How Long Does it Take to Receive Your Personal Injury Settlement Check?

When you are hurt and pursue a personal injury claim in Loveland, there is a good chance that your case will settle. This means that you will reach an agreement with the defendant (or, more likely, the defendant’s insurer) and will accept a lump-sum payment in exchange for giving up any further right to pursue a claim.

Once you have reached a settlement agreement, you likely want to know: How long does it take to receive your personal injury settlement check? 

This can vary depending on the circumstances, but here is the typical timeline for obtaining your payment after you sign a settlement agreement. 

Timeline for Receiving Your Personal Injury Settlement Check

Once you have reached a settlement agreement and signed a release giving up your future right to sue based on the same incident, the insurance company will typically write a check for the agreed-upon amount in around a month or less.  

This does not mean that you will immediately receive the money, though. Generally, the payment will be sent to your attorney, and your attorney will take responsibility for ensuring that the funds are appropriately distributed. This means your attorney will:

• Satisfy medical liens. Medical liens may be placed on a settlement if you received care after your injury that you did not yet pay for. Essentially, this is a claim on a future settlement for care you receive when your case is pending. Your Loveland car accident attorney can help you to negotiate a reduction of your medical costs in many cases and will then pay the amount needed to satisfy the lien. 
• Satisfy subrogation claims. If your medical expenses were paid by your insurance company or by Medicare, Medicaid, or the VA, the party that paid your claims can also place a lien on your recovery. This is called a subrogation lien, and you must satisfy it before you receive payment. 
• Pay any amount due to a workers’ compensation insurer. If you pursued a personal injury claim for an injury that occurred at work and you already received payment through workers’ compensation, the workers’ comp insurer will seek reimbursement of costs from your settlement. 
• Collect attorneys’ fees. If you were represented by an attorney in your injury claim, your attorney likely worked on a contingent fee basis. This means they get paid a portion of your settlement only if you win. Once you have settled, it is time for your attorney to deduct their fee before repaying you. 
• Pay any outstanding child support due: In Colorado, your personal injury settlement may be garnished for outstanding child support payments. Most creditors cannot garnish your settlement, but there is an exception when you owe child support. 

It can take several weeks, or even several months, for your attorney to take care of all of these tasks and to ultimately determine how much to pay out to you for your settled case.

Contact an Experienced Legal Advocate Before You Settle

Insurance companies often pressure you to settle your case quickly with the hopes that you will accept less compensation than you deserve. You cannot change your mind after you settle, so reach out to Hadfield Stieben & Doutt, LLC before you sign any documents agreeing to an offer. 

Our firm can evaluate your case, help you understand your rights, and assist with settlement negotiations to maximize the chances of recovering full and fair compensation for your losses. Just give us a call to schedule your free consultation with a Loveland personal injury lawyer to learn more.