How Long after a Demand Letter Does a Settlement Take in California?

At Custodio & Dubey LLP, we know that following an injury accident, you are likely to be struggling financially. Your injuries might have forced you to lose income. You might be dealing with overwhelming medical costs. You might also have other related expenses that are throwing your financial stability off a ledge.

You need to know the answer to one of the most important questions you probably have: How long after a demand letter does a settlement take in California?

Insurance Companies Hold the Timer

What happens after my lawyer sends a demand letter? What's a demand letter? It's a letter telling the insurance company how much you believe you’re owed for a settlement, the insurer has control of the clock. But, how long after demand letter can I expect settlement? You should receive a settlement check within two weeks to two months, roughly. If the insurer agrees to your demand, this is a good time frame to go by.

Insurers aren’t allowed to delay the settlement process unnecessarily, as per the law. However, they can delay your settlement by using various “legal” tactics.

• Settlement Delay -
  They might delay your settlement if they don’t agree to the amount of money you’re requesting. For instance, they might believe you’re owed less, and they may send you lower offers. They do this in part to wear you down under the guise of legitimate settlement negotiations. They know that you need your settlement to pay for your losses, so they hope you’ll just give in because you want to put this whole accident behind you.
• Insurance Company Delay -
  The insurer might delay because they are actually busy with other insurance claims.
• Paperwork Not Filled Out -
  There might be a delay because the insurer is claiming that you didn’t complete the paperwork fully.
• Not Enough Evidence -
  There might be a delay because the insurer is claiming that you didn’t send in enough evidence.
• Take Your Claim to Court -
  They might delay because they intend to take your claim to court.

There are many reasons that a delay could occur, but typically, you should receive a settlement within a few weeks to a few months after your demand letter has been sent. One way that the process could take longer than a few months is if the insurer decides to deny your claim and go to trial. This is rare.

Contact a California Personal Injury Attorney

It’s important for you to know how long after a demand letter a settlement will take in California. You need your settlement to pay for your losses so you can move on with your life. Contact us today for the legal help you need.

We invite you to call us today to arrange a free consultation at (888) 200-9431.