Why Is My Car Accident Settlement Taking So Long to Settle?

Understanding what causes these delays can help you stay informed, avoid unnecessary frustration, and make decisions that protect your case. At The Dixon Firm, we guide Atlanta car accident victims through every step of the personal injury lawsuit timeline so they know what to expect and why the progress of their case may slow at certain stages.

There is no universal timeline that dictates when personal injury cases settle because every case is different. A minor accident with straightforward injuries may settle within a few months. Meanwhile, a more complicated case, especially one involving serious injuries, disputed liability, or extensive medical treatment, may take a year or longer.

Generally, Georgia car accident settlements follow a timeline influenced by three main factors:

1. How long your medical treatment lasts
2. How complicated the liability issues are
3. How willing the insurance company is to negotiate fairly

Insurance companies are reluctant to discuss fully the settlement value with you until your injuries have stabilized. If you are still undergoing treatment, accurately calculating your damages is difficult, and you won’t want to settle prematurely.

Your settlement must account not just for the medical bills you incurred immediately after the accident, but also ongoing and future treatment, possible surgeries, long-term complications, and reduced earning capacity. Settling before you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI) could mean leaving thousands – or even hundreds of thousands – of dollars on the table.

Victims recovering from fractures, traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, or nerve damage often see the longest timelines because their treatment plans are extended and unpredictable.

Insurance companies profit when they hold onto their money longer. Delaying is part of their business model, especially when dealing with high-value claims. They use numerous tactics to slow your case down:

If both drivers tell different stories, or if the police report is unclear, your case may take longer to settle. Fault is a major issue in Georgia because the state follows comparative negligence, meaning your compensation can be reduced if the insurer believes you were partially at fault.

Common disputes that slow down personal injury settlements include:

• Conflicting eyewitness accounts
• Allegations of speeding or distracted driving
• Disagreement about traffic signals or right-of-way
• Inaccurate or incomplete police reports
• Surveillance footage that needs to be retrieved
• Multiple vehicles being involved in the collision

Your Georgia personal injury attorney may need to consult with accident reconstruction experts, review black box data, and conduct an investigation into the details of what happened that day to prove your version of the events. These steps take time, but they are invaluable when it comes to protecting your compensation award.

Cases involving catastrophic injuries naturally require more time because the damages are significantly higher, and the insurer is more likely to push back even harder to avoid paying the full value.

The more severe the injury, the more documentation, expert input, and negotiation a case requires to reach a fair settlement.

If multiple drivers, commercial vehicles, or corporate defendants are involved, the claims process becomes more complicated. Each party may blame someone else, and each insurer conducts its own investigation. This is especially common in cases involving:

• Multi-car pileups
• Rideshare accidents (Uber/Lyft)
• Commercial truck crashes
• Accidents involving company-owned vehicles
• Cases involving uninsured or underinsured motorists

Hospitals, specialists, physical therapy offices, and diagnostic centers all generate records necessary to build a strong claim. But these providers often take their time in supplying them. Some facilities have backlogs, while others require multiple requests. Incomplete medical records cause delays because:

Filing a lawsuit does not necessarily mean your case will end up going to trial, but it does trigger a formal process that takes more time to resolve. Once a lawsuit begins, the personal injury timeline shifts into stages:

Courts in Atlanta and throughout Georgia are often backed up, and scheduling conflicts among attorneys, judges, and medical experts can extend the process. Still, filing suit is sometimes necessary to force the insurance company to negotiate fairly with you.

Although most car accident cases settle before trial, some require a courtroom battle, especially when insurers refuse to accept liability or undervalue your claim. Preparing a case for trial takes time because your attorney must:

Some delays are normal, but others are red flags. You should speak with your attorney if:

While no lawyer can force an insurer to make an instant offer, an experienced car accident lawyer ensures the claim progresses as efficiently as possible. Your attorney can:

If your car accident settlement is taking longer than expected, this often means your injuries require more documentation or that the insurer is dragging its feet. At The Dixon Firm, we help Atlanta crash victims push back against delays and insurance tactics to pursue the full compensation they deserve. If you’re wondering why your settlement is taking so long or how long your personal injury case should take to settle, our team can review your case and provide clear guidance on your next steps forward.

Contact us today for a free consultation and let us help you move your case forward.