Car accidents are one of the most common types of personal injury cases in North Carolina. If you’ve been injured in a car crash, it is normal to want the legal process to be completed as quickly as possible, so that you can receive a settlement and move forward. Knowing how long your car accident case might take can help you prepare for the future. Contact our Wilmington car accident lawyers to seek compensation. Schedule your free consultation today.
Is Your Wilmington Car Accident Case Simple or Complex?
A North Carolina car accident case can take anywhere from a few months to multiple years, depending on the situation. No two car accident cases are identical. Many factors can affect the timeline for a car accident settlement.
If you have a simple car accident case with minor property damage and little to no injury, it should only take several weeks to a few months to reach a satisfactory insurance settlement agreement. Your case may take longer if it is considered complex, meaning there are challenges.
Common issues include catastrophic injuries, wrongful deaths, multiple at-fault parties, damages that exceed insurance coverage limits, an uninsured or underinsured driver, a rejected claim, or disputes regarding liability (legal responsibility). These cases may go through many rounds of settlement negotiations or end up in court, which can take one year or longer.
How Serious Are Your Injuries?
Injury severity is a major factor in determining how long a car accident claim in Wilmington, NC will take to settle. Severe or extensive injuries will typically require longer-lasting medical care, which can lengthen the settlement process.
It is often recommended that clients wait until they fully understand the long-term effects that an injury will have (by reaching the level of maximum medical improvement) before accepting a settlement offer. Otherwise, they may settle for less than they need for future medical care.
Is the Insurance Company Cooperating?
In North Carolina, state law does not give a specific number of days by which an insurance company must respond to a claim. Instead, N.C. General Statutes § 58-63-15 states that the company must “promptly” acknowledge a claim and act reasonably to settle claims where liability is reasonably clear.
Unfortunately, this gives insurance companies a lot of leeway in terms of how long they take to investigate a claim and make a decision. Insurance companies may intentionally draw out the processing of a claim to wear a claimant down – helping to ensure that the individual will accept the first settlement offered. This can lengthen the timeline of a case.
Will Your Car Accident Case in Wilmington, NC Have to Go to Trial?
If a car insurance provider refuses to cooperate with your claim, denies it without a valid reason or does not offer a fair settlement for the extent of your damages, your case may end up going to trial. This can make it take much longer – up to a few years, in some cases. However, a successful trial could result in a case outcome that far exceeds the original settlement offered.
Do You Plan on Hiring a Wilmington, NC Car Accident Attorney?
Whether or not you hire a car accident attorney in Wilmington, NC can affect the timeline of your case. A law firm will have the resources to make your claim as fast and efficient as possible. Your attorney can deal with insurance company communications for you to avoid common mistakes and time-consuming issues.
At the same time, your car accident lawyer in Wilmington will not accept a lowball settlement from an insurance provider. Your lawyer will fight for maximum compensation for your losses. To discuss how Shipman & Wright’s car accident attorneys in Wilmington can help you reach a fair car accident settlement sooner, contact us for a free case consultation.