There are several reasons why settling a personal injury case can take months, if not years. But there is one big reason; we call it “maximum medical improvement.”

Maximum medical improvement is when you have recovered from your injures, and you are as good as you are going to get. This concept is essential because you do not know all the possible surgeries, treatments, and pain you will go through until you have gone through them.

Here is an example. Say you hurt your leg in a car accident. Through therapy, you relearn to walk, but later, pain develops in your knee, your hip, and your feet. If you had settled your case when the leg cast came off, you would  not  have received money for all those additional problems.

In my experience, the more injured you are … the longer it usually takes to reach maximum medical improvement. If you are severely injured, don’t expect a fast payout unless you are willing to accept far too little.

Let me mention another reason that cases can take a while. Here goes: the larger the amount involved, the more it benefits an insurance company to drag things out. First, it gets to collect interest on that money, and it gets to keep that interest even after the case ends. Second, an insurance company doesn’t like to pay out large amounts. What company would? It will investigate almost every aspect of the case to find ways not to.

Remember, once you sign a settlement agreement with an insurance company, that is the end. You cannot go back later and ask for more money … no matter what problems might arise.

If you suffer a personal injury like an auto accident , or slip and fall, you can talk to us at the Law Firm of Eiland and Ritchie for free. We want to help you get back on your feet.

Also, join us on  NBC 15 LawCall  here in Mobile every Sunday night at 10:30, right after the news. We will take your calls live.

Allen Ritchie

Alabama Personal Injury Lawyer

The post I’m Hurt. Why Must I Wait for the Money? first appeared on Steele Ritchie.