How Long Does It Take to Get a Personal Injury Settlement Check in Lawrenceville?
How long must you wait from the day of your accident until the day that your settlement check arrives? That question has no easy answer because it varies from case to case. A very general ballpark answer would be “a few weeks to a few months.” The best way to estimate the likely length of your waiting period is to identify the variables involved.
Many circumstances can delay the resolution of your claim. For instance, If someone died in the accident, certain close relatives of the victim can file a wrongful death claim. This always complicates a case. Below are other descriptions of a few of the variables that may impact the timeline of a case.
The Time It Takes You to Reach Maximum Medical Improvement
Maximum Medical improvement (MMI) is the point where your medical condition has stabilized. In other words, it’s not going to get any better. In a best-case scenario, that means a full recovery. In a worst-case scenario, it means permanent disability. In either scenario, it means it’s probably going to be easier to calculate your medical bills once you reach MMI. Most people who reach MMI have already completed all of their medical treatment.
The sequence works like this–the longer it takes you to reach MMI, the longer it will take you to calculate the value of your medical expenses. The longer it takes you to calculate the value of your medical expenses, the longer it will take you to receive your settlement check.
Comparative Negligence
Comparative negligence is a legal concept that allows a court to distribute compensation when the parties share blame for the accident.
Under Georgia’s comparative negligence system:
- A party less than 50% at fault, will receive damages discounted by their own percentage of fault. If they were 40% at fault, for example, they would lose 40% of their damages.
- A party 50% or more at fault will receive no damages at all.
If the parties share fault 50/50, no one is entitled to recover damages.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages include intangible damages such as emotional distress, anxiety, and pain and suffering. Since these losses are hard to quantify, they tend to delay the resolution of a claim.
Negotiating a Settlement Agreement
Once you’ve reached an agreement in principle, lawyers for both sides might spend some time dickering over the exact wording of the agreement.
The terms of a personal injury settlement agreement typically include the following terms, among others:
- The defendant agrees to pay you the negotiated settlement amount in a certain manner by a certain date;
- The defendant does not admit fault; and
- You formally abandon any possible claim arising from the accident that produced your injury.
The agreement will contain other terms as well. Once both parties sign it, the agreement will function as a contract that you can enforce in court.
Disbursing Your Settlement Check
Once you’ve signed the settlement agreement, the following steps stand between you and your money:
- The insurance company signs the settlement agreement and formally closes your claim.
- The insurance company sends the settlement funds to your lawyer’s client escrow account.
- Your lawyer pays off any third-party debts, such as the amount of any medical lien.
- Your lawyer deducts their legal fees and any of their out-of-pocket expenses (expert witness fees, for example).
- Your lawyer will send you the remainder of the funds.
The entire process shouldn’t take more than a few weeks.
You Can Speed Up the Resolution of Your Claim. Contact Lawson Personal Injury Attorneys in Lawrenceville
Insurance companies tend to change their attitude quite quickly once they realize you have hired a reputable Lawrenceville personal injury lawyer to represent you. You don’t need any money upfront to hire a personal injury lawyer since many work on a contingency fee basis. And if you fail to win your claim, you won’t even have a legal bill to pay.
For more information, please contact our experienced personal injury lawyers at Lawson Personal Injury Attorneys to schedule a free initial consultation today. We have a convenient location in Lawrenceville, GA.
Lawson Personal Injury Attorneys
320 S Perry St, Lawrenceville, GA 30046
(678) 446-3655