Q: How Long Does It Take To Get A Car Accident Injury Settlement?
A: It varies greatly on a case-by-case basis, but most settlements are paid out within about six to eight weeks.
However, the actual length of time that it will take for you to receive your money after your car accident lawsuit will depend on a couple of things.
If you receive a car accident injury settlement:
In general, most settlements are paid out within about six to eight weeks after they have been approved by the court and both parties. However, the process does not simply involve the insurance company mailing you a check.
If you win your case at trial:
In this case, the question of when you will receive your money is much more complicated. If the defense appeals the case, your case will have to go through the appeals process.
If the appeals court rules in your favor, the defense might appeal the decision to state’s supreme court, which could take up to a couple of years.
If the appeals court rules in favor of the defendant, your case could be returned to the trial court to schedule a new trial, which could greatly lengthen the amount of time before you can expect to be paid after your accident.
What Needs To Be Done In Order To Receive The Funds From A Car Accident Settlement?
After a settlement has been reached, the car accident attorneys will draft some release forms. They might negotiate back and forth about the terms before the release forms are finalized. You will then have to sign the release forms, which will be sent to the insurance company for processing. Some insurance companies process release forms relatively quickly while others delay payment.
Who Receives The Money After A Successful Car Accident Lawsuit?
Once the company processes your form and issues a check, it will make the check payable to both you and your attorney and send it to your lawyer’s office.
Once your attorney receives the check, he or she will deposit it into the firm’s trust account. The attorney will take out amounts to pay any medical liens from your health insurance company or doctors, expert witnesses, and other legal costs. He or she will subtract his or her agreed-on legal fees and send a check to you for the net amount.
Whether you are in hopes of coming to a settlement agreement or winning your case in a trial, it is strongly recommended that you seek out the best legal representation possible. If your car accident injury happened anywhere near the D.C., Virginia or Maryland area don’t delay – our car accident attorneys are happy to provide a free consultation right away.
