You might have urgent medical and financial needs after a Texas car accident, but the insurance claims process for car accident claims doesn’t always move as fast as you’d like. Your case might conclude within a few weeks or months if you have minor injuries or the other driver is clearly liable, but more complicated disputes or cases involving catastrophic injuries might take much longer. Ultimately, the answer to the question “How long does a car accident settlement take?” depends on the specific facts of your case and whether you have proper support from a Dallas car accident lawyer. Several factors—such as the severity of injuries, the complexity of the investigation, and insurance company tactics—can influence the timeline for car accident claims.
Typical Timeline for a Car Accident Settlement in Texas
Texas car accident settlements typically follow this timeline:
- Notifying the Insurance Companies – After seeking medical care and reporting the crash, you or your lawyer contacts the insurance companies for all the drivers involved in the collision. The insurance adjusters begin reviewing the claim by examining the available evidence, including the police crash report, photos from the scene, damage to each vehicle, and early medical records. Investigation for car accident claims typically takes 30-90 days. Texas law requires insurers to acknowledge a claim within 15 days and complete an investigation typically within 45 days.
- Completing Treatment – It’s usually best to wait until you finish your treatment or reach a stable point before starting settlement talks. That way, your claim reflects the full cost of your injuries, including any future care you need and any future medical expenses that may arise.
- Sending a Demand Letter – After your condition stabilizes, your Dallas car accident lawyer sends a demand letter to the other driver’s insurance company. This letter outlines what happened, explains why the other party is liable for your injuries, and lists your medical bills, lost wages, and other losses.
- Negotiating a Settlement – The insurance company may make an offer after receiving your demand letter. If the offer is too low, both sides go back and forth until they reach an agreement – or don’t. The settlement amount is determined during these negotiations.
- Filing a Lawsuit if Needed – If settlement talks fail, you can file a lawsuit to enforce your rights. This step usually comes months after the crash, but it must happen before the standard two-year deadline for Texas personal injury lawsuits.
- Going to Trial – After a lawsuit starts, both sides exchange information, go to mediation, and may continue settlement negotiations. If a settlement agreement is not reached, the case goes to trial, where both sides present evidence and arguments to the judge or jury. The court decides whether you will receive compensation and, if so, how much.
Simple car accident claims in Dallas settle in 3-12 months, while in the broader Texas area, car accident settlements usually take 3 to 18 months, depending on the case’s complexity.
After a settlement agreement is reached and signed in a personal injury claim, most clients receive their settlement check within 4 to 6 weeks. However, insurance company delays, outstanding medical liens, and the need to resolve medical documentation can extend this timeline.
How Your Medical Treatment Timeline Affects Your Settlement
Seeking medical attention immediately after a car accident is crucial to ensure proper documentation of your injuries and to strengthen your claim.
Your medical treatment plays a significant role in the timing and value of your car accident settlement. You need a clear picture of your injuries and their long-term effects before you settle, as you risk leaving out treatment you’ll need later if you rush into an agreement too early.
Insurance adjusters look closely at your medical records before making settlement offers, so you want to make sure you have a thorough record. Medical documentation is especially important for serious injuries such as spinal cord injury or neck injury, which can require long-term medical treatment and significantly affect the settlement timeline. Any gaps in your treatment, missed appointments, or long delays between the crash and your first visit can hurt your claim. These elements make it easier for insurance companies to argue that your injuries weren’t serious or didn’t come from the collision.
In most cases, settlement talks don’t start until you reach maximum medical improvement. That means your condition has either healed or stabilized—often referred to as having reached maximum medical improvement. At that point, your medical team can explain how the injuries will likely affect your future. That information helps you or your lawyer calculate fair compensation based on the full impact of your injuries, including any lasting limits or ongoing care you need.
Your treatment timeline also affects how long the claim takes. If you need surgery or rehab, your claim will likely remain open longer to capture those costs. On the other hand, if you heal quickly, the process may move faster. Accurate records, consistent care, and patience during recovery give you the best chance at a fair result. Cases with minor injuries and clear liability may settle in a few months, while those involving severe injuries or serious injuries can take 1–3 years or longer.
Do You Have to Reach Maximum Medical Improvement Before Settling?
You don’t have to reach maximum medical improvement (meaning your injuries have healed or stabilized) before settling a car accident claim, but waiting often works in your favor. If you settle too early, you may miss out on compensation for treatment you’ll need later. Once you accept a settlement, you can’t go back and ask for more money, even if your condition gets worse.
Reaching maximum medical improvement gives you a clearer idea of your long-term outlook after a collision. Your doctors can explain what kind of care you’ll need going forward, how your injuries affect your life, and whether any physical limitations will remain. It is important to consider future medical expenses, such as the cost of ongoing treatment or potential future surgeries, before agreeing to a settlement. That helps you or your lawyer value your claim more accurately.
A personal injury attorney can help gather and organize medical documentation to ensure all future medical expenses are included in your claim.
How Fault and Liability Disputes Can Slow Down a Settlement
There are a few ways that disputes over who caused the collision can slow down your car accident settlement. In Texas, comparative fault rules can affect both the amount of compensation you receive and the time it takes to resolve your claim.
Some common ways that fault and liability disputes can slow down a settlement include:
- The Blame Gets Passed Back and Forth – If you and the other driver disagree about who caused the crash, the insurance companies may take longer to review the facts and decide who should pay.
- The Police Report Doesn’t Settle It – Even if a police officer issued a ticket to the other driver, that doesn’t always end the argument. The insurance adjuster might ignore the report or rely on other evidence to wholly or partly blame you for the accident.
- Key Facts Take Time to Collect – It can take a while to track down witnesses, recover video footage, or bring in an expert to explain how the crash happened.
- Multiple Parties May Be at Fault – If the collision involved multiple parties, the insurance companies representing the parties involved will argue over who pays what, which can delay your payment.
When fault is disputed or liability is unclear, insurance companies may use delay tactics to prolong negotiations and complicate settlement. Disputed fault often leads to extended legal battles, additional negotiations, and, in some cases, court hearings, all of which can significantly delay settlement.
When a Quick Settlement Is Possible
You could reach a quick settlement if there is clear liability—meaning it’s obvious who caused the accident—your injuries heal fast, and the insurance company accepts your claim without a fight. In these instances, especially in simple cases with minor injuries and clear liability, the case may settle in a few months, particularly when the crash report matches your story and the other driver has enough insurance coverage. Still, make sure the settlement offer covers all your losses, since you can’t go back and ask for more money later. If you’re not sure whether the offer is fair, or if the insurance company pushes you to settle early, talk with a lawyer before you sign anything.
When a Car Accident Settlement Takes Much Longer Than Expected
If you need surgery, rehab, or ongoing care after a crash—especially in cases involving serious injuries—your case may stay open while doctors track your progress. Similarly, your injury case may require additional time to resolve as medical evaluations and legal reviews are completed. You may need to file a car accident lawsuit to keep your car accident case moving if the other driver’s insurance company refuses to accept fault or offers too little. Delays can also occur if the crash involves multiple drivers or if evidence takes time to gather. While a longer process can feel frustrating, it may lead to a better outcome, as rushing to settle too soon often means giving up money you may need later for lost income, medical bills, or ongoing care.
What Happens If Your Case Goes to a Lawsuit?
Filing a lawsuit doesn’t mean your personal injury case will end in court. Most car accident lawsuits still settle before trial. Once you file, both sides start the discovery process. That includes exchanging documents, answering written questions, and taking depositions (asking someone to respond to questions under oath). Your lawyer may also bring in experts to support your claim.
During this time, the court may schedule mediation to help both sides reach an agreement. If negotiations break down because the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, your personal injury case may proceed to trial, where a judge or jury decides the outcome. Lawsuits take more time, but they may lead to a better result when the insurance company won’t pay fairly.
How a Dallas Car Accident Lawyer Can Help
The best way to avoid delays with your car accident claim and expedite your claim is to hire an experienced personal injury lawyer. A Dallas car accident attorney can help by:
- Collecting Key Evidence Early – Injury lawyers can get police reports, medical records, witness statements, and other proof to support your claim.
- Keeping Pressure on the Adjuster – When adjusters ignore deadlines or stall, your lawyer can follow up, push for answers, and move the claim forward, helping to expedite the settlement timeline.
- Tracking Your Treatment and Updates – Your lawyer can stay in touch with your doctors and make sure the insurance company has a clear picture of your injuries.
- Pushing for the Full Value of Your Claim – Your lawyer can spot lowball offers and fight for compensation that reflects everything the crash cost you.
- Filing a Lawsuit When Necessary – If the insurance company won’t settle fairly, your lawyer can file suit and keep your case on track before time runs out. Under Texas law, special procedures may apply, such as the requirement to provide formal written notice within 90 days in cases involving a City of Dallas vehicle.
Talk to Our Dallas Car Accident Lawyers Today
The Dallas car accident attorneys at Kraft & Associates, Attorneys at Law, P.C. have represented injured people for over 50 years and won millions of dollars for people like you. We understand the toll a severe collision can take on all aspects of your life, and we fight aggressively on your behalf for fair compensation. Our team handles the settlement negotiations and other legal details so you can focus on healing. Here’s what one client said about their experience with us:
“It was nice to get feedback whenever I needed. The attorneys were accessible whenever I wanted to talk, and the office took the time to hire extra firepower when the other party’s adjuster tried to lowball me. The time the attorneys took to handle my case was appreciated.” – Christopher G.
Our team is here to listen and ready to fight for you. Call us now at (214) 999-9999 or contact us online for a free consultation.
