Many factors impact how long it takes to settle a slip-and-fall claim. In general, it can take anywhere from several weeks to several years to settle a slip-and-fall claim, though the typical length is between five and seven months.
At H&P Law, the objective of our Las Vegas slip and fall lawyer is to help you settle your claim for the highest possible value in the shortest amount of time.
Average Slip and Fall Claim Settlement Time
A slip-and-fall accident claim allows victims to seek financial compensation for the losses they have after suffering an injury due to the negligence of a property owner.
To file a claim, the victim must analyze all of their losses, including immediate and ongoing medical needs, and then file a claim. There are several reasons it can take six months or longer to reach a slip-and-fall settlement claim:
- Documents with evidence are not filed with the insurance company. Any delay in this process will lead to extensions of this timeline. The problem is it can be very challenging to determine what specific steps and documentation must be provided.
- Requests for additional information and medical records. Insurance companies may be persistent about seeking all medical information about you and your health. Their goal is to find a way to minimize how much is paid out, and often, seeking unnecessary additional information is one way to do this.
- Questions about pre-existing conditions. Unfortunately, if there are pre-existing conditions, the insurance company will work aggressively to try to limit compensation for related losses.
Disputes over information from the accident or any of your losses can extend the timeframe for when the settlement offer will come to you. The insurance company is not required to settle within a certain amount of time. For that reason, drawing it out can be in their favor, and reviewing our FAQs can provide you with more information.
Why Insurance Companies Draw Out Settlement Awards
As a for-profit company, the insurance company, in a slip-and-fall case, will always work to limit the amount of compensation paid out. One way they do this is by offering a fast settlement long before you know what all of your losses are and often before you hire an attorney.
They know that is likely to get you to settle for less than they owe you, but there are many reasons they may extend the length of time it takes them to settle a claim:
- Delaying frustrates you. It may mean you give up and settle for less.
- The longer time goes on, the less evidence is available to prove your losses if you need to gather additional insight.
- Delays may allow for the insurance company to switch adjusters, which takes some of the pressure off one adjuster and puts it on another to settle the debt. Unfortunately, that starts the process over.
Not all insurance companies are out to get you, but they are profit-conscious. Because of this, it is always best to hire a slip-and-fall attorney as soon as possible once you know you have substantial losses. Doing so protects your right to compensation and being treated fairly throughout the legal process.
How an Attorney Can Help Speed Up Your Slip and Fall Claim
The objective of working with a slip-and-fall attorney for your claim is not a fast settlement that reduces the compensation you need to move on with your life. Instead, it is about recovering the damages you need and are fairly owed to start over. There are several reasons why working with a slip-and-fall attorney can help you achieve this goal:
- Gain access to all of the evidence you need. It is hard for insurance companies to deny claims that are backed by a lot of significant evidence. Your attorney will seek out all possible evidence from any resources available to validate each of your claims.
- Hire a proven negotiator. The skill of the insurance adjuster is a big factor in this process, but having an experienced negotiator working on your behalf makes all of the difference in the long term.
- File a lawsuit. When you have an attorney working with you, they will take the necessary step of filing a lawsuit, and in doing so, the insurance company must take the process seriously. Lawsuits are expensive, and often, this action will get the insurance company to settle.
Hiring a Las Vegas slip-and-fall attorney also makes the entire process easier for you. It limits the amount of frustrating questions you have to answer. It also ensures the insurance company does not abuse your rights to compensation, no matter how long it takes to settle a slip and fall claim.
What You Can Do to Support Your Case
When you suffer a slip and fall injury, which is the cause of more than eight million emergency room visits annually according to the National Safety Council’s Make Fall Safety a Top Priority report, what you do right after and in the months to come can help support your case outcome in several ways. Work closely with a local attorney who can guide you through the process. In the meantime, keep the following objectives in mind:
- Document everything you can as soon as you can after your accident. The more visual evidence you have of the accident, damages, and area, the better.
- Start a log to record your experiences and losses over the coming weeks. Document any pain and suffering you have, the costs you suffer lost time at work, and medical guidance given to you.
- Always get all of the medical care recommended to you. Keep your appointments and follow up with them.
Taking these steps can help support your strong case. Best of all, it helps your attorney to have a strong legal case to seek maximum compensation even when the insurance company wants to deny your claim. The sooner you take action, the better, so review our prior case results today to see how we have helped people just like you.
Turn to a Local Slip and Fall Attorney for Guidance
When considering how long it takes to settle a slip-and-fall claim, numerous factors influence the duration. Set up a free consultation with H&P Law to get the legal guidance you need. Our slip-and-fall accident attorney can provide you with the information you need now.
