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Timeline of a Personal Injury Lawsuit: What to Expect

There may be a lot you're trying to understand if you're part of a personal injury lawsuit, and one major element here is the expected or likely timeline of your case. How long does a personal injury lawsuit take? There are several factors that go into answering this question.

At the offices of William Rawlings & Associates, we're here to help with a wide range of personal injury attorney services, from car and truck accident lawyer services to other forms of personal injury like slip and fall cases, dog bite injuries and many more to clients around Salt Lake City, Provo, Draper and nearby areas of Utah. Here's a rundown of what you can expect in terms of typical steps for a personal injury case, plus some of the key factors that influence your expected timeline and what to know about each of them.

Timeline of a Personal Injury Lawsuit

Common Steps to Personal Injury Cases

While these may vary somewhat between individual cases, here's a basic rundown of how a personal injury situation and case will typically unfold:

  • Immediate medical treatment: In any situation where immediate medical treatment is required after an injury you believe was caused by another party, the personal injury case has already begun. This is due to the fact that your medical records will serve as key pieces of evidence in the case. Be sure to keep any and all records related to medical treatment you've received.
  • Consultations with attorneys: Once your immediate medical needs are addressed, it's time to begin thinking about legal representation. Speak to several lawyers or firms about the details of your case and their experience in this area - make sure to get a feel for how long they anticipate your case taking as well.
  • Investigation: Once you've hired an attorney, they will launch an investigation into the case and the circumstances surrounding it. This will include gathering evidence, collecting witness statements and more.
  • Documentation: Throughout the process, your attorney will be compiling and organizing all relevant documentation for your case. This may include medical records, insurance information, police reports and more.
  • Settlement negotiations: In many personal injury cases, a settlement is reached before the need for a trial arises. Your attorney will handle negotiations with likely several proposals back-and-forth between parties before an agreement is reached.
  • Trial: If a settlement cannot be reached, the next step is going to court for a trial. Here, both sides present their arguments and evidence in front of a judge or jury.

Which additional factors tend to influence how long these basic steps will take? Our next few sections will dig into this.

Severity of Injuries

One key factor here is how severe your injuries are. If you have minor injuries that heal quickly, the timeline of your personal injury case will likely be shorter than one where you suffer major or even lifelong disabilities as a result of the injury. In these latter cases, there may be additional medical treatments and evaluations required before a final settlement or trial can occur.

For instance, if you've suffered major head trauma in a car accident, your personal injury case may need to wait until doctors can determine the full extent of any lasting brain damage before it can move forward. If this process takes several months or even years, so too will your case.

Complexity of Case

Another factor here is the overall complexity of your case. In some situations, a personal injury case may be straightforward and fairly simple to resolve. However, in others, there may be multiple parties involved or difficult legal questions that require extensive research and investigation to answer. This could lead to a much longer timeline for your case.

For example, disputes regarding liability may arise in cases where more than one party is deemed responsible for your injuries. This can lead to lengthy negotiations and even further delays if the case needs to go to trial.

Availability of Evidence

As mentioned, gathering evidence is a key step in any personal injury case. However, certain types of evidence may be harder to obtain than others, leading to delays in the timeline. For instance, security footage from a store or restaurant that captures your slip and fall accident may have been erased by the time your attorney requests it. In these cases, alternative methods of proving liability will need to be explored which can prolong the case.

Furthermore, some cases may require expert testimony or evaluations which can also take time to schedule and obtain. These factors can all play a role in extending the timeline of a personal injury case.

Insurance Companies

In many personal injury cases, insurance companies are involved in some capacity. Whether it's your own insurance or that of the defendant, dealing with insurance companies can add significant time to your case. These companies may delay settlement negotiations or use other tactics to prolong the process and avoid paying out large sums of money.

Court System Backlog

Lastly, it's important to consider the current backlog within the court system. Depending on where you live, there may be a high volume of cases being heard at any given time, which could lead to delays in scheduling your trial. This is another factor that can be out of your control and may add time to the overall timeline of your personal injury case.

While every personal injury case is unique, there are common steps and factors that influence the length of these cases. It's important to work closely with a trusted attorney who can guide you through the process and advocate on your behalf for a timely resolution. At the offices of William Rawlings & Associates, we have years of experience handling personal injury cases and will work tirelessly to ensure your case is resolved as quickly and fairly as possible. Contact us today for a free consultation and let us help you get the justice and compensation you deserve, whether you're in SLC, Provo, Draper or any nearby area of Utah.

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