While an Oklahoma injury case is pending, it can seem as if time has frozen in its tracks. Weeks, even months can pass with no significant progress in the case. Many plaintiffs eager to get a personal injury settlement begin to wonder, how long will this take?
The answer is seldom straightforward. It could take a few months or several years. If the case goes to trial, it could take some years to settle. Pre-trial alone can take some years. Injury cases usually are quite different, though. Some can get quite complex, while others are much simpler. If the injured party requires long-term medical care, that can be a cause of his or her case taking quite long.
The reason why cases, where the victim suffered significant injuries, may take longer than usual is that settlement amount cannot be determined until a reasonably good idea of the costs of medical treatment that they have incurred and continue to incur is got. The injured party must be at what is described as Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) before a good picture of what medical costs are can be formed.
As well, disputes may arise over what caused the accident. The other party may deny that they were at fault and this can drag your injury case. Cases, where no agreement is reached as to who was at fault, can at times be mediated by a third party to avoid going to court.
Typically, your lawyer and that of the at-fault party try to avoid a trial. But if no agreement can be reached, a lawsuit may be inevitable.
Pre-Trial
This takes from six months to several years. In this period, both parties involved in the case compile evidence and share information. Both parties also attempt to avoid going to trial. Your lawyer makes demands while the other side makes settlement offers. Most cases in Oklahoma are settled at this stage.
Slip and fall injury cases are often settled within two years in Oklahoma if they do not wind up in court. Some other matters, such as those of medical malpractice, may take longer to be settled as they get quite complicated.
With auto accidents claims in Oklahoma, the time it takes to settle usually depends on the severity of injuries sustained by the victim.
Trial
Once your case goes to trial, there is no telling how long it will take to close. It can be heard and determined in one day or longer. However, do bear in mind that the case can be re-scheduled many times, depending on the judge’s schedule.
Whatever your situation is, the first step in speeding up the conclusion of your injury case is to talk to a reputable personal injury lawyer in Tulsa, OK. Provide all the information the lawyer requires of you. Make it easy for the attorney to access the information he needs. That way, it will not take months for him to compile the necessary information he needs to make a demand for you to the other party.
You must also be willing to consider reasonable settlement offers. However, this does not mean that you disregard some of the costs you have incurred or continue to bear in medical treatments and lost wages.
Strategy Session: Ask a Tulsa Personal Injury Lawyer
Have you been involved in an accident and are considering making a claim? Our personal injury lawyer in Tulsa, OK, can provide you with the professional help necessary to make your claim. Our lawyer is knowledgeable and skilled and able to handle your case at every stage.
Our lawyer knows that small details make significant differences. Unlike insurance adjusters, a personal injury attorney’s job is to represent you. Get someone on your side so that you are compensated adequately. Talk to a Tulsa personal injury lawyer today. Call Wirth Law Office at (918) 879-1681 for an introductory strategy session or send your question using the form at the top of this page.
