Verdicts change behavior. It is amazing how many times we see corporations putting profits over people. While the employees might care they are often not given the tools or people needed to do the job right. The conscience of a corporation is driven by the bottom line. Jury verdicts are responsible for safer products.
From time to time, a client or friend of ours may ask us, How long does a lawsuit take? The amount of time it takes varies based on a number of circumstances but here are some general guidelines depending on the type personal injury case.
From the time treatment is complete most workers compensation cases settle within six to nine months. If the case must be tried the average time is more than one year and less than two. The more complex the injury the longer it takes, but ninety percent of cases are complete within this time frame.
From the time treatment is complete, most truck accidents or auto accident cases settle within three to six months. If the suit is required the time from lawsuit to jury trial is generally a year. The more complex the case the longer it can take. The more defendants there are in a case, the longer it takes.
While many cases settle before a lawsuit is ever filed, products cases and medical malpractice cases generally require a lawsuit. The average time from suit to verdict or settlement is less than two years.
