If you get injured in an accident such as a car crash, filing a personal injury case could result in financial compensation awarded to you for your losses. The timeline to settle a personal injury case, however, can be lengthy. Each settlement timeline depends on factors that are unique to the case. Understanding what goes into achieving a settlement or case resolution in Nevada can help you get a better idea of how long your case will take.
The Steps of a Personal Injury Settlement
In Nevada, you have no more than two years from the date of the accident or the discovery of your injury to file a personal injury claim. The sooner you file, the sooner you can resolve your case. Once you file your claim, the insurance company will assign a representative to review it and investigate your accident. Insurance companies in Nevada have a maximum of 30 days from the date that they receive all of the information that they need from the claimant to accept or deny a claim.
You should hear an answer from the insurance company within 30 days unless it requests an extension to continue its investigation. If you wish to negotiate for a higher settlement, negotiations with the insurer can take several weeks after the initial response. This means that most personal injury settlement agreements are achieved within about three to six months from the date of filing. If the insurance company rejects your claim or refuses to offer a reasonable amount in financial compensation, however, your case may have to go to trial.
A personal injury trial in Clark County can take one year or longer. This is because you must wait for an opening in the courts, and the Clark County civil courthouse is often busy. Keep in mind that you may be able to reach a settlement with the insurance company at any point before the date of your trial. It is important not to rush into a settlement solely to save time, however, as this could lead to accepting much less than you deserve for your injuries.
What Factors Can Affect the Settlement Timeline?
You can gain a better understanding of how long your case may take to settle by finding out what could extend the claims process in Nevada. Many different issues and complications with a personal injury case could drag out the timeline. It can be worth the wait, however, to recover the financial compensation that you need. Some problems that could extend the legal process include:
- Accident investigation. Some investigations take longer than others due to issues such as a lack of cooperation and trouble obtaining information.
- Determinations of fault. If fault is difficult to determine in your case or there is a liability dispute, this can add time to your settlement.
- The point of maximum medical improvement. If you have serious injuries that take a long time to heal, this can extend your settlement timeline.
- Value of the case. A more valuable case often takes longer to resolve, as settlement negotiations may need to go back and forth multiple times to reach a fair amount.
- Settlement versus trial. If your case goes to trial, expect a much longer timeline depending on how busy the courthouse is.
There are also things that could cut time off of the legal process, such as hiring a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer to represent you. An attorney will know the fastest, most efficient way to resolve your case while still protecting your recovery. An attorney can quickly take care of complicated issues on your behalf and give you an accurate estimate of how long your personal injury case will take. For more information, contact Koch & Brim, LLP today.