If you’ve been injured in an accident, you may be wondering how long it will take to receive your settlement check. In Houston, the average time frame for a personal injury settlement is about six months. However, this can vary depending on the severity of the accident and the insurance company involved.
It’s important to note that if you plan on filing a personal injury lawsuit, it could take much longer to receive your settlement check. The length of time will depend on how complex the case is and how busy the courts are. Most injury victims decide to settle their claims outside of court because it is easier, quicker, and oftentimes cheaper. Avoiding the cost of going to court is usually beneficial for both sides and the insurance companies will also benefit from avoiding those additional costs.
Aspects of Your Case That Could Delay a Settlement:
How Busy are the Courts
If you do not settle your case and it ends up going to trial, a lot of factors can contribute to a longer wait to receive your compensation. If the courts are backed up it can take weeks and often months to schedule. Due to Covid-19 Texas courts were closed for a long time and they are still working on a backlog of cases which is expected to continue into the second half of 2022. They are working to increase this by increasing the number of in-person trials they are holding, and shortening the downtime between them. However, overwhelmed courts can cause extensive delays.
Maximum Medical Improvement
Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) is a term used by medical providers and describes when an injury victim has gotten “as good as they will get”. MMI occurs when treatments have reached a plateau and either the victim has fully recovered or no further progress is expected to happen. Generally its smart to wait you reach MMI before you settle your case/go to trial. Then you will have the ability to provide all of the incurred medical bills, and be able to estimate the continual cost of medical care if you need it long-term. Hiring a Houston Personal Injury Attorney is a vital step. They will fight for the cost of future medical care if you need it in addition to lost wages if you are temporarily or permanently disabled.
Contact an Attorney
If you have an experienced personal injury attorney working on your case, they’ll be able to give you a better estimate of how long it will take. Either way, it’s important to be patient and understand that the process of getting a settlement check can take some time. If you have any questions or concerns, be sure to speak with your personal injury attorney. They’ll be able to guide you through the process and help ensure that you receive the settlement you deserve. Call Adam Miller, The Texas Bulldog at 713-572-3333 today. He will be able to meet with you and give you a no-obligation, free case review. You will never have to pay anything unless he wins or settles your case.
