These Factors Determine How Fast You Get Your Damages In An Injury Claim

Every accident victim would love to receive their compensation check as soon as possible, but some cases take longer than others. Here are some of the factors that determine how fast your claim or lawsuit is concluded:

Whether the Liability Is Clear-Cut

The determination of liability can be one of the most frustrating and time-consuming things in an injury claim. This is even more so if there is no clear evidence that the person you are suing is responsible for your injuries and an investigation is needed. For example, if you are suing a mechanic for negligent repairs on your car's brake system, and they are claiming your brakes got damaged after you left their shop, it might take some time for the issue to be resolved. An example of a relatively straightforward case of liability is where another driver hits your parked car (and you were legally parked).

How Fast You Respond To Communication

Processing a personal injury claim involves lots of back-and-forth communications. You will be dealing with the defendant (or, most likely, their lawyer), your insurance company, your personal injury lawyer, and your doctor, among other parties. You need to respond to their emails and phone calls in time if you want your case to progress fast. You need to submit the required documents within the set deadlines if your case is to be determined fast.

How Many Defendants You Are Suing

There are cases where two or more people are responsible for your injury. Such cases tend to drag on because multiple defendants tend to blame one another so that they can escape liability. For example, if you were injured in a multiple car crash involving four cars, each of the three drivers you are suing may waste considerable time denying liability and instead accusing the others of causing the accident in its totality.

The Complexity of Your Case

Some cases, by their technical nature, are inherently complex and take a long time to resolve. Two examples that come to mind are medical malpractice claims and product liability claims. Such cases are complex because the issues involved are not easily understood by the general population. In most cases, experts in the field are required to testify and offer their opinions on the case.

Whether You Can Reach a Settlement

Lastly, your ability or inability to reach a settlement before trial will also determine how quickly your case concludes. As a rule, cases that settle outside the courtroom take a shorter time than those that go to trial. This makes sense because you won't be in charge of the court calendar once the case begins.