Buffalo Car Accident Lawyer

There is no definitive timeline to settle a car accident in New York – as there are many moving parts. Less severe cases may take anywhere from a few months to a year. More significant injuries usually involve complex negotiations or court processes if a fair settlement cannot be reached. In these situations, the timeline can extend to more than a year.

Once you agree to a settlement, the next step is signing a release form. From here, the insurance company will issue a payment – usually in one lump sum. Once the settlement agreement is signed, the case is considered closed.

It’s not recommended to sign an agreement without an attorney. When you work with a car accident injury lawyer, they will calculate ALL the damages you suffered and make sure the settlement provides full and fair compensation.

The most common injury in car accidents are the neck and upper back injuries due to the sudden jerking motion of the head during a collision. It often leads to pain, stiffness, and headaches. That’s an acceleration deceleration injury that some people call whiplash. The effects of whiplash are not always apparent in the immediate aftermath of an accident. Symptoms can take hours – or days – to set in.

If you’ve suffered a whiplash injury (in any capacity) during a car accident, get examined immediately by the medical staff that arrives on the scene. These professionals are trained to identify the symptoms of whiplash injuries – even if you don’t feel anything in the moment. This assessment will play a key role in your car accident injury claim.

Shock, adrenaline, and emotional distress are very common after car accidents – even minor ones. You may feel physically sore in the following hours or days after the collision. You may also have minor injuries that don’t appear immediately but become noticeable over time. This is why it’s so important to get medical attention at the scene – and to make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.