More than 90 percent of Connecticut personal injury cases end in settlement, which is faster and less risky than going to trial. A settlement means the party you sued (or their insurance company) agrees to pay you a specified amount. In exchange, you agree to release the defendant from legal liability. However, after you reach a settlement, there will be a waiting period before you receive your payment. That length of time can vary depending on a number of factors.
If all goes well, the defendant’s insurance company will send the settlement check to your attorney within a month after receiving all the necessary paperwork. The check is made payable to both you and the law firm. Transmission of the check can sometimes be delayed due to the insurance company’s clerical errors or their check-writing practices, such as only writing checks a few times a month.
Upon receiving the check, your personal injury attorney will deposit it into the law firm’s escrow or trust account. The money stays there until the check clears, which normally takes about five to seven business days. Once the check clears, the lawyer will use some of the funds to pay off any outstanding bills related to your injury case. Examples of such bills are:
Medical bills
Reimbursement of health insurance companies that paid medical expenses for you
Child support that has accrued since the time you were injured
After paying all bills due, the law firm will then take its fee. When you retained your lawyer, you signed a contract specifying what percentage of the settlement the law firm would receive. This fee goes toward paying the firm for their work. The agreement might also cover various legal costs incurred during the case, unless they were billed to you separately. These include expert witness fees, court reporting costs, fees to obtain medical records and costs related to depositions. The firm should provide an itemized statement explaining each cost and if they don’t, you should request one.
After deducting legal fees and any outstanding costs, the attorney will send you a check for the rest of the settlement amount. The total amount of time this entire process takes varies, but it usually takes less than two months. It can take longer if your case involves wrongful death, estates or minors. It can also take longer to get your payment if your lawyer negotiates to reduce the amount of medical bills or other liens that must be paid.
At Gesmonde, Pietrosimone & Sgrignari, L.L.C. in Connecticut, we take pride in working efficiently to get settlement money into clients’ hands as quickly as possible. Please call 203-745-0942 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with a lawyer in Hamden or East Haven.
Gesmonde, Pietrosimone & Sgrignari, L.L.C. is located in Hamden, CT and serves clients in and around North Haven, Hamden, Waterbury, Bethany, Milford, Wallingford, Prospect, Woodbridge, Northford, Madison, Beacon Falls, Branford, Cheshire, North Branford, East Haven, Naugatuck, Meriden, Ansonia and New Haven County.
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