Factors That Determine The Progress Of Personal Injury Cases

Most plaintiffs in personal injury cases want to get their money as soon as possible. The haste is understandable, given that injuries often leave people in dire financial situations. Below are some of the factors that determine how fast you can get your hands on the settlement check.

Stage of Settlement

Most injury cases settle before trial, but a few end in trials. Cases that settle outside the courtroom tend to take shorter periods than cases that go to court. The discrepancy makes sense due to the unpredictability, bureaucracy, and caseload of courtrooms.

Aim for an out-of-court settlement if you want your case to conclude fast. The best way to do this is to convince the other party that you have a strong case, and you are likely to get a huge award if you go to trial.

Case Complexity

Simple cases conclude fast while complex cases drag on for a long time. For example, a slip and fall case is a relatively simple case. Determining liability and damages in such a simple case is likely to be straightforward.

A medical malpractice case, however, is complex and can take a long time. Besides, such complex cases have rigid rules and regulations that all parties to the case must follow. For example, a medical malpractice case must pass through a malpractice review panel that determines the validity of the case.

Amount of Damages

As you may suspect, defendants tend to put up more spirited defenses for expensive cases (in terms of damages) than inexpensive cases. If you are seeking a million dollars in damages, expect your case to progress slower than if you are seeking ten thousand dollars in damages. Expect lots of pretrial motions, evidence, testimonies, and even appeals for expensive cases. 

Jurisdiction Caseload

A typical court often juggles multiple cases at the same time. The jurisdiction's caseload will affect the progress of your case since the court must serve each person fairly. Thus, the more people file civil cases in your jurisdiction, the longer your case can take.

Your Patience

Lastly, your patience or willingness to settle will also affect the progress of the case. Some defendants can overwhelm you with requests and motions to delay the case and force you to give up. Don't forget that negotiations outside the courtroom may still continue even during the trial. If you are not patient, you can easily give up and accept whatever the defendant is offering – concluding your case fast.

For more information about personal injury cases, visit sites like https://www.bangelaw.com/.


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