When you get into a car accident on the streets of Philadelphia, you may be aware that you have the right to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver to recover some much-needed compensation. Before you begin the legal process, however, you are likely to have one burning question in your mind:
“How long will my Philadelphia car accident case take to settle?”
Fortunately, you won’t need to wonder for very long. The Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers legal team is here to provide you with the information you require.
Understanding the Car Accident Claims Process in Pennsylvania
To fully comprehend the length of an average car accident case, one must first understand how lawsuits are dealt with in the state of Pennsylvania.
Though the details may change slightly from one case to the next, the litigation process generally follows this path:
Initial Filing
Every lawsuit begins when a plaintiff files a formal complaint with the court. Depending on the complexity of the case, this complaint may take anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks to prepare.
Service of Process
Once the complaint has been filed with the court, the plaintiff must then serve a copy to the defendant. This process typically takes a couple of weeks to complete. However, if the defendant attempts to avoid being served, it may take several months.
Response
When a defendant is served with a lawsuit, they are required to file a response with the court. In most cases, this response is given within a month of the date of service.
Discovery
Once the defendant has submitted their response to the plaintiff’s complaint, the discovery phase of the litigation process begins. During this phase, both parties request and exchange documents, photographs, and other evidence that may be used at trial.
Discovery is generally the longest phase of a Pennsylvania lawsuit. It is not unusual for the exchange of evidence to last for 6-12 months.
Trial
As soon as the discovery phase has concluded, a trial is arranged for a few weeks in the future. The courtroom proceedings typically last for no longer than a few days.
Appeal
If one party disagrees with the outcome of the trial, they can launch an appeal. Such an appeal has the potential to delay the conclusion of legal proceedings by several years.
The attorneys here at Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers, have been practicing law in the state of Pennsylvania for many years. If you would like some more information about the litigation process, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
At Which Stage of the Claims Process Are Lawsuits Typically Settled?
Legally speaking, the parties to a Pennsylvania car accident lawsuit can agree to settle the matter at almost any time. If circumstances align, a settlement offer can be made and agreed to as soon as a few days after the crash or as late as the day before the trial.
In practice, however, most lawsuits are settled during or after the discovery phase. This is particularly true when one party provides evidence that can swing the case in their favor.
Generally speaking, this fact means that the majority of car accident cases are settled in around 12-18 months.
Do you need an experienced lawyer to help you pursue the compensation you deserve after your Philadelphia car crash? If so, please reach out to the team here at Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers, as soon as you possibly can. We have the industry experience and statutory knowledge necessary to handle your case.
Factors That May Delay Philadelphia Car Accident Settlements
When a car accident lawsuit begins, everyone hopes that it will be resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen. Settlements are often delayed by factors such as:
Case Complexity
The lengthiest car accident lawsuits tend to be the ones that are the most complex. A brief list of some of the situations that may make a case more complicated would include:
- Multiple liable parties
- Multiple unrelated victims
- Contradictory expert witnesses
These complexities can easily add months or even years to the duration of a case.
Administrative Errors
Car accident injury claims in the state of Pennsylvania generally involve a lot of paperwork. When a form is filled out incorrectly or sent to the wrong person, it can cause significant delays to the resolution process.
Lack of Cooperation
Because insurance companies are commercial entities, they do not typically enjoy cutting sizable checks to the victims of Philadelphia car accidents. They would much prefer to keep their money in their own bank account.
In an effort to make it as difficult as possible for victims to recover the compensation they deserve, insurers sometimes fail to respond to communication and generally become uncooperative. This lack of cooperation can add a lot of time to a case.
The Nature of the Victim’s Injury
When car accident victims suffer traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord injuries, it can sometimes take a long time before doctors can confidently state how much their life is likely to be impacted by their injury. It is not unusual for this waiting period to delay settlements by several months.
The attorneys here at Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers, have been helping the people of Philadelphia with their personal injury cases for many years. As such, we know how to overcome the factors that frequently delay compensation payouts. To learn more about how we can keep your lawsuit moving in the right direction, just give us a call and set up a free case review with a member of our team.
How Much Compensation the Victims of Philadelphia Car Accidents Typically Receive?
The amount of compensation doled out to the victims of car crashes in the City of Philadelphia is generally determined by the following important factors:
- The impact their injury is likely to have on their life, and
- The limits on the at-fault driver’s insurance policy
People who are left with long-term disabilities and health challenges after being struck by a driver with high limits ordinarily receive the most sizable payouts.
When our Philadelphia law firm works on car accident cases, we typically demand compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Rehabilitative care costs
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Mental anguish
Would you like to have a car accident attorney from Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers, analyze your case and provide you with an estimate of its worth? If so, please reach out to us at your earliest convenience. We are always ready, willing, and able to assist our friends and neighbors here in Philadelphia.
How Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers Can Ensure That Your Car Accident Case Runs Smoothly
When you hire our Philadelphia law firm, we will endeavor to ensure that your personal injury lawsuit runs smoothly and efficiently by:
Processing Your Paperwork
Every year, hundreds of car accident victims throughout the United States see their lawsuits extended unnecessarily because of minor errors on paperwork. Even something as simple as a misspelled name can potentially add weeks or months to a case.
The attorneys and paralegals here at Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers, have been filling out legal paperwork for many years. As such, we are familiar with all of the common mistakes filers make when submitting forms to the court. When you hire us, we will help you avoid these errors by processing all of your paperwork on your behalf.
Searching for Evidence to Help Your Case
Quite often, car accident compensation claims are delayed because an insurance company requests additional evidence, such as:
- Witness testimony
- Police reports
- Medical records
- Traffic camera footage
The lawyers here at Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers, will help you avoid such delays by searching for and providing insurers with these pieces of evidence before they request them.
Communicating Regularly with All Involved Parties
Many Philadelphia car accident lawsuits are unnecessarily held up because insurance companies and other parties put them on the back burner to focus on other issues. The best way to avoid this nightmare scenario from happening in your case is to reach out to all involved parties regularly to remind them of their duties and responsibilities.
When you work with the legal team here at Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers, in Philadelphia, you won’t need to worry about sending emails and making phone calls to keep your case moving in the right direction. Our experienced lawyers will be more than happy to do so on your behalf.
Would you like to learn more about how our Philadelphia personal injury attorneys can help you with your car accident claim? Then please do not hesitate to give us a call or contact us online.
Wondering How Long it Will Take for Your Philly Car Accident Case to Settle? Contact an Experienced Philadelphia Car Wreck Lawyer Today
Without question, the best way to get a more accurate picture of the length of time it is likely to take for your lawsuit to settle is to speak with an experienced attorney from Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers. Contact us today to set up a free consultation at our Philadelphia law offices.
Related Articles
- Defective Tire Accidents
- Distracted Driving Accidents
- Do I Need a Lawyer After a Hit-and-Run Accident in Philadelphia?
- DUI Accidents
- Drunk Driving Accidents
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Head-On Crashes
- Highway Crashes
- Hit and Run Accidents
- How Long Will My Car Accident Case Take to Settle in Philadelphia?