How Long Do Car Accident Settlements Take?

When you're dealing with the aftermath of a car accident, every day can feel like an eternity. While you’re dealing with pain, lost wages, and bills piling up, one of the most pressing questions on your mind is likely “How long do car accident settlements take? When can I expect my settlement?”

The settlement process for any accident claim involves a handful of moving parts, from gathering evidence and calculating damages to negotiating with insurance companies and potentially filing a lawsuit. Each case is unique, with its own set of circumstances that can either expedite or delay your settlement.

Keep reading to find out what to expect, how you can better prepare yourself for the journey ahead, and what kind of settlement you can expect for your injuries — or, call Jose Calderon of Calderon Law Firm today at (346) 999-5673 for trusted representation for your accident claim. 

How long do most accident settlements take?

Most car accident settlements in Texas are resolved within three to six months from the time you hire an attorney, though this timeline can vary significantly based on the complexity of your case.

Typical settlement timelines often look something like this:

In general, the more compensation you are seeking, the longer your case will take — with timelines extending exponentially if your case requires litigation. The clock typically begins ticking when you've reached maximum medical improvement, meaning your condition has stabilized and your doctors have a clear picture of your long-term prognosis. While waiting may seem frustrating, it’s actually essential to accurately evaluating your claim.

Your settlement may be quicker if your case contains clear liability and fault determination, well-documented injuries and treatments, reasonable initial settlement offers, or complete medical records and intact evidence.

Why is my car accident settlement taking so long?

There are countless factors that can contribute to delays in your car accident settlement. Understanding these potential roadblocks can help manage your expectations and tell the difference between a reasonable delay and bad-faith practices from the insurance companies.

• Medical treatment issues, including incomplete medical treatment or ongoing recovery (waiting to reach maximum medical improvement), need for additional medical evaluations or specialist consultations, or disputes over medical necessity or treatment costs.
• Liability and investigation problems, including disputed fault between parties, complex accident reconstruction requirements, multiple vehicles or parties involved, insufficient evidence or witness availability, or cases involving commercial vehicle regulations (if you’ve been hit by a truck).
• Insurance company tactics like deliberate delays to pressure quick settlements, excessive documentation requests, unreasonably low initial offers, or slow response times to communications — all of which might be bad-faith practices. 
• Documentation and evidence issues, which can include missing or incomplete medical records, errors in police reports requiring correction, unavailable witness statements, and lost or destroyed physical evidence.

In general, the faster you move, the better after a car accident. Evidence disappears, memories fade, and statutes of limitations expire. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident and need help, you can’t reach out to car accident lawyers in Houston fast enough.

The car accident settlement process

The settlement process itself can be complex, but functionally, you’ll spend most of it waiting for the insurance company while your attorney handles things behind the scenes. 

1. Investigation and case building (2 – 8 weeks)
   1. Your attorney will gather evidence like police reports and accident scene documentation, medical records and treatment history, witness statements and contact information, photographs of the scene, and expert consultations.
   2. Your attorney will assess damages based on the full value of your claim and the true extent of the impact on your life. 
2. Demand and initial negotiations (4 – 12 weeks)
   1. Your attorney will draft a demand letter and allow the insurance company to respond.
3. Advanced negotiations (8 – 20 weeks)
   1. There may be multiple rounds of offers and counteroffers, mediation or alternative dispute resolution, final settlement negotiations, and settlement agreement drafting.
4. Litigation (6 – 36 months)
   1. If your case goes to trial, your case will likely take much longer to settle. This is, unfortunately, often necessary to get what you truly deserve, especially in cases involving commercial accidents or wrongful death.*

*Looking for a Houston truck accident lawyer or wrongful death attorneys in Houston? Calderon Law Firm can help you in these particularly tough situations. 

How long is too long for a settlement to take?

While every case is different, there are some general guidelines for when a settlement may be taking unreasonably long. 

For minor injury cases with clear liability, if more than six months have passed without meaningful progress, lack of communication from your attorney, no response from insurance companies for over 60 days, or repeated requests for the same documentation, it may be time to evaluate whether your legal representation is effectively advocating for your interests. 

More serious injury cases naturally require longer timelines, but red flags include cases that have been pending for more than 18 months without filing suit, failure to conduct necessary medical evaluations or expert consultations, inadequate attention to future medical needs, or insufficient investigation of liability issues. 

It's important to remember that Texas has a two-year statute of limitations for most personal injury claims, meaning you must file a lawsuit within two years of your accident date, though government entity claims often have much shorter deadlines, sometimes as brief as six months. 

If you're wondering when to get a lawyer for a work injury or other accident-related matter, the answer is always that you should contact a lawyer as soon as you possibly can to better protect your rights and help ensure your recovery.

How much are most car accident settlements?

Car accident settlement amounts vary widely based on numerous factors, from thousands to millions of dollars. Here's a breakdown of average settlement ranges for different types of accident claims:

Cases involving commercial vehicles or rideshare accidents often result in higher settlements due to larger insurance policies and potential additional liability sources — but they can also take much longer to reach a satisfactory resolution.

Some of the primary factors that influence settlement amounts include:

• Medical expenses, which should include current and future treatment costs
• Lost wages, including time missed from work and reduced earning capacity
• Pain and suffering, which include physical pain and emotional distress
• Property damage like vehicle repairs or replacement costs
• Insurance policy limits can dictate maximum available coverage

Should I accept my settlement? What is a reasonable settlement offer?

It can be difficult to know if your settlement offer is reasonable without taking a full account of the damages you’ve suffered. If you’ve been offered a settlement from the insurance company, go over the following checklist of questions with your attorney to determine whether or not you should accept.

• Have you reached maximum medical improvement?
• Are all current medical bills covered?
• What about future medical expenses?
• Do you need ongoing treatment or rehabilitation?
• Does it cover all lost wages to date?
• What about future earning capacity loss?
• Are out-of-pocket expenses included?
• Will you have additional costs not covered?
• What are the chances of getting more at trial?
• What are the risks of rejecting the offer?
• Does it account for pain and suffering?

An experienced Houston personal injury lawyer can provide valuable guidance in evaluating settlement offers, helping you ensure you're making an informed decision about your case that protects your family and your future. 

Worried about getting a speedy settlement? Calderon Law Firm can help.

Concerned about how long your settlement is taking? Calderon Law Firm is here to help. Our team understands the need to balance urgency in resolving your case and the need to secure fair compensation for the full extent of your injuries and losses.

So, how long do car accident settlements take? It can take anywhere from weeks to years to get what you truly deserve, but you can always protect your interests by hiring a skilled attorney to represent you.

We understand that every day without resolution adds to your stress and financial burden, which is why we prioritize moving cases forward while building the strongest possible claim on your behalf.

Don't let delays in your settlement add to the stress of recovering from your accident. Contact Jose at Calderon Law Firm at (346) 999-5673 or contact us online to start the process of getting what you deserve.