How Long Does It Take State Farm To Settle Claims in Lawrenceville?
How long does State Farm take to settle a claim? That depends on many factors, but it usually takes anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Once in a while, State Farm claims take years to resolve.
There are steps you can take, however, to expedite the processing of your claim. Read on for insight into how long it takes State Farm to settle claims in Lawrenceville, Georgia.
Factors That Can Delay the Processing of a Lawrenceville, Georgia Personal Injury Claim
Below is only a partial list of the many factors that might delay the processing of your claim. An unabridged list might include hundreds of items.
You Haven’t Yet Reached Maximum Medical Improvement
You can’t demand money until you know how much to ask for. That applies especially to medical bills, as it’s normally easy to calculate a precise dollars-and-cents value. This is true as long as you have completed your medical treatment.
If you haven’t, then you have to speculate on the amount of your future medical expenses.
Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) is the point you reach, determined by your doctor, when your medical condition is unlikely to improve any further. At that point:
- You may have fully recovered. If you haven’t, then you will be left with a long-term disability.
- If you are left with a long-term disability, you may or may not require future medical treatment to prevent your medical condition from declining. You might require kidney dialysis, for example, or periodic refills of medication.
Either way, once you reach MMI, you will be in a much better position to calculate your lifetime medical expenses as a result of the accident. That is why insurance companies typically wait for you to reach MMI before they will move forward on your claim.
Insurance Company Red Tape
State Farm is one of the world’s largest insurance companies. That is why its bureaucracy moves slowly, just like the federal government’s does. Expect reasonable delays.
Comparative Fault Applies to Your Claim
Comparative fault affects the amount of compensation you qualify for. You might be partially responsible for a car accident, for example, or after a motorcycle accident if you weren’t wearing a helmet.
Under state law, you qualify for nothing if you were at least 50% at fault. If your percentage of fault is at least 1% but less than 50%, you will lose that exact percentage of your damages. If you were 25% at fault, for example, you would lose 25% of your damages.
It’s the insurance company’s job to estimate what percentage of fault a court would assign you. If that percentage is near 50%, they will be tempted to deny your claim.
You’re Seeking High Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages, such as emotional distress or pain and suffering, are inherently difficult to count. That means there’s likely to be a dispute between you and the insurance company on how much you’re entitled to. These disputes take time to resolve.
Time Out: Insurance Company Bad Faith Practices
If the insurance company deals with you in “bad faith”-–in a dishonest or unfair manner-–you might have a second compensation claim. This claim will be against the insurance company itself for “insurance bad faith.” Talk to your lawyer about this possibility.
Beware the Statute of Limitations Deadline To File a Personal Injury Lawsuit
Under the Georgia personal injury statute of limitations, you normally have until two years after your injury to file a lawsuit over your claim. Narrow exceptions sometimes apply. If you miss the deadline, your claim’s value will drop to zero overnight.
How To Move Things Along
Observe the following guidelines to get the claims pipeline moving and keep it moving:
- Report the accident to the insurance company as soon as you can.
- Gather evidence promptly. Basic evidence includes photos of the scene of the accident and your injuries, any accident report, interviews with witnesses, and more.
- Keep a detailed record of all of your medical treatments and expenses.
- Respond promptly to requests for information or documentation from the insurance company.
- Keep all correspondence with the insurance company and put it all in one place.
- Don’t exaggerate your injuries.
- Be patient but persistent.
- Above all, hire a lawyer.
There is such a thing as providing too much information. Don’t give a recorded statement, for example, and don’t grant the insurance company unfettered access to your medical records. Read and understand anything you sign.
Contact the Personal Injury Law Firm of Lawson Personal Injury Attorneys in Lawrenceville for Help Today
Unlike other practice areas of law, legal representation in a personal injury claim is available to everyone regardless of income. Personal injury lawyers charge nothing upfront. All you need is a strong claim. What’s more, you’ll never owe any attorney’s fees unless your lawyer wins your claim.
For more information, please contact our experienced personal injury lawyer at Lawson Personal Injury Attorneys to schedule a free initial consultation today.
Lawson Personal Injury Attorneys
320 S Perry St, Lawrenceville, GA 30046
(678) 446-3655