Insurance companies in California have 15 days to acknowledge a car accident claim. They have 40 days to approve or turn down the claim once they’ve received all proof and documentation. If more time is required, you must be notified every 30 days regarding your claim’s status. The agreed-upon payment must be issued within 30 days once a settlement is reached.
One question prospective clients usually ask a personal injury attorney is – how long will it take for my case to settle?
What factors affect my settlement?
Car accident claims can be settled quickly or may take years to resolve. How fast your case can be settled hinges on several factors:
- Finding out who’s at fault
- Finding out the correct value of damages
- Length of your recovery period
Finding out who’s at fault
Finding out who’s responsible for your injuries can be a complicated and drawn-out procedure. This particularly applies to cases involving more than one party who are liable for your injury.
California is a comparative fault state where more than one person can be made financially accountable for your injury. A party has bigger financial liability when their degree of fault in causing you harm is greater.
It is to be expected that nobody will step up to admit they are at fault. Most of the time, it is up to your lawyer to make a careful and accurate investigation to find out:
- which persons are liable for your injuries, and
- the degree of accountability of the parties at fault.
Finding out the correct value of damages
Calculating the correct value of the damages caused by the accident is an essential part of your car accident injury case. Coming up with the appropriate value can be complicated. It is basically the amount you must receive from the liable parties for the injuries you suffered.
Some expenses such as medical treatment and lost wages during your recovery can be quite easy to verify. Other damages can be harder to process. Reduced income, the pain and suffering, and your capability to work are considerations that will entail many hours of research and expert inputs.
The length of your recovery period
The extent of your injuries can take time to determine. You’ll need to find out whether those injuries will lead to physical disabilities. It is recommended to wait until you’ve reached full recovery to learn the maximum extent of your damages.
Hiring an attorney can speed up recovery
Insurance companies will use every dirty trick in the book to prolong the period your claim in an effort to frustrate you into accepting the lowest possible compensation.
Hiring an experienced personal injury attorney will help you navigate through the difficult claims process and can help speed up your financial recovery. Our attorneys know how to deal with the dishonest tactics employed by insurance companies and get you the compensation you deserve.
Call Barrios & Machado today at (714) 515-9696 for your free and confidential initial consultation.
