How Long Will My St. Louis Auto Accident Case Take to Settle?

By Christopher Hoffmann  May. 20, 2019 8:25a

It’s bad enough to go through all the pain and suffering caused by a St. Louis car accident. But many people forget that some of the pain can be caused be essentially trying to get compensated for their injuries.

Personal injury claims are often unpredictable, and it’s difficult for anyone to guess how long yours is going to take until you finally receive the benefits. One thing’s for sure - there likely won’t be any immediate payment, and some elements of the case can slow down the process even more. Contact a St. Louis car accident lawyer for a better estimation of how long your particular case will last.

Reasons for Delaying

In a personal injury case, you are asking for damages from another party who’s caused you harm in a car accident. In most situations, each side will present its story, and you’ll need to present sufficient facts that will backup your claim.

However, even if both sides agree compensation should be rewarded, you can enter a rather lengthy negotiations process to battle for the final amount of compensation. You and your lawyer will fight for the maximum amount, while the other side will use everything they can to lower it - and that can slow down the settlement considerably.

Here are some common reasons why you haven’t settled yet:

1. Facts Nitpicking

If youfiled a claim through an insurance company, then you should expect a rather frustrating process. Adjusters get authorized to offer a certain number, but they’ll try to lower it to save the company money. As such, they generally start nitpicking at the facts of your case to find anything that can justify a lower compensation amount.

2. There Are Severe Damages

The more damage, the higher the compensation. And higher compensation means a longer dispute timeframe. Insurance companies regularly delay making these payments and keep investigating the case to find something that can contradict your claim. It’s sort of like nitpicking at the facts, only a bit worse. Expect them to talk to your friends, neighbors, people at your work, and anyone else who might shed some details on your condition.

3. You’re Still Healing

The amount of compensation has to cover future treatments needed for your recovery. While retrospectively you can say exactly how much the treatment costs, it’s very difficult to predict how much more you’ll need to spend on your recovery.

Not to mention, the human body is complicated, and it’s not impossible for complications to arise later on, which will also need dealing. It’s why your lawyer pushes for a bigger settlement, while the other side will claim it’s unreasonable.

What Should You Do?

Never accept a lower settlement just to get it over with it. If your St. Louis auto accident attorney thinks your injury is worth more, then be patient and let them fight for you. Call (314) 361-4242 for FREE legal advice 24/7.