How Long Will A Personal Injury Lawsuit Take In New Jersey?

It’s impossible for any attorney, really. The process for an injury lawsuit in New Jersey varies but the timing on how quickly you get paid often relies on whether you are able to quickly reach a settlement amount or if your case goes to trial.

If you reach a settlement right away your case could be resolved in as little as 1-2 months.

If you later negotiate a settlement before going to trial your case could take between 2 months and 1+ years, depending on when you are able to come to an agreement with the liable party.

If you go to trial your case could take well over a year. Even though trials typically only last a few days or weeks, the pre-trial process (including discovery and mediation phases) could take months or even years, in some cases.

Please note: the personal injury attorneys have outlined some more helpful information below, although it is important to stress that it is impossible to say with any certainty how long your case might take.

Should you have any questions at all about your injury claim or filing a lawsuit, please feel free to contact our personal injury lawyers at any time… the consultation is completely free and highly recommended in order to obtain the best possible outcome for your case.

If you reach an early settlement amount…

If you are able to quickly reach a settlement amount shortly after a demand letter has been submitted by your attorney, your case may settle in as a little as 1-2 months. Your attorney will help quickly secure payment from the liable party(ies) and you will receive compensation for the negotiated amount in due time.

If you later negotiate a settlement amount…

Even if you do not reach a settlement early on in the process, it is still possible to negotiate a favorable outcome using an attorney during the mediation and/or discovery phase. These phases can last anywhere from a couple of months in smaller cases where liability is clear, all the way up to a year or more in more complex cases.

Usually, complex cases involve major accidents that caused severe injuries, the need to hire expert witnesses and having to name multiple parties in the lawsuit.

As an example, if a drunk driver were to cause a head-on collision, it is usually clear that he or she is entirely liable for the accident and the driver’s insurance company should be responsible for paying the damages.

However, there are more complicated cases such as an elevator accident, as an example, wherein the injuries may be more severe and it may take time and further investigation to prove liability. Was it a faulty elevator part from the manufacturer that caused the accident? Is the property owner at fault? Is the maintenance company at fault? The company who installed the elevators?

It is important to note that a good injury attorney should (and will) name all parties that could be deemed liable in a potential lawsuit. In any case, complexities such as these make it difficult to give an exact timeframe as to when your case might be settled and typically also take more time.

If you go to trial…

If you and your attorney are unable to negotiate a favorable compensation amount (or if your attempts at negotiating are denied) you will likely need to take your case to trial. The trial itself will last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, although the most complex cases can take even longer.