One of the most common questions we receive at Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers is, “How long will my car accident case take to settle in Fort Walton Beach, Florida?” Unfortunately, this is not a question that we can answer with a simple response.
Our Fort Walton Beach car accident attorneys know that you are relying on settlement proceeds to pay off your medical bills, make up for lost wages, and compensate you for your other losses. At Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers, we want to help you receive as much money as possible as soon as possible.
We are here to help you navigate the claims process and can give you a better idea about the potential timeline for your case based on your individual circumstances. Contact our law office in Fort Walton Beach, FL today at (850) 863-5297 for a free consultation to learn more.
How Our Fort Walton Beach Car Accident Lawyers Can Help You Resolve Your Case
Our car accident attorneys in Fort Walton Beach have over 60 years of combined legal experience. We’ve acquired millions of dollars for injured people throughout Florida.
We know what it takes to secure favorable settlements for our clients and can help build a stronger case for you by:
- Investigating the car accident
- Identifying all at-fault parties and available insurance for coverage
- Gathering persuasive evidence to establish liability and the full extent of your damages
- Working with your medical providers to ensure you receive proper treatment
- Gathering the evidence we need to show how your injuries have affected you
- Calculating a reasonable value for your claim
- Negotiating for fair compensation on your behalf
While we will try first to resolve your claim through a favorable settlement deal so you receive your money faster, we are not afraid to go to trial when the case calls for it. Contact our office today to get started on your claim.
Timeline of a Fort Walton Beach Car Accident Claim
To better understand how long your car accident claim may take to resolve, you should understand all the steps leading up to a settlement.
Report the Car Accident
Florida law requires you to report any motor vehicle accident that results in personal injury, death, or property damage of $500. When you report the accident, a law enforcement officer can come to the scene, gather the other driver’s information, and possibly cite the other driver for violating a traffic law.
File an Insurance Claim
To start the process of recovering compensation for your losses, you will want to make a claim. You can begin by filing a claim with your own no-fault insurance.
Florida no-fault coverage provides $10,000 in property damage liability coverage and personal injury protection (PIP). This coverage provides 80% of all reasonable medical expenses and 60% of lost wages, up to $10,000.
Investigate the Accident
After you report the accident, the insurance company will likely conduct an investigation. However, the insurance company’s interests and your own are not aligned. You want to maximize your coverage while it wants to minimize it.
Your car accident lawyer can conduct an independent investigation to help bolster your case.
This investigation may include:
- Preserving physical evidence at the accident scene and electronically-stored data
- Interviewing witnesses
- Reviewing the accident report
- Analyzing accident scene photos and videos
- Hiring accident reconstruction experts to reveal the likely cause(s) of the accident
An experienced Fort Walton Beach personal injury lawyer can determine what steps are necessary to support your claim.
Complete Medical Treatment
Your personal injury lawyer may recommend you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI) before you try to settle your claim. MMI is the point where you have recovered as much as is expected.
It is also a point when you can more accurately estimate the potential value of your claim. Your treating doctor can explain the medical treatments you will likely need in the future, and you can more accurately estimate how the accident has affected your long-term earning potential.
Make a Demand
Once your lawyer can accurately estimate the potential losses you will incur because of the accident, they can prepare a settlement demand.
This demand package will highlight the following information:
- How the accident occurred
- How the insurance company’s insured is legally responsible for the accident
- The injuries you sustained
- The amount of compensation you demand to settle the case
The insurance company must respond to the demand within the required time frame.
Negotiate With the Insurance Company
The insurance company probably won’t immediately agree to pay the amount of compensation your lawyer demanded. However, it might respond to the demand by offering a different amount of compensation. You can accept this counteroffer, or you can continue to negotiate for a higher amount.
Most Fort Walton Beach car accident claims are resolved at this point. If you have not reached a settlement, your car accident lawyer can discuss the possibility of filing a lawsuit and proceeding to trial.
What If I Have Already Received a Settlement Offer?
If you have already received a settlement offer without the help of a lawyer, here are a few things you should know:
- Insurance companies often make a quick settlement offer before accident victims have a chance to learn how serious their injuries are or consult an experienced lawyer.
- When you accept a settlement, you cannot later go back and request more money. You forfeit this right by taking the money.
- Car accidents can have significant long-term effects on victims. You may be affected in ways you did not even imagine when trying to figure out the value of your claim.
Before accepting any settlement offer, talk to a lawyer first. Our law firm does not charge anything for a consultation, so it won’t hurt to get a second look before agreeing to a settlement.
Contact Our Experienced Fort Walton Beach Car Accident Lawyers For Help With Your Claim
If you were hurt in a car accident, turn to the compassionate Fort Walton Beach, Florida car accident lawyers with Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers. We can answer any questions you have about your claim, like “How long will my car accident case take to settle?” and “How much is my case worth?”
We have recovered millions of dollars for our clients and will work diligently to secure fair compensation for you, too. Call us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
