Jun 30, 2023Short answer: California law states that an insurance company has to settle a personal injury claim within 85 days of the filing date in California.
This is broken down as follows:
Even though this is the case, the time it takes to settle most personal injury cases varies. They can range from a few months to several years. This depends on several factors such as the complexity of the case, the extent of injuries, and the willingness of the parties involved to negotiate a settlement.
One of the only ways to get an accurate timeline estimate is to consult with a qualified California personal injury attorney.
Generally, when your personal injury case involves some of the aspects below, it can settle faster:
It’s important to note that personal injury settlements can be prolonged or unsuccessful if the insurance adjuster is pushing a low settlement offer.
This often occurs when an injured individual tries to handle the case alone, but having an experienced personal injury lawyer can often lead to fair negotiations with insurance adjusters.
Obtaining a quick settlement for a personal injury case is rather easy, but it’s uncommon to receive a fast and fair settlement.
Insurance companies prefer quick settlements because they can offer you significantly less money. This tactic is a typical and manipulative move that is extremely common for insurance companies to utilize. If you want to receive the full amount you deserve, it’s rare to settle quickly.
Knowing this, there are rare instances where you can receive the full value of your case quickly, and it’s important to recognize these situations.
Fast settlements in personal injury cases can happen when values of cases exceed insurance policy limits of the person who caused injury.
For instance, if the person who harmed you has an insurance policy limit of $30,000, but your injuries are worth more than that, the insurance company might pay you the $30,000 extremely quickly. Since this is the maximum the insurance company will pay, accepting this type of personal injury settlement can be smart.
Generally, when your personal injury case involves some of the aspects below, it can take longer to settle:
Each injury case is unique. This list of potential factors prolonging a case is not exhaustive.
According to 5 California law firms, the average personal injury settlement can be anywhere from $14,000 – $31,000. These numbers are much different than verdicts people can receive at personal injury trials.
According to Lawsuit Information Center, the average personal injury verdict is approximately $1,600,000 while the median is $150,000.
Insurance companies will issue settlement checks written with your name. Your personal injury lawyer will then review the check to make sure everything looks good.
Under California law, insurance companies must pay and issue checks immediately after each party agrees and accepts the final settlement.
LawLinq works with some of the best personal injury lawyers across the entire state of California. If you’d like to get a settlement estimate for your case, reach out to our office today. We’ll get you situated with an attorney who will fight for the maximum amount of compensation possible for your case.
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