Every personal injury and wrongful death claim is unique. When you are injured in a motor vehicle crash, a slip and fall accident, or any other type of accident, your expenses can quickly add up, especially if the injury forces you to stop working as you recover. After months of negotiations, you may reach a resolution with the defendant and their insurance company.
While there may be light at the end of the tunnel, a few things still need to be ironed out before you receive your settlement check. So, after accepting a settlement offer, how long does it take to receive compensation? Understanding the settlement process and its timelines can help you track down your compensation and know when to expect your payment to arrive.
At Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers, our personal injury attorneys will diligently pursue your claim and push for the best possible compensation in the shortest time possible without jeopardizing your claim. This ensures you get the compensation you deserve quickly so you can go about your life without dealing with insurance companies for months.
What Happens Before Receiving a Personal Injury Settlement?
In the aftermath of an accident, it’s normal to wonder, “After accepting a settlement offer, how long does it take to receive money in my bank account?” But first, you need to know that once you reach a verbal agreement with the defendant’s insurance representatives, there are additional steps before you receive compensation, including:
Signing the Release Form
Once both parties have reached an agreement, the insurance company will send you a release form to sign. This form should cover all of your accident-related damages. Your personal injury lawyer will review the document’s details and advise if the terms and conditions are favorable and whether you should sign the form and proceed with the settlement process.
Typically, a release form frees the defendant and their insurance company from additional liability or claims once signed. It may also contain non-disclosure terms, which the insurance company may require you to agree to before issuing a settlement check.
Remember, the release or waiver form contains plenty of legal jargon. Have an experienced attorney with you to help you understand the document before proceeding to the next step.
Issuing the Settlement Check
Typically, the insurance company doesn’t issue a check until it receives a signed release form. Once the company receives this document, it will process your payment and write and mail a check to your personal injury lawyer’s office with your name on it.
Receiving the Check
Unless you don’t hire an attorney, your check will typically arrive at the law offices of Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers first. Your attorney will deposit the check into a trust or escrow account and wait for it to clear. Once it is cleared, they will pay out any outstanding medical debts, legal costs, or other fees. This step helps to avoid future lawsuits for pending bills related to your case.
Once your lawyer settles all case-related bills, they will write a new check with the remaining portion of the settlement. They will mail the check to you, which you can deposit and use as you wish.
How Long Does It Take To Get a Personal Injury Settlement?
Once you, your car accident attorney, the defendant, and their claims adjusters agree on a figure, the settlement process goes through several steps before you receive a settlement check. This process can take a while to complete. Usually, you can expect to receive your compensation within a month. However, some insurance companies may delay issuing settlement checks for whatever reason.
Waiting for the insurance company to process and issue a settlement check can be unsettling. At Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers, our Louisiana trial attorneys are ready to compel the insurance company to issue your settlement check once you’ve signed the release form, even if it means moving to court.
When it comes to the timelines for settlements in Louisiana, state law requires insurance companies to issue final payments to plaintiffs — injured victims — within 30 days of the settlement.
In Texas, insurance companies have five business days after notifying the injured party that they will pay a personal injury claim or part of the claim to issue a settlement check. State law requires an insurance company to accept or deny a claim within 15 days of receiving a notice of claim.
That being said, some factors may delay your payment once you sign a release form, including:
- Federal holidays
- Weekends
- Medical liens
- Insurance company policies
- Postal delays
- Subrogation payments to government-funded healthcare plans, such as Medicaid or Medicare, or any other program that covered your medical expenses
If the victim is a minor or in the event of a wrongful death case, you may also have to wait a little longer to receive a settlement check. These settlements may require a judge’s approval before compensation is issued. For cases involving minors, a case hearing must happen soon after the settlement agreement between the defendant’s representatives and the minor’s parents or guardian. The payment process begins only when the judge finds that the settlement serves the interests of the minor. This process can delay the disbursement of funds.
Establishing an attorney-client relationship with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Louisiana and seeking legal advice is the best way to maximize the settlement you receive for injuries and losses. At Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers, we won’t rest until we’ve done everything possible to get you maximum compensation for your claim.
Talk to a Louisiana Attorney About Your Personal Injury Settlement
Most settlements, including those for auto crash claims, workers’ compensation claims, product liability cases, and premises liability claims, are paid through checks from insurance companies. As a plaintiff, you’ll receive your money from your lawyer once the check clears after they deduct any case-related expenses, such as legal fees and medical bills.
At Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers, we make the personal injury settlement process as straightforward as possible for our clients. We will handle negotiations and settlement details on your behalf while you focus on healing and recovery. Our Louisiana injury law firm doesn’t charge any fees until you win compensation.
To learn more about the settlement process and how our lawyers can speed up your compensation, call (318) 221-1508 or contact us online for a free case review.
Sources
- RS 22:1892. Louisiana State Legislature. Accessed on August 15, 2023.
- Processing and Settlement of Claims. Texas State Legislature. Accessed on August 15, 2023.
- Federal Holidays. U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Accessed on August 15, 2023.
- Subrogation in Insurance: What it Is and Why It’s Important. Investopedia. Accessed on August 15, 2023.
