How long does it take to get money from a personal injury settlement? (2024)

After the case is settled it could be six weeks.

How long it takes to get a settlement for your personal injury claim depends heavily on the facts of the case. You will usually receive your settlement payment from a personal injury within six weeks after you have accepted a settlement. Whether you were injured in a car accident, truck accident or other type of accident the settlement timeline is usually the same if there was a serious injury.

This is due to a number of factors and may vary from one case to another. This is just an average on how long it will take to get paid after your case is finished but varies depending on a number of factors.

Here are the things that typically have to happen before you receive your settlement check:

Paying Out Victim Expenses From The Settlement

Depending on the nature of the claim, there may be medical bills or vehicle repair bills to be paid, or to be reimbursed if the plaintiff has already paid these costs.

If invoices or statements have already been collected and are up-to-date with no further bills to be included, the attorney will confirm final amounts to be paid to each creditor or medical provider, and checks will be issued accordingly.

Paying The Attorney Fees

Next, comes the attorney fee, along with court costs and filing fees. Your attorney will pay the legal costs and issue himself the agreed-upon fee for legal representation.

A statement of services may need to be prepared that itemizes the actual work performed by the attorney, along with associated costs, if required, for postage, copies, travel, etc.

The Most Important Part For the Victim Comes Last: Victim Compensation Payout

After all related bills, fees, expenses, and costs connected to the settlement have been paid, the law firm will issue a check to the plaintiff in the residual amount. It may take a few days for the other checks to be processed, followed by the last one for the client.

Sometimes the check will be picked up at the law firm, or it may be mailed via postal service, along with the final legal fee statement and a copy of the final settlement agreement, which the plaintiff would have signed at the conclusion of settlement negotiations.

Since most law offices are handling several cases at any given time, processing a settlement usually takes a few weeks. After months or perhaps years of legal proceedings, most clients will patiently await the finalization of their claim. If you are wondering, how long does it take to get money from a settlement, you can call the lawyer’s office for verification. Most likely, the cash settlement will arrive within six weeks.

Can I get an advance on my personal injury settlement?

If you’ve been injured in an accident and are considering a personal injury lawsuit, you may be wondering if you can get an advance on your settlement. While some law firms do offer this option, it’s important to understand the risks before you agree to it.

One thing to consider is that personal injury lawsuits can be unpredictable. Even if you have a strong case, there’s no guarantee that you’ll win. If you lose your case, you’ll be responsible for paying back any advance you received, which could put you in a difficult financial position.

Additionally, the terms of a personal injury advance may not be favorable. Some law firms charge high fees or interest rates for advances, which can eat into your settlement or even exceed the amount you receive.

There are other options available if you need financial assistance while you’re waiting for your personal injury settlement. For example, you may be able to negotiate a payment plan with your medical providers or borrow money from friends or family. You may also be able to get a loan or line of credit based on the expected settlement of your case, but be sure to shop around and compare offers to get the best terms.

In summary, while it may be tempting to get an advance on your personal injury settlement, it’s important to weigh the risks and consider other options before making a decision. The personal injury claims process is usually a long process and you can view the timeline for personal injury cases here.

Frequently Asked Wrongful Death Case Questions

Q: How long does it take to get lawsuit money?
A: The entire lawsuit process can take years, but it usually takes up to six weeks to receive your payment after the lawsuit.

The full duration of a settlement varies depending on the complexity of the case and negotiations involved. Factors such as gathering evidence, negotiations, and any potential trial can influence the timeframe. It is recommended to consult with a personal injury attorney for a more accurate estimate.

Q: What is the typical wrongful death settlement amount?
A: The amount will vary depending on the factors of the case. You can review the typical wrongful death settlements here.

Q: How long does it take to get a settlement check from a car accident?
After you have settled it can take up to six weeks before you receive the check.

Q: How long does it take for an insurance company to pay out a settlement?
After the settlement is agreed they have up to 85 days to pay.

Q: How long after discovery is settlement check received?
It can take two to four months after the discovery process. The facts of your case will affect this outcome.

Q: How long after deposition is a settlement?
It can take weeks to months to receive a check after a deposition.

Article written by Andy Gillin. Last updated 3/21/23

How long does it take to get money from a personal injury settlement? (1)

Andy Gillin

Andy Gillin received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California at Berkeley and his law degree from the University of Chicago. He is the managing partner of GJEL Accident Attorneys and has written and lectured in the field of plaintiffs’ personal injury law for numerous organizations. Andy is a highly recognized wrongful death lawyer in California.

How long does it take to get money from a personal injury settlement? (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to get money from a personal injury settlement? ›

When the insurance company for the other party agrees to a settlement, you should receive a check approximately three weeks after the filing of all settlement papers. This means that the other party has essentially accepted responsibility for causing your injuries and there is nothing left to argue.

How long before you get paid in settlement? ›

After receiving a settlement agreement from the liable insurer for a personal injury lawsuit or claim, you should get your settlement money fairly quickly—anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Once you sign a waiver of liability and accept damages, the insurance company must pay you promptly.

How long will it take for settlement money to hit bank account after signing release? ›

After the signing and processing of the release forms, the insurance company issues a single payment for the entire settlement amount. You can typically expect the money in two to six weeks.

What happens after you agree to a settlement? ›

After a case is settled, meaning that the case did not go to trial, the attorneys receive the settlement funds, prepare a final closing statement, and give the money to their clients. Once the attorney gets the settlement check, the clients will also receive their balance check.

How long does compensation take to pay out? ›

It takes between two weeks and a month for compensation to be paid if your claim is settled in your favour.

Why is my settlement check taking so long? ›

The paycheck could take longer than a month to reach the injured party. Delays in settlement payments can also happen. For example, an error occurred with the release form. Therefore, the insurance company takes longer to process and send the money.

Why does payment settlement take so long? ›

Why does it take so long for credit card payments to post? Payment processors generally don't process every single payment at once. They batch payments together and send them for processing all at the same time. This can happen as quickly as twice a day, or as rarely as twice a week.

Is settlement money taxable? ›

Even if you experienced emotional distress or physical symptoms due to workplace harassment or discrimination, the original nature of the injury — the origin of the claim — was not a physical injury, so money received from any settlement is considered taxable income.

What to do with a $100,000 settlement? ›

Pay Off Debt and Save

First, pay off debt, such as credit cards, lingering medical expenses, and high-interest loans. Once this is done, you can create your emergency fund (a minimum of six months of living expenses — this will help you stay out of debt in the future).

What is the settlement process of a bank payment? ›

Payment settlement involves collecting the funds for the amount recorded for an order. For example, when using credit cards, the settlement process specifically involves contacting the payment system and collecting the required amount of funds against the credit card.

Does settlement money come in a check? ›

In California, the insurance company must pay and issue a check immediately after all parties agree and accept the settlement claim. The insurer must do this within 30 days from the settlement date.

What is the settlement process? ›

Settlement can be defined as the process of transferring of funds through a central agency, from payer to payee, through participation of their respective banks or custodians of funds.

Is it better to accept a settlement offer? ›

You do not have to accept the settlement offer that the insurance company makes. Accepting an offer right away could be detrimental in some cases, as it may not be enough to cover the cost of your injuries and other losses.

Should you accept the first compensation offer? ›

If you have already accepted a compensation settlement, you cannot claim for more money, even if your injuries are later discovered to be more serious. For this reason, you should not accept an early offer of compensation before a full medical exam has been carried out.

How long does a claim usually take? ›

Many states require insurance companies to reach a settlement within 30 to 45 days after accepting a claim. The time it takes for a claim to settle also depends on the inciting incident. Claims without injuries and with a clear at-fault driver are quickest.

How much is a whiplash claim? ›

What Are The Whiplash Compensation Amounts For 2024? Compensation for whiplash ranges from a minimum of £240 to a maximum payout of £4,345. Typically, the average compensation amount for whiplash is between £570 and £630.

How does settlement work in payments? ›

Payment settlement refers to the process of the issuing bank transferring funds from the cardholder's account, via a payment gateway, to the acquiring bank - the financial institution that accepts card payments on behalf of the merchant.

How does the settlement process work? ›

A settlement occurs when the plaintiff and defendant agree that the defendant pays a certain amount in return for the plaintiff dropping the lawsuit. Once a settlement has been reached, the two sides do not proceed to trial. Sometimes an insurance company will make the payment and not an individual defendant.

How long does it take for insurance companies to negotiate a settlement? ›

In many situations, insurance companies will respond to offers and counteroffers quickly, usually making a decision within a few days to a few weeks. However, this can go on much longer. There are some situations where it can take weeks to months before you can agree to the settlement amount offered.

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