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The Burkett Law Firm Blog

How Long Can a Corpus Christi Personal Injury Case Take?

how long does a personal injury claim Have you been injured in an accident with a negligent motorist in Corpus Christi, Texas? If so, the first steps to take include getting to a safe location, talking to the police, and receiving medical attention. 

Once this is done, we recommend reaching out to our legal team at the Burkett Law Firm. We can review the facts of your case, question any witnesses, gather documentation and reports and help you pursue a personal injury claim. 

When you find an experienced legal team, they should be able to give you a general estimate of the compensation you can expect to receive, along with how much time your case will take to settle. Remember that there are no absolutes in these situations, and any information provided will be estimated based on certain factors and experience. 

Factors That Impact Your Personal Injury Case Worth and Timeline 

The factors that impact how much compensation you receive and how long your case takes include:

Liability 

It’s important to determine what driver is at fault when determining the value of a personal injury lawsuit filed after a traffic accident. If the personal injury case defendant is considered just partially liable for their injuries, then the plaintiff only gets a partial amount of the damages.

In the state of Texas, accident victims will only recover damages if they are found to be under 51% at fault for the accident.  

Causation 

Another important question for personal injury cases is what caused the injuries? Can the injuries being claimed in the lawsuit be directly traced to the accident in question and, as a result, the negligence of the defendant? 

Were there any pre-existing injuries? Does the plaintiff have medical evidence to prove their claim? 

Compensation 

The last issue relates to the severity of the injuries experienced and the costs related to the accident. This evaluation will determine how much insurance coverage is available during this evaluation. How much compensation will be needed to ensure the plaintiff recovers fully if the lawsuit is filed? 

If the defendant does not have insurance, does not have enough insurance, and no other resources, then pursuing a lawsuit may not be a smart move. However, you can count on our team to investigate all possible insurance policies to determine if there is any way to recover compensation. 

How Long Will Your Personal Injury Case Take?

Are you thinking about filing a personal injury claim? If so, you must remain patient. 

While simple cases can be finalized in less than a year, some will take more than this to resolve. For more complex cases, like the ones that involve a lot of cash, several attorneys, and defendants, the process may take years to resolve. 

It may be possible to achieve a quick settlement for some cases, but usually, this means accepting less money. 

There are a few reasons that these cases can take so long to resolve. These include:

  • Legal or factual complications that delay the case
  • A lot of money is sought
  • The plaintiff hasn’t reached maximum medical improvement, so the final compensation amount is still undetermined

Some of the legal or factual complexities that may delay the personal injury process include determining who is liable for the accident and how much compensation the victim deserves. Most insurance companies will not offer any type of settlement until liability is determined. 

It’s up to the plaintiff and their legal team to prove that the defendant was negligent and that their negligence led to the accident and injuries. 

Hiring the Right Attorney for Your Corpus Christi Accident Case Is Essential

When you are injured in an accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, it’s normal to feel confused and overwhelmed. There’s also a good chance you want to receive a settlement offer as quickly as possible to get on with your life. 

However, any quality attorney knows that the initial settlement offer from an insurance company will be much lower than what you deserve. They may this offer in hopes an accident victim has not retained legal representation and that they will accept it. Once a settlement is accepted, there’s no way to pursue further compensation. 

Our personal injury lawyers team understands all the “tricks” that insurance companies use to try to reduce or even eliminate compensation for accident victims. You can count on us to work for you to ensure you receive the compensation you really deserve. To get started, contact our legal team, and schedule a free consultation. We can review the facts of your case and make a plan to move forward. We will also help ensure you understand the potential value of your case. We want to help you get the compensation you deserve.