For many people, the mounting pressure of medical debt, lost wages, and ongoing expenses related to their injury can create an untenable financial situation. Unfortunately, a personal injury lawsuit often takes several months or more than a year to settle under normal circumstances. In the meantime, the injured plaintiff is unfairly burdened with expenses related to an injury caused by the negligent actions of another party.
AnyLawsuits will work with you closely to get you the money you need for medical bills and other expenses as you wait for your personal injury attorney to recover the compensation you are entitled to. We understand that this can be a stressful situation that may seem like it will never be resolved, so it can be helpful to set realistic expectations for how long your personal injury claim will take in order to have a better perspective.
Injured Plaintiffs May Have to Wait for a Prolonged Period to Recover Compensation
The average personal injury claim can take between six and eighteen months to settle, and this is under typical circumstances where liability is fairly straightforward and damages are documented. While it may be frustrating to spend significant time navigating the claims process with your personal injury lawyer, it is important for them to be thorough in demonstrating the impact of your injuries in the form of damages and in creating an airtight case for the defendant’s liability.
The first part of the personal injury claims process is discovery, which involves both sides requesting information, collecting evidence, establishing facts, and gathering critical testimony from the parties, witnesses, and experts. This portion alone can take over six months, as it sets critical parameters and creates an agreed-upon set of facts to be used in negotiations between parties.
Even if parties can come to an agreement about liability, there is still the matter of what damages can be tied to the plaintiff’s injuries and what their monetary value amounts to. Negotiations between your personal injury attorney and the representatives of the defendant may need to involve a mediator if the parties continue to be at odds over what constituted a fair settlement. In rare cases, your personal injury lawyer may recommend that you take your personal injury lawsuit in front of a judge or jury to decide on a potential settlement.
Personal Injury Lawsuits Involving Shared Liability Can Delay Settlements
Cases involving multiple negligent defendants often take longer to resolve, as it is in each defendant’s interest to deflect as much of the blame as possible onto each other, hoping that the other one will accept more liability and they can pay out less money to the plaintiff. This can create a cycle of delays as both defendants try to avoid taking more responsibility than they believe to be their fair share, effectively putting more time between the day of the plaintiff’s injury and the day they receive their settlement.
In Florida, it is also possible for a plaintiff and a defendant to share liability. The law surrounding comparative negligence states that a plaintiff can still recover compensation in a personal injury claim even if they are partially at fault for their injuries. However, they forfeit the percentage of the settlement they receive that is equivalent to the percentage of fault they contributed.
Plaintiffs are motivated to downplay their involvement in the accident in order to recover more compensation, and the defendant is motivated to shift as much of the liability onto the plaintiff as possible to avoid cutting into their profits. Regardless of how a personal injury claim is ultimately decided, when there are multiple parties who are potentially liable, that almost certainly means the claim will take longer to settle.
Mass Tort Claims May Stall Lawsuit Settlements
Mass tort claims are those that involve a large group of plaintiffs who have reported similar injuries caused by the same negligent party. Notable mass tort claims right now include the Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuits and the chemical hair relaxer cancer lawsuits. In both cases, plaintiffs are engaged in the personal injury claims process despite sustaining their injuries years ago, for most plaintiffs.
First, the plaintiffs may decide that they want to coordinate their efforts and create a multidistrict litigation or class action. In the case of a mulitidistrict litigation (MDL), a panel of judges has to evaluate if the claims meet the criteria for a MDL. The cases then have to be transferred into a single jurisdiction according to which judge is best suited and has the availability. Then, the presiding judge has to decide how to logistically manage these claims, which often includes appointing leadership counsel and a special master, requesting short-form or master complaints, and establishing ground rules for the discovery process.
This is all before any witnesses have been deposed or any evidence has been submitted. All of these proceedings can push back settlements for injured plaintiffs, even if they are ultimately helpful in securing a settlement. Plaintiffs, many of whom may be seriously injured or ill, are left to shoulder the financial burdens thrust upon them by negligent parties who often have the resources to drag out the claims process.
The Benefits of Securing Pre-Settlement Funding
Your personal injury claim may be drawn out for a number of reasons, many of which may be beyond your control. In the meantime, you may be struggling to pay your rent and utilities, cover the cost of a rental car, and make payments on medical bills. That’s where a pre-settlement fund can help fill in the gap.
Legal funding firms like AnyLawsuits make pre-settlement funding available to plaintiffs with viable cases that have a high chance to successfully reach a settlement but need financial assistance immediately. A representative will work with your personal injury attorney to ascertain what your expected settlement will be and then offer you a smaller sum to be used for everyday expenses, medical bills, and other needs.
To secure pre-settlement funding, you do not need a credit check. Another benefit is that pre-settlement funding is considered low-risk, as the advance is non-recourse. That means the firm providing you with the funding can only ask for repayment out of the future settlement being used as collateral, so your other assets are safe. Additionally, if you don’t settle your personal injury claim, you don’t have to repay the loan.
Contact AnyLawsuits to Obtain a Lawsuit Loan Today
If an accident has compromised your source of income or left you with hefty medical bills, you are likely eager to see your personal injury claim settled so that you can focus on healing and move on with your life. Unfortunately, personal injury claims may be dragged out over months or even years. At AnyLawsuits, we understand that your bills won’t wait forever.
Our reputable team will work with you and your personal injury attorney to get you the cash advance you need to cover your expenses. Securing pre-settlement funding can relieve significant stress as you try to physically recover from your injuries, care for your family, and perform your job.
With our convenient application process, you could quickly have the advance that you need to cover your bills and lost income while you await your settlement for your personal injury claim. Contact us today to reclaim your financial stability by securing pre-settlement funding.