How long does it take to get paid after I’ve been in an accident?

A question I get almost from every single client is “how long does it take to get paid for my personal injury claim?”

This could be a car accident claim, a slip and fall claim, a dog bite, medical malpractice, wrongful death claim, but every time, I get the question, “how long does it take to get paid?”

The only answer is “it depends.”

One of the factors is the nature and extent of your injuries. Obviously, the more seriously you’re injured, the longer it will take to recover. In order to really have an idea of the length of recovery and the amount of medical treatment you will have and your need going forward, as well as your lost wages, it takes some time to usually figure that out.

You’re looking at least a few months from your accident in order to even get the medical records. At that point, once we have the records and we have done some other factual investigation, we usually start the negotiation process with the insurance company. I think this is a point that many people don’t understand.

We want you to realize that although you are hurting and need the money, you should consult an attorney before accepting an offer from an insurance company.

Why?

The insurance company knows how badly you want to get paid, and they know you want to get paid right away, and they’re inclined to try to take advantage of this for their own benefit.

They will make low-ball offers, and want you to take the low-ball offers, because they know that many people will just take the money, and not pursue it through litigation to the full extent of what they’re entitled to under the law.

If you have any other questions, call the Snyder Law Group at 610-265-8050