You may assume that the Maryland court system follows the same timeline for all personal injury cases. But you may be greatly mistaken in assuming so. This is because the court will look at the unique circumstances surrounding each case and determine whether it requires their attention for a shorter, longer, or average amount of time. Follow along to find out approximately how long the injury claims process is going to take you and how a proficient Leonardtown personal injury lawyer at The Dorsey Law Firm can abbreviate this timeline as much as possible.
How long is the personal injury claims process going to take?
Though it varies case-by-case, there is a general timetable that you may reference when entering your personal injury claims process. It reads as follows:
- Your initial meetings with your attorney: this will usually go on for the first six months since your accident.
- The filing of your personal injury case: this will usually go on within the first six months to one year since your accident.
- The discovery process of your personal injury case: this will usually go on within the first six months to one year since your filing.
- The trial for your personal injury case: this will usually go on within the first year or two since your filing.
- The verdict for your personal injury case: this will usually go on within the first year or two since your filing.
- The collection of your financial award: this will usually go on within the third year since your filing.
So, on average, your entire claims process may take three years. This may seem like a big time commitment, but the payoff of a successful case may make it all worth it.
How long do I have to file my claim?
Importantly, you may not be able to go through this claims process at all if you do not file within the statute of limitations. The state of Maryland enforces a deadline of three years from the date on which your personal injury accident occurred. What’s more, you may need to file a Notice of Claim if you are directing your legal action toward a state, county, or city entity. And this deadline is 180 days from the date on which your incident occurred.
A failure to meet either or both of these deadlines may ultimately result in a failure to recover the financial compensation that you so direly need. What’s worse, the defendant may get away with their negligent actions scot fee.
This is why there is no time like the present to get your legal matters in order. So pick up the phone and call a talented Leonardtown personal injury lawyer from The Dorsey Law Firm today. We are looking forward to it.
