Car accident settlements can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to resolve, if not longer. The timeline of a car accident settlement depends on multiple factors, including the severity of your injuries and the medical treatment you receive.
Disputed liability, various types of evidence, insurance negotiations, and whether a lawsuit is necessary can also affect the duration of the settlement. With the help of a car accident lawyer in Boston, Earley Law Group can make sure your case stays on track.
There is No Set Timeline for Every Settlement
“How long do car accident settlements take?” is one of the first questions accident victims ask. The truth is that there’s no universal timeline. A relatively straightforward claim with clear liability, completed medical treatment, and limited damages could resolve without a lawsuit.
However, if your claim involves serious injuries, disputed fault, multiple insurance policies, or continuing medical care, the process will likely take considerably longer. Massachusetts does not impose a specific number of days within which an insurer has to settle every claim.
All that the Massachusetts Division of Insurance states that insurers are required to pay claims within a prompt and reasonable period, with the appropriate amount of time depending on the circumstances of your claim, but Earley Law Group can help you move things along.
Several Factors Affect How Quickly a Claim Resolves
The timeline of a personal injury settlement depends on the details of the case. Insurance companies need enough information to evaluate liability and damages.
At the same time, an injured person needs enough information to understand the full impact of the injury before agreeing to a final settlement. These are examples of the factors that can affect the timing of your case:
- Whether liability is clear or disputed
- Whether the injured person has completed medical treatment
- The severity and duration of the injuries
- The amount of medical expenses involved
- Whether the person lost income because of the accident
- Whether future medical care is expected
- Whether multiple insurance companies are involved
- Whether the insurer disputes the value of the claim
- Whether a lawsuit needs to be filed
- How willing the parties are to negotiate
These issues often overlap. For example, someone with a serious injury could still be receiving treatment when the insurance company wants to discuss a settlement. Determining the value of the claim at that stage can be difficult.
However, at Earley Law Group, our lawyers can help you assess whether your claim has enough information to support meaningful settlement negotiations or if additional evidence is needed first.
Medical Treatment Often Determines the Timing
Medical treatment is one of the biggest reasons an injury settlement can’t happen immediately. A settlement is intended to resolve the claims arising from an accident. If an injured person is still receiving treatment, there are likely unanswered questions about these matters:
- How serious the injury is
- Whether additional care will be necessary
- How the condition will affect work and everyday life
Consider someone who suffers a back injury in a collision. Several weeks after the accident, that person could still be attending physical therapy and undergoing diagnostic testing. If the insurer offers a settlement before treatment is finished, you might receive less than you need.
Accepting the offer could result in the person resolving the claim before the full extent of the injury is understood. That does not mean every injured person has to wait until every symptom disappears. It means the timing of settlement should take your circumstances into account.
At Earley Law Group, our attorneys will focus on reviewing medical records, bills, treatment recommendations, and information concerning future care when evaluating whether settlement discussions are appropriate.
Insurance Companies Need Evidence to Value Claims
Rather than sending an insurer a collection of unrelated records, an attorney can organize the evidence around the legal issues that need to be established. Your demand package could include documentation concerning these details:
- How the accident occurred
- Why another party was legally responsible
- The injuries caused by the collision
- Medical treatment and related expenses
- Lost wages or other employment losses
- Continuing limitations caused by the injury
- Pain and suffering where legally recoverable
- Other financial losses connected to the accident
Once the insurer has enough information to evaluate the claim, negotiations can begin in earnest. You can count on Earley Law Group to handle this part of the legal process on your behalf.
Disputed Fault Can Add Months to Your Case
Liability disputes are another common reason settlement negotiations take longer. An insurance company could argue that its policyholder was not responsible for the collision. It could also contend that the injured person contributed to the accident.
Massachusetts follows a comparative negligence system. Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 231, Section 85, a person’s damages are reduced according to that person’s share of negligence when the statutory requirements are met.
Recovery is barred when the injured person’s negligence is greater than the combined negligence of the parties against whom recovery is sought. However, Earley Law Group can focus on proving who’s at fault while protecting your rights and advocating for your interests.
Call Earley Law Group to Understand How Long Your Car Accident Settlement Might Take
There is no single answer to how long a car accident settlement takes in Massachusetts. Some claims resolve relatively quickly while others take longer due to additional circumstances. The important thing is understanding what could potentially affect your claim in particular.
At Earley Law Group, our attorneys emphasize the importance of communication throughout the legal process. As lawyers with 25 years of experience recovering millions in compensation for our clients, we will take the time to understand the full impact of your injuries.
Since 2006, our firm’s attorneys have handled discussions with insurance companies, gathered supporting evidence, and monitored applicable deadlines on behalf of people just like you. If you were hurt in a car accident, Call Earley Before It’s Too Late!™
