How Long Does a Personal Injury Lawsuit Take?

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If you’ve been injured and believe you want to file a personal injury lawsuit, you probably want the entire process to be over as soon as possible. Unfortunately, that might not be the case. While some personal injury lawsuits can be resolved relatively quickly, it will generally take one to two years before your case goes to trial. It’s tough to know exactly how long it will take for your own personal injury lawsuit to be resolved, but we can provide you with a rough timeline of events.

Avoiding the Lawsuit Entirely

Personal injury lawsuits can be very complicated and may take significant time to resolve. A seasoned lawyer will be able to look at your case and help you determine whether actually it’s worth pursuing a lawsuit at all, or if you can avoid the lawsuit altogether by receiving compensation in the form of a settlement. A settlement can help you avoid the hassle of a lawsuit, and an experienced lawyer can ensure you’re getting a fair deal. Nonetheless, here’s the typical timeline of events in the case that a lawsuit is necessary.

Step 1: Finding the Right Lawyer

After you’ve received medical attention and know the extent of your injuries, it’s time to talk to a lawyer who can represent you if you decide to go forward with a lawsuit. Take some time to conduct online research about personal injury lawyers in your area. You should choose an experienced, trusted lawyer who will focus on your needs and provide you with the best advice for moving forward with your case.

Step 2: Investigating the Incident

Once you’ve found a lawyer, the process of filing the lawsuit can begin. You will need to go over the incident that caused your injury with as much detail as possible as well as the extent of your injuries. You may also need to go over your previous medical history and supply any documentation that could help your case. After that, your lawyer will investigate the incident and all of the parties involved. This can take months, so be prepared to wait.

Step 3: Filing the Lawsuit

Part of the reason why personal injury lawsuits often don’t go to trial for at least a year is because your lawyer most likely won’t be able to make a claim until you’ve reached a point of maximum medical improvement. This means that you’ve completed all of your necessary medical treatments and you’ve fully recovered from your injury. Until you’ve reached this point, there will be no way to know how much your case is really worth.
Filing the lawsuit starts the process of sending the case to trial. As we said before, this can take between one and two years. Until then, all involved parties will investigate the incident and gather all the evidence they can use to help their case. There is often mediation between the parties where a settlement may be reached. If no settlement is reached, the case will continue to go to trial.

Step 4: The Trial

A personal injury trial can last anywhere between one day to several weeks. It will all depend on the nature of the injury, any evidence that has been gathered, and how much money is involved. If you’re lucky, the trial will be resolved in a day, but you should expect to spend at least a few weeks in a courtroom if you want your lawsuit to be truly resolved.

Making the Right Decision

As explained, a personal injury lawsuit can be a long and tolling process. It’s best that you find a qualified attorney that can assess your case, help you determine whether a lawsuit is necessary, help you attain a fair settlement, and if necessary, help win your lawsuit with minimal risk and stress at stake. Contact our team for a consultation if you’ve been injured and believe that you may be entitled to a settlement.

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