Receiving compensation after a car accident is essential for many victims who have medical and car repair bills to pay and who may be unable to work due to their injuries. Asking, “Why is my car accident settlement taking so long?” is only natural if you need the money now and believe the insurance claim process shouldn’t take as long as it is.
However, there are many reasons why a car accident settlement may take longer than expected. Sometimes, a delayed settlement can benefit the injured party by preventing the insurance company from closing the case until all their medical expenses are accounted for.
To understand if your settlement is taking too long or is on the right track, you need to understand the average settlement timeline, the factors contributing to delays, and the steps you can take to speed up the process.
How Long Does a Car Accident Settlement Typically Take?
Many minor car accident insurance cases settle within one to three months after the accident. However, some cases can take up to a year or more before settling. Cases that take that long tend to be very complex or involve permanent or long-lasting injuries.
After you initially file your claim, the insurance company may take a few days or weeks to process the claim and investigate the incident. Once their investigation is complete, they’ll either accept or deny your claim. If they accept your claim, they’ll issue an initial settlement offer, which you can agree to or reject.
Speaking to a car accident attorney before accepting or declining an insurance settlement is a good idea. Sometimes, insurance providers offer initial settlements below the actual value of your claim as a way for them to save money and close the claim. An attorney can make sure the settlement offered by the insurance company is fair and covers your expenses.
Under Florida law, once you and the insurance company agree to a settlement in writing, the insurance company has 20 days to deliver your payment. If they don’t deliver your settlement payment within this period, a 12 percent interest rate will be applied.
Factors that Contribute to Delayed Settlements
Multiple factors can contribute to a delayed settlement. Some of the most prominent causes of delays include:
- Severity of Injuries – The more severe your injuries are, the more time the insurance company will likely take to investigate the incident. Severe injuries require more extensive (and expensive) medical treatment, and the insurance company may want to know the total cost of your treatment before committing to a settlement offer. Typically, you should only agree to a settlement offer after reaching your maximum medical improvement (MMI), so there aren’t any surprise medical bills after the insurance company closes your claim.
- Accident Investigation – The investigation could take longer if your case is complex, such as if the accident involved more than two vehicles. Although Florida is a no-fault auto insurance state for bodily injury, meaning that you file your claim with your own insurance provider, it’s an at-fault state for property damage. Because of this, liability disputes regarding the damage to your vehicle may cause delays.
- Insurance Disputes – In some cases, insurance companies may dispute the reasonableness and necessity of certain medical treatments. If the insurance company doesn’t believe you needed a particular treatment to recover, it may dispute its liability to cover the treatment.
- Insurance Delays – Sometimes, the insurance companies take a while to offer a settlement because many claims clog up their system. However, other times, they’ll delay issuing a settlement offer because they believe you’ll drop your claim if it’s taking too long.
- Settlement Negotiations – If you don’t believe the initial settlement offered by the insurance company is enough, you may enter settlement negotiations. During this period, your attorney will negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf, seeking a fair settlement.
Steps to Take to Speed Up Your Settlement
Many settlement delays are due to insurance company practices. However, you can still take some steps to speed up the settlement process. These steps include:
- Finishing Your Medical Treatment – Don’t skip follow-up medical appointments. The sooner you recover from your injuries or reach maximum medical improvement, the sooner you can receive a settlement offer covering all your medical expenses.
- Keeping All of Your Medical Bills – It’s also important to keep copies of your medical bills so you can provide them to the insurance company. By providing the insurance company with a complete record of your medical bills, you can reduce the need for extensive negotiations. Collecting these bills after each treatment will also save you from having to go back and track down all the bills later.
- Writing Down the Details of the Accident – While your memory of the accident is still fresh, write everything down in a journal. If there are any liability disputes, having these notes can prevent you from making contradictory statements weeks or months after the incident.
- Hiring a Florida Car Accident Attorney – Simply having a car accident attorney on your side can speed up the settlement process, as the insurance company may be less likely to play games such as intentionally delaying offering a settlement or offering a lowball settlement in the hopes that you’ll accept it and go away. An attorney can protect your legal right to compensation after an auto accident.
Contact a Tampa, Florida, Car Accident Lawyer
If you suffered injuries in a Tampa, Florida, car accident, it’s normal to wonder why your insurance settlement is taking so long. Many accident victims need their settlement money to pay their medical or vehicle repair bills, and the need for this money only increases if their injuries prevent them from working.
Call Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers at (619) 233-5020 or contact us online for a free consultation about your case with one of our experienced Tampa car accident attorneys. We’ll review the accident that caused your injuries, explain your legal options for seeking compensation, and help you expedite the settlement process if necessary. We proudly service Tampa, Florida, and San Diego, Mission Valley, and Carlsbad, CA.
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