And Personal Injury Cases
Brian O Sutter
Personal Injury
When you're involved in an accident of any kind, it can throw your life into disarray and keep it there for what seems like an eternity. Recovering from injuries, getting your finances back on track, getting back to work, and dealing with insurance companies are all things that have to be dealt with. And in doing so, it can feel like the world is against you. One thing that is important to understand is often overlooked initially - time. Understanding timetables where personal injury law is concerned is incredibly important for making sure that you move through the recovery process properly and reach the best possible outcome to your case.
Filing Your Claim
One of the first questions that those injured in an accident ask is 'how long will it take to get money for my injuries?", and there's a good reason for that. When you're injured, it can put a major damper on your financial situation. Most people need the money that they lost due to missing work and will quickly start seeing medical bills pile up.
Because of that, many will want money quickly. But the average timetable is about one to three months just for a claim to be evaluated and for a settlement to be offered to you. Most injured parties will want to plan on it taking three to four months after being released from medical treatment before being offered any kind of settlement. During that time, your financial situation can become even more desperate.
Using Time Against You
The most important thing to understand about where personal injury law is concerned is that insurance companies will actually use it against you. These companies will work to avoid paying out anything more than they have to, and using time to their advantage is one of their best tactics.
Since they realize that most injured parties are in a situation where they are desperate for financial help, insurance companies often drag their feet for weeks or months, delaying even offering you a settlement. This way when they finally do make an offer, it will usually be much lower than you're actually owed. But, since your finances are in such difficult shape, you're more likely to accept the offer anyway.
Simply put, insurance companies understand the importance of time just as much as you do - they just use it against your best interests in most cases.
Getting Better Results
There is one effective way to improve the timetable for getting compensation and for avoiding the traps that the insurance companies use against you, and that way is to turn to a personal injury attorney.
Having a lawyer representing your interests not only ensures that you don't take a settlement that isn't fair, but that you are able to get the respect and even the fear of insurance companies. With a professional on your side, those insurance providers are more likely to work towards a speedy resolution - and one that is fair.
If you've been injured in an accident of any kind, our team can help. Contact us for a free consultation and to learn more about your rights. Your settlement could be much closer than you think.