How Long Does It Take to Receive a Personal Injury Settlement in New York?

Many personal injury lawsuits are not resolved with a jury verdict after a lengthy court battle. Instead, many cases are cut short by settlement agreements.

The time it takes to receive a personal injury settlement in New York may vary from case to case. While some plaintiffs get their settlements rather quickly, others have to wait. How quickly you get a settlement may depend on how long it takes to negotiate with the defendant and their willingness to cooperate and compromise. You must also deal with insurance companies who might be reluctant to pay up. Our team of Corona, Queens personal injury lawyers can help you determine if you should agree to a settlement and if a settlement offer is good or bad.

A settlement agreement may help speed up your case, but you might still have to wait to receive your compensation. Our New York personal injury lawyers can help you get your compensation as quickly as possible. For a free case review, call the Elmhurst, Queens personal injury lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083.

How Long Do Personal Injury Settlements Take to Negotiate in New York?

How long it takes for a plaintiff to get their compensation after a settlement depends on a lot of different factors. Ideally, the compensation should come through as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, many cases experience roadblocks and hurdles during settlement negotiations and even after an agreement is reached. Our Staten Island personal injury attorneys are experienced negotiators who can help you get compensation as quickly as possible.

How long it takes to get a personal injury settlement will depend on how long it takes to negotiate. In some instances, the negotiation process is much shorter than the trial process, and defendants and plaintiffs settle as soon as possible. Other times, negotiations drag on, and the parties have a tougher time agreeing. If you have difficulty negotiating, it may take longer to get your settlement.

A settlement may take longer to receive if the parties are unwilling to cooperate or if there is a lack of evidence supporting your case. You must also consider scheduling conflicts. Negotiations often happen over the course of several meetings, and scheduling these meetings may be hard if one or both parties are very busy.

Speeding Up Settlement Negotiations in a New York Personal Injury Lawsuit

Receiving a settlement may happen a bit faster if the parties involved are more willing to cooperate and compromise. In some cases, both parties make it clear at the very start of the case that they do not want a trial, and both would rather settle. In such cases, settlements tend to happen faster because both parties are motivated to compromise and reach an agreement.

Although it does not happen often, defendants are sometimes morally compelled to do the right thing and offer a fair settlement almost right away. This might happen in cases where a plaintiff is very seriously injured, and the defendant wishes to settle to clear their conscious.

In lieu of such a generous settlement, you can often speed up the process and receive your settlement sooner by hiring an attorney with strong negotiation skills. Our Bronx personal injury attorneys can leverage your evidence against even the most uncooperative defendants and argue for the most compensation possible as quickly as possible.

You might also be more likely to receive your settlement sooner if the total amount is relatively small. While you should not settle for less simply to get a quick settlement, you might receive compensation a bit faster if your case is worth a relatively smaller amount, like a few thousand dollars.

Factors That Slow Down New York Personal Injury Settlements

It is important to avoid certain pitfalls and roadblocks that might slow down your case and delay your settlement when entering settlement negotiations. One such hindrance is a stubborn defendant. Some defendants are reluctant to settle, perhaps because they believe they have done nothing wrong or simply do not want to pay. It might take longer to negotiate with this kind of defendant, and you may receive your settlement later.

A lack of evidence can also slow down your settlement. Many plaintiffs whom defendants wronged have trouble coming up with evidence. While a lack of evidence does not mean you are wrong about your case, it does mean you are in for an uphill battle. With less evidence on your side, a defendant might be less willing to negotiate a settlement, especially if they think they can win at a trial.

Even after you reach a settlement, insurance companies have a nasty habit of delaying your compensation. If the defendant’s insurance pays the settlement, the insurance company must process the payment, which may take several weeks or longer.

How Do I Know If I Should Settle for a Personal Injury Case in New York?

If you need help deciding whether a settlement is a good idea, you should consider if a settlement is even possible in your case. If the defendant appears unwilling to reach any kind of compromise, it might be wise to forego settlement negotiations and prepare for a trial.

If you have already been offered a settlement, you should only accept if the settlement adequately covers your damages. While settlements are typically a compromise between the parties, and all your damages might not be included, you should not be left with crippling debts after accepting a settlement.

You should also discuss the likelihood of your success at a trial with our Brooklyn personal injury attorneys. If a win is highly likely, you can either pressure the defendant for a greater settlement or go to trial and get your full damages covered.

Call Our New York Personal Injury Attorneys for Guidance

If you are curious about how long a settlement might take, or if you have reached a settlement and are still waiting to receive it, our Long Island personal injury attorneys can help you. Call the Brooklyn personal injury lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 for a free case review.