How Long Will It Take to Resolve My Truck Accident Claim?

Getting hurt in a large truck crash is enough to threaten the average American’s financial security. The out-of-pocket expenses can add up fast, from covering medical care to repairing or replacing the vehicle. There are also indirect losses to consider, like missed paychecks.

Put another way, it’s only natural to hope for a speedy resolution to your truck accident claim. Unfortunately, there’s no way to guarantee any given action will be resolved by a certain date since tort proceedings are inherently unpredictable.

There are, however, a number of factors your legal team can evaluate to determine the likeliest trajectory of your claim and, subsequently, how long it might take to achieve justice. Read on to learn what they are:

1. The Severity of Your Injuries

You should not conclude the negotiations until you’ve reached maximum medical improvement. This is because you can’t be sure of the severity of your condition or any lasting limitations it might impose until MMI. Consequently, the nature of your injuries is going to have a major impact on the duration of the proceedings.

2. The Extent of the Damages

Generally speaking, claims involving more significant damages tend to take longer to resolve. At the end of the day, insurance carriers aren’t inclined to hand out six- or seven-figure payouts without challenging the claim from every angle first.

That means if you’ll be seeking a sizable sum, you should be prepared for the proceedings to last a while. Of course, there are always exceptions, and with the right legal strategy—and lots of compelling evidence—it may still be possible to resolve your claim relatively quickly.

3. The Number of Liable Parties

More complex cases typically take longer to sort out, and the one element that always complicates things is multiple at-fault parties. If several people and/or entities were ultimately to blame for the crash, it could take some time to portion out the blame.

The good news, however, is that when there are multiple defendants, there is usually more available insurance coverage, since plaintiffs can likely draw from all the defendants’ policies combined.

4. The Opposing Party’s Willingness to Cooperate

Unfortunately, there are some scenarios in which the insurance adjuster simply refuses to cooperate. They might challenge the evidence presented, dispute liability, diminish the damages, or even deny the claim altogether.

When this ends up happening, the victim often has no choice but to file a formal lawsuit. Naturally, litigation can extend the duration of the proceedings considerably, especially if the case goes all the way to trial.

Discuss Your Claim with a Truck Accident Attorney in Stuart

Was your life derailed by a large truck crash in Florida? For help holding the liable parties accountable, turn to Weston & Pape.

We’re paid through contingency fee contracts, which means we require no money upfront, nor do we charge a fee unless we secure compensation on your behalf. To schedule your free case review with one of our Stuart truck accident attorneys, call 772-266-5555 or fill out our Contact Form.