Like the compensation you may receive for your motorcycle accident, the time it takes to settle or litigate your claim may vary. You cannot expect your claim to look exactly like anyone else’s, even if you have very similar injuries or even must deal with the same insurance company. You should, however, expect it to take time to settle your motorcycle accident claim.
How long do your doctors need to fully assess your odds of recovery? If you suffered severe injuries in a motorcycle accident, your doctors may need time before they can determine how much you will recover. In the case of traumatic brain injury or incomplete spinal cord injury, for example, your doctors may need as much as six months to determine how much ground you will gain during your recovery. Likewise, if you suffered severe burns in your accident, your doctors may not know what your recovery will precisely look like, since multiple complications, including infection, can increase your recovery time.
Your attorney may recommend waiting to file your Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident claim. At that time, you may have a more accurate assessment of your medical expenses related to the accident and, just as important, a better idea of how much your injuries will limit you throughout the rest of your life.
How much compensation did you ask for? Insurance companies often prove more difficult to negotiate with when you need to ask for considerable compensation in your Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident claim. That does not mean that you should ask for less than you deserve in compensation for your injuries, but it does mean that if you suffered severe injuries, it may take longer to settle your claim. The insurance company may seek more evidence, including an independent medical evaluation, or take longer to approve the compensation you deserve.
How much must you negotiate? After talking to an attorney, you will have a reasonable idea of how much compensation you deserve for your motorcycle accident injuries. The insurance company will also have an idea of how much it wants to offer you. The difference between those two amounts may have a substantial bearing on the amount of negotiation you must go through to arrive at a settlement agreement. Sometimes, you and the insurance company can meet in the middle with relatively little issue. Other times, you may go through multiple rounds of negotiation before reaching an acceptable agreement.
Sometimes, you may not reach an agreement with the insurance company or the liable party. In that case, you may need to proceed to mediation: a meeting with a court-appointed mediator who will listen to both sides of the case and try to help you reach an agreement. If the mediator cannot help you reach an acceptable agreement, you may need to go to court to settle your claim.
Most motorcycle accident lawsuits settle out of court. The insurance company usually does not want to put out the expense of a court battle, since this usually significantly increases its costs. However, you should prepare to go to court if needed. An attorney can provide vital support and advice throughout that process.