If you have been involved in a personal injury accident in New Jersey, your next step might be to pursue a legal claim against the opposing party. But how long does it take to settle a personal injury claim?
In this article, we will give you a brief overview of the personal injury claims process and how long your case might take. If and when you’re ready to move forward, contact our team for a free consultation to discuss your case and see how we can help.
What Is the Typical Process in a Personal Injury Claim?
Before getting into how long it might take to resolve your personal injury claim, it’s important to have a basic understanding of the process in general.
Generally, a personal injury case will include some or all of the following steps:
- Gathering evidence;
- Assessing your damages;
- Negotiation and settlement discussions with opposing parties; and
- Proceeding with trial, if necessary.
Not all cases will require a trial, but in the event yours does, it will be important to have an experienced trial attorney in your corner to advocate on your behalf.
How Long Will It Take to Resolve My Case?
This answer to this question is not as simple as you might think.
Depending on the facts and circumstances surrounding your case, it might take weeks, months, and in some cases even years, to resolve your case.
Some factors that may affect how long your case might take to resolve include:
- Whether there was property damage in addition to your injuries;
- The extent and severity of your injuries;
- The availability of evidence and witnesses to the accident;
- Whether your injuries will require you to be away from work;
- Whether either party has insurance coverage;
- The complexity of the facts and legal issues involved; and
- The willingness of the involved parties to enter into reasonable settlement discussions.
While most personal injury cases end in some form of out-of-court settlement, this is not always possible. Regardless of how long your case ultimately takes to resolve, the personal injury attorneys at O’Connor, Parsons, Lane & Noble will be prepared to see it to the finish line to get you the compensation you need and deserve.
What Is the Average Settlement for a Personal Injury Claim?
Unfortunately, there is no “average” settlement for a personal injury claim. However, there are ways to determine what your potential settlement could be.
The primary consideration in determining what your personal injury settlement could be is what your damages are.
Legal “damages” refer to the monetary sum that you are entitled to recover due to the wrongful actions of another party. In a personal injury case, you might be able to recover damages for things such as:
- Property damage,
- Ambulance costs,
- Emergency surgery,
- Hospital stays,
- Prescription medications,
- Physical therapy or other rehabilitation services,
- Lost wages,
- Reduced earning capacity,
- Pain and suffering,
- Emotional distress, and
- Loss of companionship or consortium.
The damages above are referred to collectively as compensatory damages. These compensatory damages are designed to help make you whole and compensate you for the actual harm you have suffered.
In some rare circumstances, New Jersey also allows a personal injury victim to recover punitive damages. The purpose of punitive damages is to punish especially egregious conduct in an attempt to deter future wrongful conduct. However, it is important to note that New Jersey law caps punitive damages at five times the amount of your compensatory damages or $350,000, whichever is greater.
If you have questions about what you may be entitled to recover, contact the attorneys at O’Connor, Parsons, Lane & Noble today. We can help you assess your damages and determine your potential personal injury claim settlement.
Consult Our Personal Injury Lawyers Today
If you have questions about your personal injury claim, we want to help.
The team of attorneys at O’Connor, Parsons, Lane & Noble has over 100 years of combined experience helping deserving individuals get the compensation they need. Our firm has a successful track record, recovering millions of dollars in both settlements and trial verdicts for our clients. Contact us today for your free consultation to discuss your case and see what we can do for you.