If you have been injured and are thinking about partnering with a personal injury lawyer in Bartow, Florida, there are a lot of different aspects to consider.
A catastrophic injury or a death in the family is already a major event in most peoples’ lives, requiring months of physical rehabilitation, mourning, disputes with insurers, and hefty medical expenses. Most people who have been injured simply want to get back to their daily routine, and they are concerned that filing a lawsuit will keep that from happening by prolonging the entire situation.
Most personal injury lawsuits in Florida take between 6 and 18 months to resolve after retaining counsel. Generally, the length of medical treatment and the nuances of the legal issues at play determine how long the case takes to resolve.
When you partner with a reputable personal injury lawyer in Bartow, Florida, they will handle most of the work for you. Your lawyer will shield you from insurers, walk you through each step of the process, investigate the case when necessary, and handle the legal and administrative aspects of the situation. In other words, your Bartow lawyer will work toward getting the best possible financial recovery for you, allowing you to fully concentrate on your medical and emotional recovery.
Factors that impact the timeline of a personal injury case.
Many potential causes might result in your case taking a much longer amount of time than is usual. Some of these include:
- There is a disagreement between the claimant and the defendant’s insurance company regarding the settlement value.
- Key witnesses cannot appear for deposition testimony due to unavailability.
- Insurance coverage or legal arguments presented by the defendant’s insurance company lead its attorneys to question whether their client will be required to pay anything to resolve a particular claim.
The physical recovery of the accident victim is one of the biggest challenges to be addressed before any settlement can be reached. In most cases, one party will have a differing view of the injuries, the facts, or the evidence that supports the injury. Medical professionals may be consulted to ascertain the severity of the injuries and how they will affect the rest of a person’s life.
A case may be valued higher if the injury interferes with a person’s ability to earn a living. Additionally, the severity of an injury may need an extension of the period allotted for settlement talks to take place or for a trial to be held.
In general, a personal injury lawyer in Bartow, Florida will not try to reach a settlement until their client has received a diagnosis and a prognosis from their treating physician. This is especially true for paralysis, traumatic brain injury (or craniocerebral trauma), burns, spinal cord injury, neck and/or back injury, child injuries, scars requiring plastic surgery, fractured bones, etc.
How do most personal injury lawsuits get resolved in Florida?
In a personal injury case, you are essentially asking the court to decide whether the person you are suing is financially liable for causing your injury by doing something that the law forbids (referred to as “negligence”). If the court rules in your favor, you will be compensated for your injuries.
Most of the time (but not always), a defendant will have insurance to cover the costs of the lawsuit if they are found guilty. This means that an insurance company is typically involved in a personal injury case just as much as the person who injured you.
It is only a question of when the insurance company settles and how much money they settle for, but most personal injury claims are settled out of court before they ever make it to trial.
Suppose the other side feels that your case has merit, which it will assess by exchanging information with your personal injury lawyer in Bartow, Florida. In that case, you will have a better chance of reaching an early settlement. If the other side disputes the case’s value or has different reasons for holding out, the case may take longer to resolve.
Looking for the Best Personal Injury Lawyer in Bartow, Florida?
Are you considering filing a personal injury lawsuit in Bartow? Looking to partner with the best personal injury lawyer in Bartow, Florida? If so, look no further than Tonya Stewart and her legal team at Tonya Stewart Law PA. Contact our office today at (863) 279-4473 to schedule free consultation.