How Long Will My Car Accident Case Take to Settle in Texas?

If you have been injured in a car accident, you naturally want to settle your claim as quickly as possible. While an experienced Dallas car accident attorney will work to reach a fair settlement promptly, many factors influence how long it takes to settle a case.

At Bush & Bush Law Group, we work quickly to investigate your accident, identify causes and liable parties, and collect the necessary evidence to support your claim. Our mission is to get you the compensation you deserve as fast as possible.

However, we do not want to settle your claim for less than it is worth. Let’s consider the numerous factors that affect how long it takes to settle your case.

Why Trust Bush & Bush Law Group With Your Car Accident Case

• Results. We have collected over $50 million for our clients.
• Experience. Our attorneys have decades of experience successfully handling Dallas car accident claims.
• Integrity. We only take your case if we believe it has merit and we can help recover the compensation you deserve.
• Commitment. We are dedicated to providing the highest level of legal representation to each client.

Factors That Impact How Long It Takes To Settle Your Car Accident Case

Texas car accident cases may be settled within days of your accident or may take years to resolve. Numerous factors affect how long it takes to settle your claim. Some of the most common influences include:

• The severity of your injuries. When your injuries are more severe, it usually takes longer to settle your claim. This is partially because insurance companies want to wait until you have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI) to determine their settlement offer. This helps us more accurately calculate your current and future damages.
• The amount of your damages. The larger the claim for damages, the longer it usually takes to settle your case. It takes longer to collect the medical and economic evidence to support larger damages. Additionally, insurance companies typically take longer to settle cases with higher damages.
• The fault is disputed. When an insurance company denies fault or attempts to shift blame, it takes longer to reach an agreement. Many times these cases must go to trial, which can take many months or even years.
• Delay tactics. Insurance companies often delay negotiations, hoping to pressure victims into accepting a much lower offer than their claim is worth. It is essential that you are represented by an experienced car accident attorney who knows how to effectively combat unfair tactics used by insurance companies and defense attorneys.
• The need for expert witnesses and reports. When experts are used to help determine the cause, liability, or value of damages, it may take longer to settle a case. The expert witnesses take time to investigate and render their reports, and the other parties often want to take the experts' depositions prior to settlement or trial.
• The number of parties involved. When car accident cases involve numerous parties, lawyers, and insurance companies, it naturally takes longer to reach a settlement.
• The court’s docket. In some jurisdictions, the court docket is backlogged, and it can take longer to get necessary hearing dates and much longer to get a trial date.

Once we have completed an evaluation of your claim, our attorneys will advise you on the length of time we believe it will take to reach a settlement of your case. However, no attorney can guarantee how quickly your case will settle.

How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim in Dallas, Texas?

A statute of limitations sets the deadline for filing a claim to recover compensation for damages in a civil case. If you miss the statute of limitations for your case, you will be barred from recovering compensation for your damages.

The statute of limitations for Dallas, Texas car accident claims is outlined at Texas Civ Prac. & Rem. Code §16.003. The filing deadline for car accidents in Texas is generally two years.

This means that you have two years from the date of your accident to bring a personal injury claim. If your loved one died from injuries sustained in a car accident, you may have the right to bring a wrongful death action. Wrongful death actions must be filed within two years of the date of death of an injury victim rather than two years from the date of the accident.

However, there are exceptions to the two-year deadline. For example, if your claim involves a government entity, your deadline to file a claim is much shorter and depends on the specific entity involved. Additionally, there are circumstances that may provide a longer time period for you to file a claim.

You must promptly consult an experienced Dallas personal injury attorney to determine your filing deadline. In addition to determining your filing deadline, it is important to consult an attorney quickly to help preserve vital evidence.

Evidence to support your claim can be destroyed, lost, or diminished over time. So, your attorney will want to act fast to preserve that evidence and collect it for building your strongest case.

How Can I Help Speed Up the Settlement Process?

There are some actions you can take to help expedite the settlement of your claim. The first thing you can do to help speed up the process is to consult an experienced Dallas car accident attorney to advise you and help guide you through the legal process.

You can also help by seeking medical attention promptly and then following up with all appointments and your treatment plan. When clients stop going to therapy or don’t follow through with appointments, proving the value of their damages becomes much more difficult and can delay settlement proceedings.

Another helpful action is to document everything related to your accident, your injuries, and your medical treatment. Keep all receipts, invoices, and bills. Keeping a journal to document your injuries, pain, and impact on your daily life is also helpful.

In addition to these suggestions, be sure to follow all instructions and advice of your attorney. Ask them to give you a list of things you should and should not do while your claim is pending.

Why You Need a Dallas Car Accident Lawyer

An experienced Dallas car accident lawyer will investigate your accident to help determine and prove causation and liability. They will also identify and gather essential evidence to prove your case.

Once you can establish causation and liability and prove the value of your damages, the settlement of your case should speed up. Additionally, being represented by an experienced and skilled Dallas car accident attorney significantly increases your chances of recovering maximum compensation for your claim.

Let Bush & Bush Law Group Help You With your Dallas Car Accident Case

At Bush & Bush Law Group, our attorneys are excellent negotiators. We work hard to reach a fair settlement of your claim as quickly as possible.

Schedule an appointment today to discuss your car accident case by calling (469) 977-7777 or by visiting our contact page.