If you were a victim of a slip and fall injury and required medical treatment to care for your injuries, you may be entitled to receive compensation for those injuries and other damages which you may have suffered. The compensation will usually come in the form of a settlement – an agreement between you and the one liable for your injuries. But a settlement requires conversation and agreements to be made on both sides, and that is a process that can take some time. How long depends on the extent of your injuries, the situation, and the quality and experience of your attorney. The top-rated Normandie Law Firm has qualified lawyers with experience handling slip and fall injury claims who will work to get you the maximum compensation in the shortest possible time.
We at the Normandie law Firm help clients who have suffered slip and fall, as well as trip and fall accidents, on a regular basis and recover the maximum amount of compensation for their case. We are always here for the clients and will put their needs first in front of ours. Our clients ask us an array of questions when it comes to their slip and fall (or trip and fall) accidents. Such questions include the following:
- How long does a slip and fall case take to settle?
- How long does a trip and fall lawsuit take to settle?
- How much time do I have to wait
- How many months will it take to reach a settlement for my trip and fall injury?
- How many years will it take to settle my slip and fall lawsuit?
- When is a slip and fall case going to settle?
How Long Does It Take to Settle a Slip and Fall Case?
Generally, it takes 6 months to settle a slip and fall case. It may take longer if your slip and fall case is complex, or if your lawyer decides to file a slip and fall lawsuit. A slip and fall lawsuit is filed if the defendants refuse to cooperate and refuse to settle the case out of court. In that case, you have to wait two years for the lawsuit to be filed and for a court of law to issue a verdict. That’s two years from the date of injury, not the date the lawsuit was filed.
If you are considering a slip and fall lawsuit against the one who is legally liable for your injuries, one of the biggest thoughts in your mind throughout the entire process will be, “How long until I get my money?” It varies from case to case. A slip and fall case can take weeks, months, or even years to settle. Like most personal injury lawsuits, slip and fall injuries must go through distinct stages. For more in-depth information, reach out to an expert lawyer experienced in slip and fall cases.
Stage 1: The Summons in the Slip and Fall Case
This is the document that your lawyer will put together that explains the nature of your lawsuit. Depending on the nature of your complaint, the specifics and intricacies may change but the general summons, or complaint, will state the following:
- Who the parties are;
- A description of how the fall and subsequent injury occurred;
- Who is allegedly liable, or responsible;
- What you, the client, want the responsible party to pay for their negligence.
Why Does It Take So Long to Settle a Slip and Fall Case?
It takes so long to settle your slip and fall case because the process of filing a slip and fall lawsuit is complex. The reason a slip and fall case takes a long time to settle is because the places where a slip and fall occurs often refuse to cooperate, and your slip and fall lawyer must go through additional steps to make sure that your slip and fall case is settled properly and promptly. You must file your complaint with the court where you will bring your lawsuit, and you must serve it on the party you will be suing. The summons will legally require the defendant to file a response to the complaint with a certain amount of days. In the state of California, a defendant must respond to the summons within 30 days.
Stage 2: The Defendant’s Answer in Slip & Fall Cases
The document which the defendant files in response to your summons is called the Answer. In it, it will not have as much detail as your complaint – that’s not the Answer’s purpose. An answer is only required to admit or deny the allegations of which the prosecutor has accused them. Additionally, they can also state that they do not have enough information to admit nor deny the accusation.
The Answer sets forth “affirmative defenses.” These affirmative defenses aim to reduce the defendant’s liability, or possibly even absolve the defendant of liability altogether. As stated above, the defendant has 30 days to respond, but they can acquire additional time if they agree to waive certain legal defenses.
Stage 3: Investigation and Discovery
This is the point in the case wherein both parties involved learn as much about the lawsuit as they possibly can. Both parties will go through interrogatories and requests for production. Interrogatories are questions which you have to answer in writing. This answer will be given under oath and so will legally bind you to that answer.
Requests for production are requests to produce documents or other evidence which are related to the claim. This is one of the longest parts of the case. It can take anywhere from a few months to even years. It all depends on how complex your case is, the durations of your medical treatment, and the court’s schedule.
Stage 4: Pre-Trial Motions
Before the trial, both parties have the options to file certain motions with the court in order to resolve some underlying issues. The following pre-trial motions are among the most common:
- Motion to Dismiss – A defendant will file this motion early on in the trial because they believe the lawsuit fails to meet the requirements for legitimacy, for fails for some legal technicality.
- Motion to Compel – Either party may file this motion. Motion to compel is a request to the court to order another party to do something that it would otherwise not do. More often than not, a party will make such request if the other party refuses to hand or produce essential documents which are pertinent to the case, or if they refuse to show up to a deposition.
- Motion for Summary Judgment – If the judgment is granted, this motion is very powerful. Either party can file this motion if either believes there are no sets of facts to support the other party’s argument, claims, or defense. The reason it is powerful is that if it is granted, then that is the final judgment.
- Motion in Limine – A motion in limine is a request to keep certain facts and evidence out of the trial because the evidence is simply too prejudicial. What does that mean? For example, defendants usually will file a motion I limine to keep the jury from hearing a particular piece of evidence that will influence part or all of their judgment. This information may be legal, but it is too prejudicial and will skew their view because insurance will cover it.
Stage 5: Mediation/Mandatory Settlement Conference
Going to trial takes time and money, and no party wants to go through the motions of the trial. Parties will often attempt to resolve a lawsuit without going to trial. The most common methods are through mediation and settlement conferences. These two alternative dispute resolution methods are called meditation and settlement. The two are very similar in that they try to find an agreement so that neither has to go to trial. One key difference is that people in a mediation the two parties will go with a private mediator, while, with a settlement, the court may order a conference. Your judge will conduct the settlement conference. The settlement will take place near the end of the discovery phase. They may also take place near the beginning of the lawsuit if liability is crystal clear and there is little to no dispute, and parties simply need assistance in reaching a just settlement.
Stage 6: Trial
If a settlement cannot be reached, the case will move to court. You will have a trial date and will have to present your argument before a jury and judge. The Normandie Law Firm has a team of highly accomplished and experienced lawyers to help represent you and get you the maximum compensation.
The Normandie Law Firm
Our top law firm is here to provide you the best legal consultation for your case. Our skilled attorneys with experience in slip and fall cases will give you the best counsel for your case and help you through every process of the lawsuit – from stage 1 all the way to stage 6 if a settlement cannot be reached and a trial is necessary. An attorney with expertise in slip and fall injury lawsuits will be here for you.
FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION: When you choose our law firm, you will receive free legal consultation. You can sit down with an experienced attorney explain the facts of your case. They will give you their initial thoughts. This is free of charge and with no financial obligation on your part. In addition to free legal consultation, you will also receive the zero-fee guarantee. This means that from the first day you step into our office until the day the lawsuit is over, you will not pay us a single penny. In fact, you will only pay us for our legal services if we can prove your case and get you the compensation you deserve. Contact our law firm today to see what we can do for you. An attorney who has experience in slip and fall cases will be available to assit you.
Premises Verdicts and Settlements
Our experienced injury lawyers have successfully recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients. Below, we present to you a brief list of our more recent slip and fall, and premises liability verdicts and settlements. If you have any questions regarding your slip and fall case, feel free to contact our law office.
