Personal injury lawsuits take anywhere between several months and several years to resolve. In some situations, it could take even longer than a year for an injury suit to reach a conclusion. The amount of time it takes to reach a verdict depends on the details of your case.
A Marietta personal injury lawyer will review your case and give an estimate of how long it might take to reach a verdict.
Let’s take a closer look at how long your personal injury lawsuit will take and how an attorney will help you pursue the damages you deserve.
Factors that Affect How Long Your Personal Injury Lawsuit will Take
There are several factors that affect how long your personal injury lawsuit will take. The following elements will impact the amount of time it takes for your attorney to obtain the damages you deserve to treat your injuries and move forward with your life:
- The complexity of your case
- The amount of evidence available
- The severity of your injuries and the extent of your damages
- Whether multiple parties were involved in the incident
- Whether there is a backlog in the courts
These are just a few of the factors that impact case length. An attorney will advise you on other obstacles and details that could cause your lawsuit to take longer than initially expected. Reach out to an attorney today to learn more about your case and legal options.
The Extent of Your Damages will Impact the Length of Your Lawsuit
When you suffer an injury in an accident caused by another party, you have the right to hire an attorney and pursue damages. Damages provide you with the money you deserve to cover medical bills and deal with other economic and non–economic losses caused by the accident. The more damages you’re owed, the longer your case will take to resolve.
A dedicated personal injury attorney will meet with you to discuss the injuries and losses you’ve suffered. They’ll use the information you provide to determine which damages you’re owed and how much you should receive from a claim in total. Depending on the details of your accident, you could receive any of the following damages from a civil suit:
- Medical bills
- Physical therapy costs
- Lost wages
- Decreased earning ability
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
If your only accident-related loss is medical bills, your lawsuit will likely take less time than if you pursue damages like lost wages, pain and suffering, and others. An attorney can offer more information on the damages you deserve and how long your personal injury lawsuit will take.
The Complexity of Your Case Can Make Your Lawsuit Take Longer
When determining how long a personal injury lawsuit takes, it’s important to factor in the complexity of the case. If your accident involved several parties, a great deal of evidence, extensive vehicle damage, and other complicating factors, it will take your lawyer longer to build a strong suit.
For example, if you were injured in an auto accident that involved multiple drivers, your attorney must analyze the evidence and determine which of the drivers should be held responsible for your injuries and losses. In some situations, more than one driver may be at fault.
If more than one driver is to blame, your lawsuit will likely take longer, as your attorney will be pursuing damages from more than one party. Meet with an experienced attorney today to learn more about how a complicated accident will make your personal injury lawsuit take longer to resolve.
Severe Injuries will Increase the Length of Your Lawsuit
If you’ve suffered serious injuries in an accident, you can expect your lawsuit to take longer than if your injuries were minor. Severe injuries will significantly impact the length of a personal injury lawsuit in several ways. For example, severe injuries will require months or even years of treatment, making it difficult to assess long-term damages.
Lawsuits involving severe injuries occasionally require expert testimony, such as testimony from medical specialists or accident reconstructionists. If your attorney requires testimony from an expert, your personal injury lawsuit will likely take longer.
You can expect your personal injury lawsuit to take longer than the average suit if you’ve suffered one of the following catastrophic injuries:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Spinal cord injury
- Amputation
- Severe burns
- Internal organ damage
- Multiple fractures
- Paralysis
- Crush injury
- Eye injury
- Nerve damage
- Deep lacerations
- Disfigurement
If you’ve sustained one of these injuries in a car crash, truck collision, or another type of accident, you’ll want to reach out to an attorney and get started on your case. Serious injuries will make your personal injury lawsuit take longer, so it’s important that you get started on your case sooner rather than later.
The Amount of Available Evidence will Impact Case Length
The amount of evidence that is available will also impact how long your personal injury lawsuit takes. When there is an extensive volume of evidence, such as medical records, witness statements, surveillance footage, or accident reconstruction reports, the process of collecting, reviewing, and organizing this information will take a great deal of time.
Attorneys must meticulously examine each piece of evidence to learn more about the accident you were involved in, determine who should be held responsible, and prove liability. Your attorney must also determine whether a given piece of evidence will be admissible in court.
Once your lawyer has gathered and analyzed all available evidence, they’ll use it to construct a lawsuit. Organizing evidence, constructing legal arguments, and preparing your case for trial will be time-consuming.
Fortunately, with a dedicated attorney by your side, you’ll be able to gather all the following forms of evidence and use them to support your civil suit:
- Medical records
- Police reports
- Witness statements
- Surveillance footage
- Dashboard camera footage
- Photographs of the accident scene
- Accident reconstruction reports
- Insurance information
- Vehicle maintenance logs
These are just a few examples of the types of evidence your attorney requires to build a strong lawsuit for you. Reach out to a knowledgeable lawyer today to learn more about the evidence you’ll need to file a civil suit and how it will impact how long your personal injury lawsuit takes to conclude.
You have a Limited Time to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit
When discussing how long your personal injury lawsuit will take, it’s important to understand the statute of limitations for injury suits in Georgia. Under Georgia Code § 9-3-33, you have two years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party.
If you don’t act within the two-year timeframe, you could lose your right to pursue damages further. Enlisting the services of a legal representative soon after your accident will give you the necessary time to submit your lawsuit well before the filing deadline.
If you hire an attorney soon after your accident, they’ll have the time they need to gather evidence, build a strong case, and file a well-supported lawsuit against the at-fault party. Reach out to an attorney today to learn more about the statute of limitations and how long you can expect your personal injury lawsuit to take.
Hiring a Lawyer Soon will Help Your Personal Injury Lawsuit
In addition to advising you on how long your personal injury lawsuit will take, an attorney will take several steps to improve your chances of receiving damages. Hiring a lawyer as soon as you can after an accident will help with the evidence collection process.
After an accident, evidence can go missing, and at-fault parties sometimes even destroy evidence. Finding a lawyer to represent you soon after the incident will ensure that all available evidence is collected and preserved.
The sooner you reach out to an attorney and get started on your case, the sooner you’ll receive the damages you deserve to get back on your feet. While it’s important to prioritize your physical recovery and attend medical appointments after an accident, it‘s also critical that you get an early start on your case.
A Quick Settlement Isn’t Always the Best Option for Injury Victims
In most injury claims, the at-fault insurance company will offer you a small settlement, usually a fraction of the money you deserve, within a few short weeks. However, this is the insurance company‘s attempt to avoid a larger payout. It’s important to consult with a lawyer before denying or accepting this settlement, as accepting it will prevent you from filing a lawsuit.
It sometimes takes several years for a lawsuit to yield money to treat your injuries. This isn’t as quick as many injury victims are looking for, but it’s important to remember that these can be very complex lawsuits.
A personal injury attorney will look at all aspects of your case and clearly demonstrate to a jury the damages you’ve suffered to get a favorable outcome. While filing a personal injury lawsuit may take longer than you expected, seeing the legal process through from start to finish is the best way to get the damages you’re looking for.
How an Attorney will Make Your Lawsuit Successful
In addition to advising you on how long your personal injury lawsuit will take, there are a number of other steps an attorney will take to help you after an accident. No matter how serious your injuries are or how complicated your case is, you can count on a lawyer to take the following steps:
- Investigate the accident you were injured in
- Determine how much your personal injury case is worth
- Gather evidence and build a strong lawsuit
- Negotiate with insurers
- Represent you during legal proceedings
- Fight for the damages you deserve to get back on your feet
- Provide effective legal advice at every step of your civil suit
- Answer any questions you have throughout the legal process
As you can see, there are several important actions your attorney will take to make your case as successful as possible. Reach out to a dedicated personal injury lawyer today to find out how long your lawsuit will take and get the help you deserve to recover fair damages.
Find an Attorney Who Works on a Contingency Fee Basis
If your accident was incredibly complicated, you might be hesitant to hire an attorney, as hiring a lawyer for a lengthy court case can be expensive. Fortunately, many personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. That means you won’t have to pay upfront or out-of-pocket for legal representation and advice to file a winning civil suit.
Instead, your attorney will investigate your accident, build a strong lawsuit, and fight for the damages you deserve in exchange for a portion of the money you receive at the end of your case. If you don’t recover damages, you won‘t owe your attorney a dime.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Georgia Personal Injury Lawyer
At Jones & Swanson, we stand for the long-term interests of our clients, not a quick payday. When you hire us, we’ll fight to get the damages you deserve to improve your life and put this unfortunate time in the past. We have over 45 years of combined experience handling cases like yours, so we’re confident we have what it takes to file a winning suit for you.
Contact our lawyers today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your legal options. We’ll meet with you to discuss your case and give you a rough estimate of how long your personal injury lawsuit will take. We look forward to hearing from you soon and representing your best interests throughout the legal process.
