The amount of time it takes an insurance company to resolve a claim in the state of Georgia all depends on the circumstances of each individual accident. For instance, in an accident that results in injuries, medical bills have to be addressed, as well as possible future compensation, in addition to compensating the victim for damages to his or her vehicle.
The fastest way to resolve an insurance claim is with an experienced car accident lawyer on your side. When you hire a lawyer to represent you, you never have to worry about the other side trying to manipulate your inexperience.
Settling Your Case
Ultimately, you are the one who decides when to settle, and for how much. However, even though the process can be a drag, the last thing you want to do is jump into a settlement without carefully considering all of the factors.
For instance, if you suffered an injury in the accident, how do you know that you won’t need medical care later on? And that you might miss work because of it? Shouldn’t you be compensated for that?
The insurance company will almost always throw out a low-ball number at first, hoping you’ll take the bait. It may seem like a large enough number, and you may think you can go it alone without a lawyer’s help, but how do you know you’re not entitled, by law, to twice that amount? What if your car needs repairs in the future that could be tied back to your recent accident? What then?
An experienced accident lawyer can review your case and advise you on the best course of action before you make a decision that you can’t take back.
Deadlines In Your Case
Most claims (about 85 percent) resolve before they make it to trial. However, it is not unheard of for an insurance company to refuse to pay an insurance claim that you are rightfully owed, leaving you no choice but to take your case to trial.
If your case does end up in the court system, there are some important timelines to be aware of when trying to determine when your case will settle. If you were injured in the accident, then you cannot even prepare a demand to your insurance company until your treatment has concluded and all of your bills and records have been filed. Once that happens, you can expect a schedule similar to the one below:
- 45-60 days: This is about how long it takes to get back your medical records from your doctor(s).
- 1 week: The time it takes to prepare the demand for the insurance adjuster.
- 30-60 days: This is how long it will take the insurance adjuster to call you back and make an offer. If you choose to accept the offer, then the case ends here, and you have a check in your hand within a month. If not, then you make a counteroffer, and the case continues.
- 30 days: The amount of time it takes to prepare a lawsuit if the insurance company does not agree to the counteroffer.
- 30 days: The amount of time the insurance company has to answer the lawsuit.
- 6-10 months: The amount of time permitted by the court during which discovery (gathering the necessary documents) takes place.
- 10 months to 2 years: The average time it takes to get a jury trial in the state of Georgia.
So, as you can see, once the case goes into litigation, it can take years to resolve. It is therefore preferable to come to a settlement before the case winds up in the court system, which may be easier with a knowledgeable lawyer working on your case.
If You Have An Accident Claim, We Can Help!
We know the process involved in trying to settle an insurance claim related to a car accident and how lengthy it can be. No one wants to spend years of their lives tied up in the court system, but if we can’t get you the settlement you deserve, then we are fully prepared to fight for you in court.
Fill out the form to the right, or call us at (404) 341-6555 to speak to a car accident lawyer. You will receive a free consultation with a member of our team, a team which has secured millions of dollars in settlement funds for our clients. There is no obligation to retain our firm, and we collect no fees unless we win. Call now!
