Will My Personal Injury Claim Take a Long Time?

There are various factors that influence the total timeline of a personal injury case. Some cases may take only a few weeks or months, while others might take two years or more if a person sustains substantial and on-going injuries and problems. Consult with an experienced accident attorney to understand the elements of your case and the predicted length of time it will take.

For now, continue below to learn more about how long personal injury claims take and where to get trusted legal advice surrounding your accident case concerns.

Injury Attorneys Indianapolis Indiana 317-881-2700
Injury Attorneys Indianapolis Indiana 317-881-2700

Complex Personal Injury Cases Take Longer to Settle

You can roughly get a feel for the amount of time it will likely take for your claim to settle by the complexity of the case. The more complex the case, the more difficult it will be to adjudicate, which delays the settlement phase even longer. This is especially true for cases that go to trial.

Certain Liable Parties Can Attempt to Delay a Personal Injury Case

Another factor that can extend the timeline of a personal injury case is the type of liable party, or parties. If the liable party, or defendant, is a company, corporation, or government entity, or if there are multiple liable parties (defendants) in a case, the process can take longer.

Proving Negligence and Extent of Damages Can Take Time

As a claimant in a personal injury case, you hold the burden of proving that the opposing party is at fault for your accident and subsequent damages. Your Indiana personal injury lawyer will document a strong and impactful case to prove that the opposing party breached their duty of care, or was otherwise negligent, and as a direct result, caused your accident and damages. In addition to proving negligence, your team will need to prove your damages to support reasonable compensation.

To gather all the relevant evidence needed to prove your case, your lawyer may need to hire expert witnesses, forensic specialists, accounting experts, and accident reconstruction services, or prepare witnesses, including yourself. These needs add to the overall time it takes to reach a settlement or verdict.

How Long Care is Needed

The longer an injured person needs to obtain treatments, the longer it will take the case to resolve.  This is because it takes some time for doctors to determine if a person’s injuries are permanent or not.  If an injured person’s injuries are permanent and will last a lifetime, then obviously that would need to be taken into account when attempting to determine a full and fair settlement value for the case.

Insurance Companies Might Require Legal Representation

In some cases, insurance companies require claimants to acquire legal representation for their claim. If the claimant is hospitalized or comatose for several weeks after a catastrophic accident, they are not capable of retaining a lawyer for the purpose of pursing an injury claim. This scenario would increase the expected timeline of the case.

Refusing to Accept a Settlement Offer Will Extend Negotiations

It is important to trust your personal injury lawyer with their evaluation of your case. If you refuse every settlement offer you get, you can expect the process to take longer. You can feel confident in accepting an offer that your attorney agrees is full and fair and the attorney should explain to you why they believe the offer is fair.  If an offer is not fair, your attorney should also explain to you why that is their opinion.

The best way to avoid extending the timeline of an injury claim is to hire the right attorney to represent your case. Contact the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to schedule a free personal injury case evaluation, today. We represent clients throughout the state, plus Indiana residents injured in other states.

Related Posts:

4 Reasons Why You Should Not Represent Yourself in a Personal Injury Case
What You Can Expect From the Personal Injury Lawsuit Process
Do I Still Have Options if the Insurance Adjuster Denies My Injury Claim?

Do I Need to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer for My Accident Claim?

Although it is not required by law to hire a personal injury lawyer to represent an accident claim, in almost all cases, it is the best choice. Continue reading to learn why it is important to retain a seasoned attorney after being injured in an accident that was not your fault.

Personal Injury Attorney Law Firm 317-881-2700
Personal Injury Attorney Law Firm 317-881-2700

Always Hire an Attorney

When it comes to obtaining the best possible outcome for your accident claim, the most effective course of action, both practically and financially, is to hire a personal injury lawyer. We have the knowledge, resources, and experience to fully comprehend the law surrounding your case which in turn helps protect your right to a full and fair settlement  or verdict. You may be entitled to certain compensation to cover your damages and losses that result from your accident and injuries, including medical expenses, hospital bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and much more.

The Consequences of Having No Lawyer

Representing yourself in a personal injury case is referred to as “pro se” in most states. This legal route is extremely risky because, in most cases, it usually costs plaintiffs more money in the long run and renders less of a settlement. The only time it might be acceptable to represent yourself in a personal injury claim would be if the case was worth a very low amount and the plaintiff filed suit in small claims court.  However, numerous personal injury lawsuits are high-value claims, making this possibility a very rare one.

Get an Attorney With Injury Experience

Not only should you not enter a personal injury claim without a lawyer representing your best interests, you do not want to hire simply any general practice lawyer. It is vital to hire an attorney who specializes solely in accident law to get the best possible outcome for your settlement. After all, you wouldn’t go to your family doctor to have them do surgery, you would go see a doctor who is a surgeon. The same principle applies when it comes time to hiring a legal professional. Be sure to choose a personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims that were injured in the same type of accident you were injured in.

Defendant’s Insurance Companies Have Attorneys

The insurance company for the at-fault driver will have an attorney, usually an in-house attorney, that works directly for the insurance company and who is paid by the insurance company to defend the at-fault driver.  In bigger cases, an attorney is brought in immediately after the at-fault driver calls their insurance company to advise them of the collision or incident.  Because the defendant’s insurance company has an attorney working on the case from day one, so should you.

Get a Free Initial Consultation With a Trusted Indianapolis Accident Lawyer

The Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. provides prompt, personalized, and responsive legal services for victims injured in Indianapolis, Indiana. Contact our law office today at 317-881-2700 and schedule a free initial consultation with a practiced Indianapolis injury attorney to find out if your injuries entitle you to legal compensation.  We represent injured people throughout the State of Indiana.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700
Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. launches New Personal Injury Website in Indianapolis, Indiana

Personal Injury Law Firm Indiana

Personal Injury Law Firm 317-881-2700

Personal Injury Attorney Daniel Craven, Keith Blazek and Ralph Hoover have been practicing personal injury law in Indiana for over 30 years. They are well versed and proficient accident attorneys with a passion for helping those that have been injured by another’s negligence.

Here at Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C., we are members of The Trial Lawyers of America, the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, as well as several other notable administrations. And most recently, we have just developed a brand new personal injury website for anyone seeking information regarding accident or injury law.

On our new website, end users can easily navigate through numerous tabs and pages covering topics on everything from Indiana accident law to frequently asked questions, and much more. We cover numerous types of accident and injury information regarding Indiana law; such as auto accident, drunk driving, wrongful death, workers’ compensation, orthopedic injuries, slip and fall, dog bite, product liability, and much more. On top of all of these helpful and wide-ranging pages of various legal subjects, the knowledgeable and gifted accident attorneys at Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. also provide a weekly blog discussing countless personal injury topics and scenarios that help victims find trusted and accurate legal counsel and guidance.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. practice personal injury and accident law in Indianapolis, IN. We have successfully recovered compensation for hundreds of injury victims in Indiana. Our teams of highly trained, licensed, and qualified legal representatives are happy to answer any questions about personal injury law. To speak with a live legal representative, call 317-881-2700 to set up a free initial consultation during regular office hours. For the most trusted personal injury legal counsel in Indianapolis, call Craven, Hoover, Blazek P.C. in Indiana today.