How Long Does Settling a North Carolina Car Accident Typically Take?

If you have suffered an injury in a Charlotte motor vehicle accident, you are probably wondering how long it will take to receive a settlement check. Many car accident victims feel overextended with medical bills, medical appointments, and the stress of waiting for a settlement. At Arnold & Smith, PLLC we advocate fiercely on behalf of our clients. We discuss our clients’ goals and attempt to procure a beneficial settlement expeditiously.

We understand that our clients need compensation as quickly as possible to pay their medical bills and start to move on with their lives after an accident. If you have experienced a car accident in Charlotte or the surrounding area, our skilled personal injury attorneys can fight for your interests. Contact our law firm as soon as possible to schedule your free initial consultation.

Some cases are more straightforward to settle than others. If it is abundantly clear that another driver is entirely at fault and your injuries are clear, you may be able to settle with the at-fault driver's insurance and receive a check within 90 days. If the car accident involved multiple vehicles and/or complex injuries, it might take longer to reach a satisfactory settlement agreement.

Insurance companies often reach out to car accident victims and attempt to settle as quickly as possible. It is wise to speak to an experienced car accident attorney who will represent your best interests before accepting a settlement amount from the insurance company. Insurance companies are businesses that seek to increase their profits by offering the lowest possible settlement amounts. Resisting the insurance company’s offer to mail a check immediately can be difficult, but is often the best strategy for maximizing your financial recovery.

Car accident victims often have expensive medical bills and have taken time off from work, often unpaid. Keep in mind that once the car accident victim accepts a settlement offer, he or she cannot recover any additional monetary compensation. This prohibition could be problematic if the victim's injuries become more severe over time and require more medical care.

Settling a car accident case can take anywhere from 90 days to over a year in complex cases. In some cases, settling the matter quickly with the at-fault driver's insurance company is the most profitable strategy. In other instances, the at-fault driver may not have had insurance even though North Carolina requires minimum car insurance. In those instances, or if the insurance payout amount is unfairly low, car accident victims may need to bring a lawsuit.

When two parties settle out of court, the defendant who caused the accident agrees to pay compensation to the victim. When parties to a lawsuit settle out of court, they avoid going to trial. Settlement can happen before the plaintiff files a suit or at any point during the trial. Agreeing to a settlement before the trial can be beneficial because both parties will avoid the expense and stress of a potentially lengthy trial. Taking a case through a trial can take years, beginning with filing the lawsuit to filing appeals. Trials can bring to light information that is not flattering to either party. Settlements are private, whereas trials are public.

While settling out of court will save time and litigation costs, it is not always the most beneficial option. In settlement agreements, defendants do not have to admit guilt. If a plaintiff desires to prove that the defendant was guilty, a trial may be the best option. Other times, the defendant does not offer enough compensation in settlement negotiations.

At Arnold & Smith, PLLC our skilled car accident settlement and trial attorneys can review the facts of your case. We will help you determine the best strategy to recover compensation for your car accident. We understand how challenging it is to recover from a car accident and the need to recover compensation.

Our experienced car accident attorneys thoroughly investigate each car accident. We gather all the available evidence and update all of our clients’ records as they receive ongoing medical care. Our attorneys have extensive experience in dealing with insurance companies that want to limit the amount that they pay out to victims. Whether your car accident was straightforward or complex, we can advocate for a quick and advantageous settlement. Contact our law firm today to schedule your free initial consultation.