Unfortunately, lawsuits can take quite a bit of time. Some of this is related to the availability of the court to hear the case promptly. A lot of it, however, is due to the time spent negotiating a settlement. Settlements can be negotiated at any time during the process—even after the trial has begun—as long as no judgment has been rendered in the case.
Patience is often required for those who refuse to accept a settlement far below what their case is valued at. This is because insurance companies will do what they can to avoid paying out the full amount of a claim for an injury that was caused by their insured.
One thing that insurance companies like even less than paying out on claims, however, is paying for expensive litigation with the possibility of paying out the full amount demanded by the claimant as well. Suffice it to say, while you will likely receive a settlement offer rather quickly, be prepared to wait for a fair settlement offer to come in.