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Jul 27, 2022
When you suffer an injury through no fault of your own, the ensuing medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering can equal a long and difficult road to recovery. Injuries due to negligence or fault on the part of an individual or entity can come in many forms, such as:
When an injury occurs as a result of one of the above scenarios (among others), a personal injury civil claim can be a means for the victim to recover financial compensation for various losses.
How Long Does it Take to Settle a Personal Injury Case?
But after an injury, your world can be turned upside down, and having to deal with how to pay for medical care and cover your own bills while potentially being out of work can be daunting. While the personal injury claims process can be the best way for injured victims to obtain the financial compensation needed to make a full recovery, it can also be intimidating.
- How do you find the best personal injury attorney?
- How long will the personal injury claims process take?
- How long does it take to reach a personal injury settlement (and receive a check)?
These are all common questions injured victims ask when consulting with an experienced member of the Dordulian Law Group team. While our personal injury lawyers are here to answer any questions you have 24/7 via 818-322-4056, we’ll also provide all the information you need below so you can make an informed decision about how best to proceed with your civil claim for a car accident, dog bite, slip and fall, or other type of personal injury matter.
What is the Personal Injury Lawsuit Process?
While suffering a personal injury in an accident is always an unfortunate experience, there is an ideal way to proceed afterward to ensure that your claims process is as quick and stress-free as possible.
The first step involves seeking medical treatment. After an injury due to a car accident or dog bite, the most important thing you can do is immediately attend to your health. Accidents can cause serious injuries that are quickly apparent – like broken bones, lacerations, etc. But other types of injuries – particularly head injuries – can cause serious complications days or even weeks after an accident. Accordingly, injured victims are strongly encouraged to seek medical treatment immediately after an incident. This can be beneficial to your health, but it can also be beneficial to your personal injury civil claim, as having the proper medical documentation to support your case can ensure that you recover the maximum financial compensation you deserve.
The next step – gathering evidence – may not be possible if you’ve suffered a serious injury in an accident. But whenever circumstances allow, it’s always a good idea to take photos and videos of the accident scene, photos and videos of your injuries, gather witness statements (if available), gather contact information of the at-fault party, and file a police report.
The next step involves hiring the best personal injury attorney. In one of the sections below, we’ll provide additional information on how to choose the best personal injury lawyer. But for now, it’s important to note that hiring a lawyer to represent you in your personal injury claim is always recommended. Recovering financial compensation after an injury – regardless of whether it’s due to a car accident, slip and fall, dog bite, etc. – can be challenging. Whether you’re suing the at-fault party directly or the defendant’s insurance company, the goal of the opposing side is always to minimize your claim. Accordingly, having someone like an experienced personal injury lawyer fighting on your side can ensure that your rights are protected, you secure all applicable damages, and you recover maximum financial compensation.
The next step involves an investigation. At Dordulian Law Group (DLG), our in-house Chief Investigator, Moses Castillo, is a retired LAPD detective with nearly 30 years of experience closing some of the city’s most difficult and high-profile cases. When you bring your personal injury claim to DLG, Detective Moses will help investigate and uncover pertinent evidence that can be beneficial to your case.
The next step typically involves a demand letter. This is usually a formal request to either an at-fault party or insurance company which demands financial compensation for the plaintiff’s injury or injuries.
The next step may involve either a settlement negotiations process or, if a settlement can’t be reached, a jury trial. In most personal injury cases, demand letters lead to settlements for damages related to hospital or medical bills, lost wages, and more. But in some cases, particularly those where fault is difficult to prove or the injured victim did not receive medical treatment, the personal injury attorney handling the case may need to proceed with a trial. However, as we’ll discuss in more detail below, some personal injury lawyers do not handle jury trial cases. These attorneys only deal with settlements, and if an agreement can’t be reached, the injured victim may be forced to find new representation.
But at DLG, our lawyers have extensive jury trial experience, and you’ll never have to worry about your case being handed off to another firm. Our founder, Sam Dordulian, is a former Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County, and has accumulated over 100 jury trial victories throughout his more than 25-year career helping injured victims recover maximum financial compensation.
How Long Do Most Personal Injury Lawsuits Take to Settle?
How long your personal injury claim takes will depend on a number of factors, such as:
- The extent of your injuries (catastrophic and severe injuries may take longer given the substantial amount of damages)
- The extent of the defendant’s liability
- Whether or not you received medical treatment and have supporting documentation
- The complexity of your case
- The knowledge, skill, and ability of your personal injury lawyer
- Whether your case is able to be settled or requires a jury trial
While that probably seems like a lot of information to process, the good news is that most personal injury claims are able to be settled fairly quickly – often in as little as six months. Each case is unique, however, and it’s important to note that your personal injury lawyer may need additional time if your claim is complex. But rest assured, with the experienced team of personal injury and car accident lawyers at DLG handling your claim, you can be confident that it’s in the best and most capable hands.
How Long Does it Take to Reach a Personal Injury Settlement?
A typical timeline for the personal injury settlement process to conclude is approximately six months. However, it’s important to note that many claims take a much shorter period of time to settle, while others may take longer. When you sit down with a DLG personal injury lawyer team member to discuss your claim, we will review all the facts related to your case, provide you with an estimate for how long the settlement process may take, and give you an estimate for how much you can expect to receive when your settlement check arrives.
Why Do Some Personal Injury Cases Take Longer Than Others?
Factors causing personal injury claims to take longer than usual may include:
- The severity of the victim’s injuries
- The difficulty in proving liability on the part of the defendant
- The complexity of the case (e.g. a multi-car crash involving several defendants and plaintiffs)
In complex personal injury cases, after a demand letter is sent, your attorney may need to go through a number of steps which will help ensure that your case reaches the best conclusion. Some of those steps may include:
- Discovery (investigating, gathering evidence, etc.)
- Conducting depositions
- Arranging for an independent medical examination
- Hiring and deposing expert witnesses
- Extensive mediation
- A jury trial
Again, it’s important to realize that having a trusted and proven personal injury lawyer fighting in your corner can help ensure that your case is handled properly – which means obtaining the maximum financial compensation you deserve as soon as possible. And, in the vast majority of personal injury cases, settlements are able to be reached within a few months.
At DLG, we never accept any upfront fees, and we never charge in advance for out-of-pocket expenses. If your injury requires you to undergo prolonged medical treatment, we can help you obtain the care you need from the best providers available while your case progresses.
How Do You Choose the Best Personal Injury Lawyer?
Finding the best personal injury lawyer for your case often means identifying:
- An attorney with significant personal injury experience (in years)
- An attorney with experience successfully handling cases similar to yours
- An attorney with an excellent case win/loss record (at DLG, we’re nearly perfect – at 98%)
- An attorney who handles settlements and also has jury trial experience
- An attorney with proven results (at DLG, we’ve recovered more than $100,000,000 for our clients)
- An attorney who has experience negotiating maximum settlements with insurance companies and at-fault defendants
While all of those traits are important when selecting the best personal injury lawyer to handle your claim, it’s also very important to confirm the attorney’s fee structure (meaning whether he or she works on a contingency or hourly basis). Moreover, it’s good to check the attorney’s reviews from past clients and confirm how long it may take to receive a response to a phone call or email. Additionally, making sure that you and your personal injury attorney are on the same page in terms of the goals of your case can be essential. If you’re expecting to receive a $10 million settlement for your injuries and your attorney only feels that he or she can secure $100,000, you’re probably going to encounter hurdles throughout the litigation process.
That’s why DLG’s experienced personal injury lawyers always provide clear estimates for each of the following during the free consultation phase:
- How long your case may take to settle
- How much your case may be worth
- Whether there are any possible “red flags” to consider before proceeding
Contact Dordulian Law Group for a Free Personal Injury Attorney Consultation
At DLG, we’ve been helping injured victims secure justice for more than 25 years. We know how difficult the claims process can be, and we understand how important achieving a quick and stress-free settlement is to every client.
When we accept your case at no upfront cost to you, it’s because we believe in its merits, and that we will be able to secure the maximum financial compensation you deserve. Our personal injury lawyers always strive to recover maximum damages awards in the shortest amount of time. We don’t ever cut corners or accept lowball settlement offers, but we realize the urgency in settling your case as quickly as possible, and we’ll work tirelessly to do so. When you sit down for a free consultation, the first question you may ask is:
“How long will my personal injury case take to settle?”
We’ll give you an honest answer based on our years of experience and proven results. And we’ll fight to recover all applicable damages leading to a maximum settlement check.
Ready to file a claim and pursue justice through a financial damages award? Our expert attorneys are available online or by phone now.
Contact a member of Dordulian Law Group’s Personal Injury Division today at 818-322-4056 for a free, confidential, and no obligation consultation. Remember, there’s never any fee for your car accident, dog bite, slip and fall, or other type of personal injury claim until we’ve successfully secured a maximum settlement or verdict. We don’t charge a penny until we’ve recovered financial compensation on your behalf.
Contact a DLG Los Angeles, California, personal injury lawyer today to learn more about how we will fight to help you secure justice and recover maximum financial compensation for your claim.
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