Legal Complexity of the Case
Some child injury cases are more complex than others, and this lengthens the timeline considerably. For example, pediatric injury lawsuits often involve multiple parties, especially in situations involving product liability or medical malpractice. Due to the complexity of establishing liability and negligence, cases with multiple-party involvement often take longer than ones in which a single party is responsible.
Medical Treatment and Rehabilitation
The length and complexity of your child’s treatment and recovery impact the legal process, too. Without question, your priority must be to care for your child, but it’s also important to realize that this responsibility often influences your family’s ability to attend legal proceedings and participate in the case.
Investigation and Evidence Collection
Conducting a thorough investigation can be time-consuming, but doing so is crucial to building a strong case to achieve justice for your child. It can be difficult to determine the cause of the injury, the long-term impact on your child, and the negligent parties responsible for the incident.
Collecting evidence in a child injury case typically takes many months. It’s critical to be detailed when gathering and reviewing witness statements and medical records, engaging experts to assess the situation and securing their testimonies, and evaluating all other potential aspects of proof in your case.
Insurance Company Involvement
If any of the parties who may have liability for your child’s injury have insurance relevant to the case, the legal process also involves negotiating with these providers. This is a lengthy process, as insurers often use stalling tactics such as delaying settlement offers or disputing claims, leading to prolonged negotiations or, ultimately, litigation.
Settlement vs. Trial
Pediatric injury cases settled out of court generally resolve more quickly than those that go to trial, so a defendant’s willingness to settle impacts the length of your case. Trials involve additional preparation and court appearances, which can be delayed by court backlogs and scheduling conflicts subject to the availability of judges and legal representatives. Trial strategies—such as how extensive the discovery process is or filing motions—also extend the timeline of a case. Additionally, once courtroom proceedings are complete, it’s unknown how long jury deliberations take to reach a verdict.
Trust Our Kansas City Child Injury Lawyers to Put Your Family First
If your child suffered a pediatric injury, it’s important to work with an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you understand the nuances of your case and who devotes the time and resources necessary to fight for the fair compensation that you and your child deserve.
That’s exactly what we do at Fowler Pickert Eisenmenger Norfleet. You can trust that our entire team, led by experienced child injury lawyers Ryan, Robert, and Spencer, will mobilize quickly to assess all aspects of your case and start building a solid strategy. We have a track record of successful verdicts and settlements, and we’re ready to put our trial experience and skills to work for your family.
