If you are wondering, “How long does it take to settle a Colorado pedestrian accident claim?” there isn’t a cut-and-dry answer.
In some cases, you will settle a pedestrian accident claim within just a few months. In other instances, you might spend years negotiating with the defendant in your case before finally agreeing to a settlement and recovering damages.
The circumstances surrounding a Colorado pedestrian accident will ultimately determine how long you should expect a settlement to take. Find out about several factors that will impact the length of a personal injury claim below.
The Severity of Your Pedestrian Accident Injuries
Unfortunately, more serious pedestrian accidents have started occurring in Colorado in recent years. Pedestrian fatalities have increased in the Centennial State each year since 2020.
If your pedestrian accident was relatively minor and didn’t involve any catastrophic injuries, the answer to the question, “How long does it take to settle a Colorado pedestrian accident claim?” might be “not long at all.” However, the opposite will likely be true if you suffered serious injuries during your accident, such as a traumatic brain injury or a spinal cord injury.
More is at stake in these personal injury cases, so it shouldn’t surprise you that they tend to take longer than those involving less serious injuries.
The Disputes Over Liability in Your Pedestrian Accident Case
You will think the defendant in your personal injury case was at fault when they hit you, but do others agree with this assessment? If not, this is another factor that could cause the negotiations related to your pedestrian accident claim to drag on longer than you might like.
If the legal team for a defendant believes you deserve blame for some or even all of your accident, they might not want to settle your case for what you think it’s worth. Your case could last for months or even years before you reach a settlement agreement, assuming you ever reach one at all.
The Willingness of a Defendant and Their Insurance Company To Negotiate
Some defendants, lawyers, and insurance companies are more willing to settle cases than others. Certain insurance companies, in particular, won’t settle a Colorado pedestrian accident case until they have exhausted every other option.
When insurance companies are involved in pedestrian accident claims, they also usually push to wait until plaintiffs have finished their medical treatments for injuries sustained during auto accidents with pedestrians before settling cases. This alone could lead to the answer to the question, “How long does it take to settle a Colorado pedestrian accident claim?” being “a long time.”
The Pedestrian Accident Attorney You Hire To Provide Legal Representation
During settlement negotiations in a Colorado pedestrian accident case, defendants, their lawyers, and insurance companies will typically try to settle for the lowest amount possible. They will drive a hard bargain when negotiating with the legal teams of plaintiffs in an attempt to avoid providing them with too much compensation.
For this reason, the pedestrian accident attorney you hire could play a big part in how long settlement negotiations take. The more experienced and knowledgeable your lawyer is, the quicker they should wrap up negotiations without giving in too much to the defendant.
Let Us Speak With You About How Long Your Colorado Pedestrian Accident Case Might Take
Answering the question, “How long does it take to settle a Colorado pedestrian accident claim?” is complicated. So many factors will affect the length of settlement negotiations in a case like this. Contact Grant & Associates Law Firm, P.C., at 970-356-5666 or fill out this form to schedule a consultation and discuss the specifics of your case with a trusted attorney.