How Long Does It Take to Get a Second Settlement Offer?

It can take several weeks to multiple months to get a second settlement offer from the insurance company after an accident in Georgia. The time it takes often depends on the company and whether or not you have professional support from an Atlanta personal injury lawyer when handling legal matters.

An attorney can also review your second settlement offer once you receive it, going over it to ensure that it adequately covers your losses. If not, your attorney can discuss other methods available to resolve your claim.

How Long Will It Take to Get a Second Settlement Offer?

The length of time it takes to get a second settlement offer from the insurance company will vary. In many situations, insurance companies will respond to offers and counteroffers quickly, usually deciding within a few days to a few weeks. However, this can go on much longer.

There are some situations where it can take weeks or months before they send a second offer. It is very tempting in these situations to move on by accepting a lower settlement amount.

The insurance company hopes that you become desperate and accept less money than you deserve for your losses. Fortunately, you can rely on a personal injury lawyer to stand up for you in this situation, pushing back against unfair treatment during the settlement process.

Can You Minimize How Long It Takes to Get a Second Offer?

You cannot directly impact the actions of the insurance company. However, these businesses often respond more promptly to injury victims who have professional help from a personal injury law firm.

Your personal injury attorney can make it clear to the insurance company that you will not stand for unnecessary delays. If the insurance company tries to drag out the negotiation process for too long, your attorney may proceed with a lawsuit against the at-fault party, instead.

Will You Need to Wait for Additional Settlement Offers?

Sometimes, injury victims have to wait for a third or fourth offer before the insurance company offers a fair settlement. You should allow an experienced attorney to review any offer made by insurance representatives, so you do not prematurely end settlement negotiations and accept a subpar offer.

A personal injury lawyer will represent your best interests throughout the settlement process and answer any questions you have, including questions about how long it takes to get a second settlement offer.

Should You Accept a Lower Offer From the Insurance Company?

You should be seeking compensation that is fair and just for what you have experienced. To do that, you need to have analyzed all of your losses in the matter, including:

• Medical expenses
• Property repairs
• Lost wages
• Reduced earning potential

For a serious accident, it takes considerable effort to calculate the potential losses. An attorney should be honest with you about what you are up against and what you can expect moving forward. That includes:

• What amount you should seek for a settlement initially, based on your losses and all damages you have incurred
• The likelihood of being awarded non-economic damages and punitive damages in your case
• How much negotiation could your case take based on past experience
• Whether or not a negotiation offer is wise, or if you should push for more
• When it is time to go to court to obtain the compensation that you deserve

Each case is dependent on things like:

• Verifiable losses you have suffered
• Fault in the incident
• Claim limits
• Past cases like yours and their total value
• Negligence and the implications of it
• Your need for funds

Your personal injury attorney can provide more information about what you should consider before accepting a settlement offer.

Long Term vs Short Term Needs

Many people do not like to talk about the compensation component of this process, but the fact is, you may need to consider your short-term and long-term financial needs after a substantial accident occurs.

• Will you be able to go back to work?
• Is your family going to be impacted by your inability to earn at the same rate you were?
• Will you struggle with pain for years to come?
• How much did this impact your quality of life and ability to live the way you always have?
• Are you going to need ongoing medical care and support that you do not want to put on your family members?

Set up a consultation to discuss your case with a skilled legal team. It’s crucial that you get professional advice before signing a settlement agreement.

How Long Will Your Entire Claim Take?

The timeline for a personal injury claim can range widely. There are some rare cases in which you may receive quick approval of your claim and can move on. That is not often the case.

Instead, insurance companies will likely try to negotiate that settlement lower, reducing how much they have to pay out in your case. This situation can be frustrating, but just because they offer a lower value does not mean you have to accept it.

Attorneys often encourage people to seek a second settlement, going back to the company to request more money based on the evidence in their case. 

When Will You Get a Check From the Insurance Company?

Once you accept a settlement offer, the insurance company then has to cut you a check. There are a few additional steps in this process internally for the company. Generally, it can take from two weeks to as long as a month to finally get the check in your hand after the end of settlement negotiations.

Your lawyer can provide more information about how settlements are paid.

Talk to Our Team Before You Settle

How long does it take to get a second settlement offer after an accident? The time it will take for the insurance company to move forward with the negotiation process will change in every case.

Our legal team at John Foy & Associates is here to help you by putting pressure on the insurance company to move things forward. Meet with us during a free consultation to learn more about what your legal options are.

Remember that if you do not win your case, you do not have to pay us for our attorney fees, because we work on a contingency basis. We can give you more information about how lawyers negotiate settlements when you reach out to us.