How Long Does it Take to Settle a Car Accident Claim with Injuries in Louisiana?

Automobile accidents are the most common insurance claims filed each year. After all, driving is a necessary activity in many people’s daily lives.

If someone hurts you or your family in an accident, you may need to seek justice for these injuries. Hopefully this is the first time you’ve been hurt in an accident. However, if that is the case, the justice process may seem daunting.

At Pierce & Shows, our experienced Baton Rouge personal injury attorneys can help you every step of the way. Read on to learn about the time it takes to settle a car accident claim with injuries in Louisiana.

The first step to receiving the compensation you and your loved ones deserve is to hire a knowledgeable and experienced personal injury attorney, like someone from our Baton Rouge, LA team. But what does the process look like after that?

In addition to your insurance claim number, your attorney will need all of your medical records and bills. With this information, they will send a settlement demand to the responsible insurance company. 

Most insurance companies will review and respond to the claim within 30 days. They will respond with an offer to settle, and you and your attorney can decide whether the offer is sufficient compensation for the injuries sustained, treatment, and the healing process.

If the offer is sufficient, the client and their attorney can accept the offer. If not, then the negotiation process may continue until all parties involved reach an agreement.

When it comes to the negotiation process, what most people don’t realize is the time it takes can vary for each individual. At minimum, the settlement will take one to two months after you file the claim with your insurance provider.

However, with increased severity or complications of your claim come additional time in the negotiation process. In rare cases, the negotiation process can take a couple years for personal injury claims following a car accident.

If you decide to take a car accident lawsuit case to trial, of course, many details could vary and the process could take much longer than a typical negotiation for a settlement.

A few factors may lengthen the negotiation process of your personal injury claim in Louisiana. Overall, more details, people or injuries involved in your claim can lead to negotiation delays. 

These are some circumstances that affect the process:

As you might guess, the primary factor that affects the negotiation process is the severity of the accident and sustained injuries. Your personal injury attorney needs medical documents and bills to make the settlement demand. The settlement shouldn’t close until you complete the healing process.

In the same vein, more involved parties can also lengthen the settlement time. More injuries can take longer to heal, and more documents and bills are involved. Negotiating with many different parties also involves more time and communication.

Likewise, the financial compensation can potentially add time to the process. Depending on the amount, all parties involved may wish to negotiate the initial offer.

Finally, the discovery process can affect the negotiation process. Discovery is the process lawyers take to obtain information related to a lawsuit. They may need to work with the affected parties, their doctors, their lawyers or others involved with the suit. Your Louisiana- or Baton Rouge-based personal injury lawyer should diligently and thoroughly complete the discovery process.

If you’ve been injured in a car accident, the negotiation and settlement process may take time. However, the first step is always to find a trusted attorney to support you.

Let Pierce & Shows help you obtain justice for your family. Contact us today to get the legal protection you and your loved ones deserve.