When you've been injured in an accident, the last thing you might want is a lengthy lawsuit. No one really wants to wait and wait for a settlement when that money might be needed to pay medical bills right now. There are a lot of factors that can contribute to the length of your injury trial.

The whole process can be very lengthy. First the insurance company will take time for "discovery." During this time, the insurance company will attempt to find out everything they can about you, and they will be gathering as much information about the accident as possible. Some insurance companies may be quicker about this than others. Whether or not the liable company will be cooperative in these proceedings can have a real impact on how quickly you reach a settlement. The details of the accident itself, depending on how complicated it is, can impact this portion as well.

Next there will be depositions, in which you and others involved will be asked questions under oath, followed by what may seem to be an endless stream of hearings about motions your attorney and the insurance company's attorneys have filed. These proceedings may seem unending, but it is important that you maintain your patience, especially during the mediation process. During arbitration, your attorney will attempt to settle out-of-court. But patience is a must since you may be given very low offers to begin with. Remember to always discuss any offers with your attorney before accepting! If arbitration fails, your case will go to trial to be decided.

In all these proceedings, the most important thing you can do is to meet with accident and trial attorneys. Having a great accident attorney on your side makes all the difference in both the outcome and length of your proceedings.