How Long Does a Maryland Personal Injury Case Take To Settle?
When personal injuries happen in Maryland, victims and their families often want two things: to heal from what happened and put the legal process behind them as quickly as possible. While those are completely understandable goals, it’s easy to get frustrated when recovery doesn’t happen as quickly as you want.
Knowing what to expect can help in managing expectations. Our experienced Maryland personal injury attorneys explain the different stages of a claim and factors that influence the timeline for resolving your case.
Maryland Personal Injury Claims: Factors That Influence How Long It Takes to Get Compensation
Potentially serious personal injuries in Maryland can happen due to motor vehicle accidents, falls, getting struck by objects, or other causes. When others are negligent, you have the right to hold them liable under the Maryland Statutes.
Victims are understandably eager to get the compensation they need to cover their medical bills, lost earnings, and other costs. However, it can take time to investigate, gather evidence, negotiate with insurers, and get the total amount you need to prevent out-of-pocket future costs.
Factors that impact the timeline of Maryland personal injury claims include:
- The severity of your injuries, since cases involving serious or long-term conditions typically require more time.
- Whether liability is disputed by the at-fault party or their insurance company.
- The number of parties involved in the claim, as cases with multiple defendants or insurance carriers require more complex coordination.
- How quickly the insurers respond to settlement demands and whether negotiations proceed in good faith.
- Whether your case ultimately requires filing a personal injury lawsuit through the Maryland courts.
Patience during this process is often in your best interests. Quick settlements often downplay the total harm you suffered and may not cover your future losses.
What to Expect When Filing a Maryland Personal Injury Claim
When filing a Maryland personal injury claim, knowing what to expect in terms of the timeline can help make the process easier. Typical stages in these cases include:
- Getting medical treatment and reaching maximum medical improvement, so you know the full nature of your condition and whether any current impairments are likely to impact you in the future.
- Investigation and evidence gathering, including obtaining police reports, medical records, witness statements, and expert opinions.
- Demand and negotiation, where your attorney submits a formal settlement demand to the insurer and negotiates toward a fair resolution.
- Filing a Maryland personal injury lawsuit if the insurer fails to offer a reasonable settlement.
A lawsuit involves discovery, where both sides exchange evidence, mediation or settlement conferences, and a trial, if a settlement can’t be reached.
To Make the Maximum Recovery, Contact Our Experienced Maryland Personal Injury Attorneys
When personal injuries in Maryland happen, you have one chance to get the compensation you need to recover. At Berman Sobin Gross LLP, we provide the trusted legal guidance you need to make the maximum recovery, in the least amount of time possible. Contact our Maryland personal injury attorneys and request a consultation today.
Source:
dls.maryland.gov/pubs/prod/CourtCrimCivil/Negligence-Systems.pdf
