A rear-end collision can take anywhere from a few months to up to a year or more, depending on how complicated your case is. For those involved in any car crash, filing a claim and researching a settlement can be long and frustrating, especially if you believe it is a straightforward process.
Talk to a North Charleston rear-end collisions lawyer about your case today.
The Severity of Your Injuries
One of the most important factors impacting your rear-end collision settlement timeframe is the severity of your injuries and their effect on your life. In the ideal situation, you do not file a claim for your losses until you have recovered and, as a result, know all your losses.
That is not always a simple process, though. And if you have any of the following types of injuries, it could take a significant length of time:
- Concussions or other head trauma
- Serious contusions
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck and back pain, including whiplash
- Broken bones
- Internal bleeding
The severity of these injuries will play a role in the amount of time needed to pursue a settlement and claim. If you have head trauma that worsens, for example, or has a lasting impact on cognitive function, that could require months of therapy and treatment. This delays the process.
Questions About Fault in Your Rear-End Accident
When there is any question about fault, the rear–end collision settlement process can take longer to settle. It is common for the driver who hits the other from behind to be thought to be fully at fault. That is not always the case, though. If the insurance company feels you were at fault, they may deny your claim.
This could lead to a more extensive investigation and the need to utilize accident reconstruction services, witness statements, and more aggressive evidence gathering. As your rear-end accident lawyer, our goal will be to prove the other party is at fault for your losses, leading to a settlement sooner. In other cases, you may end up going to court to prove your losses.
We do not encourage you to settle your claim quickly or walk away from an accident claim because the insurance company disputes fault or your injuries. Rather, we go to work to build your case to demonstrate what occurred and, when necessary, we will go to trial to prove it. In these situations, receiving a settlement for your claim could take a year or longer.
The Lasting Impact of Injuries
A simple rear-end accident may not result in any long-term injuries. At other times, it may lead to ongoing pain and losses. If you have injuries that do not heal, that could impact the value of your claim. Some examples might include:
- Chronic pain
- Loss of mobility due to spine damage
- Nerve damage
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) complications, such as cognitive function decline
- Disfigurement
With the guidance of a rear-end accident attorney, you will gain the hands-on support you need immediately. We will help you by:
- Determining the impact these injuries will have on your health, ability to work, and quality of life
- Maximizing your claim
- Fighting for fair recovery of your damages
This could extend the rear-end collision claim and settlement process until your doctor agrees that you will not likely see any additional improvement.
The Quality of Your Evidence Impacts a Rear-End Collision Settlement
Another factor that directly impacts how long it takes to receive a settlement for a rear-end accident is the quality of your evidence. If the evidence in your case is robust, such as the police report clearly stating what happened and that the other driver is at fault, you can expect the process to be straightforward.
In situations where we need to find evidence to back up your claim, expect our team to use every resource possible that fits the conditions of your case. This might include:
- Seeking out third–party cameras or photos of the incident
- Using accident reconstruction services to rebuild the case
- Pulling the phone records of the driver to demonstrate that they were distracted
- Using DUI documentation to show the driver was intoxicated
The Length of Time You Missed Work
Another factor that contributes to the length of your claim is how long you have missed work and what limitations you have when going back to work. If you were in a serious rear-end accident and have developed a condition like chronic pain, you could be spending months in recovery. That adds up to substantial losses and delays your claim process.
In some situations, victims do not fully recover, which may mean you cannot return to your existing job. You may need job retraining or additional damages paid based on your disability. The problem here is that the insurance company will aggressively try to fight this to limit their requirement to pay for such significant losses.
Do not return to work early to speed up the claim process or minimize your injuries. Instead, seek help from a trusted legal team to help you build a substantial claim that accurately represents all these losses. You deserve fair compensation if you cannot continue your career due to someone else’s mistakes. Review our case results today.
The Right Attorney Plays a Role in Your Settlement Process
The attorney you hire to handle your claim could also influence how long it takes to get a full and fair settlement for your losses. This is especially true if they have the knowledge and skills necessary to build a strong, evidence-based claim.
Meet with a rear-end collision attorney at Shelly Leeke Law Firm for a free consultation. Our team has over a decade of experience in these kinds of cases, and we’ll explain how long it will likely take for your rear-end collision settlement to be decided.
