A serious car crash can begin in an instant and last only for a few seconds, but the consequences of that wreck can linger for months, years, and sometimes even decades after the dust clears. When it comes to pursuing civil restitution for the effects of a wreck caused by someone else’s actions or inactions, you can expect the amount of time your case takes to fall somewhere between those two extremes — and exactly where it falls can vary a lot depending on the circumstances surrounding your accident.
One of the best things you can do to streamline the litigation process and maximize your chances of getting paid fairly for your damages after an auto accident is to retain a skilled auto collision attorney from Phillips Law Group. With that said, here are some other things that can impact the length of a Phoenix, AZ car accident case, as well as what deadlines state law places — or sometimes does not place — on different parts of this process.
The main influence on how long the car accident claims process in Phoenix, AZ lasts is how severely the person filing the claim was injured in the wreck. Broadly speaking, cases involving permanent and debilitating injuries take longer to conclude both in and out of court compared to cases involving less serious injuries which will heal completely with time. This is because the former case will likely revolve more around expected future damages, which must be identified and assigned a fair value well in advance of when they fully manifest.
The quality and availability of evidence indicating fault for the wreck can also drag out settlement negotiations and court proceedings, since it may be harder to establish who is to blame for the incident and who should therefore hold financial liability for its consequences. Ultimately, though, those obstacles can often be overcome if the other party involved in the claim is cooperative, which means a stubborn defendant or bad-faith insurance provider can grind a claim to a halt for weeks or months at a time.
Generally, it is best to start the insurance claims process after a car accident in Phoenix as soon as possible after the wreck, since insurance companies will rarely accept claims filed more than a couple of weeks after an incident first occurs. When it comes to lawsuits over these sorts of incidents, though, state law sets a largely inflexible deadline of two years after an injury initially happens for the injured person to file suit against the person who caused that injury.
Importantly, this does not necessarily mean that the settlement process for a car accident claim must conclude within two years of the wreck, since it is still possible to settle a case like this out of court all the way up until the moment a judge renders a final verdict. However, anyone who fails to formally file suit within this deadline will have virtually no chance of recovery, since the court would not accept their claim and the other parties involved would have no legal pressure to continue settlement talks.
In the aftermath of a traumatic car accident, the last thing anyone wants to do is get caught up in a prolonged battle with insurance companies — let alone the person responsible for the wreck — over the compensation they should be owed for their damages. If you want to protect your short-term and long-term best interests after a serious wreck, though, going through this process is often a necessity, although it can be much easier to handle with help from a seasoned legal professional.
If you have questions about the possible length of a Phoenix, AZ car accident case and what options you might have for pursuing one, a trusted advocate from Phillips Law Group can give you the answers you need. Call today to speak with a member of our team about your potential claim during a free, no-obligation consultation. Do not hesitate to reach out, we look forward to having the opportunity to help you! Give us a call now to learn more.
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