How Long Does It Take To Settle a Semi Truck Accident Injury Claim?

How long does it take to settle a claim for damages after a trailer truck?

There is no exact answer as to how long it will take to work on securing semi truck accident insurance in Ohio. Every case is different. An injured victim could accept the initial settlement offer within days or weeks of the crash, or the carrier and the culprit truck driver could work with their insurance company to dispute claims until a personal injury lawsuit commences more than a year later.

The truth is that a case can be resolved at any time. The two parties just need to reach an agreement. Some customers find it possible to settle with insurance companies quickly, others struggle far too long before receiving compensation.

The decision to accept the insurer’s offer always rests with the customer. In my role as a personal injury attorney, I advise clients on a fair and equitable dollar amount for past and future medical care, loss of money in recovery and non-work, and pain and suffering. It is then up to my customer to decide whether the amount on the table meets his needs.

There are much safer answers to two essential questions that victims of negligent or reckless commercial vehicle drivers specifically have

• How long do I have to file an Injury Claim after a tractor-trailer in Ohio?
• How can I get compensation after a tractor-trailer?

A strictly enforced statute of limitations for claims

Ohio law provides a two year statute of limitations for personal injury and death from traffic accidents. In practice, this means that an injured victim or a family member of a deceased victim has exactly 24 months from the day of the crash to file a lawsuit.

The official declaration of intent to assert a claim is sufficient to meet the limitation period. Actually filling out insurance forms or filing a lawsuit may be timely after notification. An 18-wheel accident lawyer can advise and support you in all phases.

Four things that are required to settle a claim

In order to assert an insurance claim or to assert himself in a legal dispute, the victim of the semi-accident must prove all of the following facts:

• The truck driver or haulage company identified as guilty was responsible for more than 50 percent of the cause of the accident.
• The guilty driver or the guilty company acted negligently or recklessly in a way that directly led to the accident.
• The victim sustained injuries that required medical treatment or resulted in death. and
• The injuries or death resulted directly from the accident.

Evidence for these things can come from police reports, independent investigations and expert testimony, witness statements and medical records. Partnering with a skilled personal injury attorney or unlawful death attorney will help the victim secure all of these types of evidence.

If you’ve been hit and injured by a Franklin County truck driver, contact the Westerville-based Heit law firm. Corey Heit handles all types of accident cases and offers free advice to potential customers. You can schedule an appointment online or call Corey directly at (614) 898-5300.