How Long Does it Take to Get a Settlement Check From a Car Accident?

If you or a loved one sustain an injury caused by the careless or negligent actions of another driver in Denver or throughout Colorado, you should be able to recover compensation for your losses. The vast majority of Colorado vehicle accident claims are resolved through settlement with insurance carriers. However, do you know how long it will take to receive a settlement check from an insurance carrier?

Here, we want to discuss the various factors that go into determining how long it takes for a car accident case to settle and for an injury victim to receive the money that they need.

Various Factors Affect How Long it Take for a Car Accident Settlement Check to Come

There is no one answer to how long it takes for a settlement check to come after a vehicle accident occurs. The truth is that most vehicle accident claims in Colorado are resolved through settlements with insurance carriers. However, there are many factors that go into how promptly a settlement check comes in the mail to the crash victims.

In some cases, a person injured due to the careless or negligent actions of other drivers will receive a settlement check relatively quickly, particularly if liability for the accident is not in dispute and if not much medical care is needed. When a claim is settled quickly, the check could be in a crash victim’s hands within a few weeks.

However, not all vehicle accident claims in Colorado settled quickly. Some of the factors that can significantly delay how long it takes for a crash claim to settle include the following:

• Fault dispute. If there is any dispute about liability for a vehicle accident, there will need to be an extensive investigation into the incident. This investigation will be conducted by law enforcement, insurance carriers, and legal teams for both parties.
• Medical treatment. Under no circumstance should any vehicle accident claim be resolved before the victim reaches maximum medical improvement. A doctor has to determine the point at which a person is not likely to improve with any further medical care. If a claim is settled before a person reaches maximum medical improvement, there will be no way for them to go back and recover more compensation if their injuries end up being worse than they thought.
• Disagreement over settlement amount. Even after fault is determined for an accident, an insurance carrier may disagree with how much money should be paid out. They may disagree with the medical expenses, property damage severity, or pain and suffering evaluation.

If there is any type of dispute about liability or much should be paid, or if medical treatment is ongoing, it could take some time for an insurance claim to resolve. Instead of a few weeks, the process could drag out for a few months or even more than a year. In the event a vehicle accident victim does not receive a fair settlement offer from the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier, it may be necessary to file a personal injury lawsuit in order to pursue a claim in civil court. When a case enters the civil court system, this can significantly draw out the time frame for how long it takes a victim to receive compensation for their losses. If  you’ve been injured in an accident, it’s important to contact a Denver car accident lawyer.