How Long Does It Take Geico to Settle Injury Cases in California?
Geico reports they usually send settlement money within six months of receiving an injury claim. This time can vary greatly depending on how much Geico decides to fight you on how much compensation you should receive.
A speedy response is important, but making sure you receive enough in compensation to pay for your recovery costs now and those that arise in the future is critical. A Geico settlement check may only cover one night in an emergency room, when your expensive injury care may continue on for years.
There are tactics to beware of when asking Geico for full compensation after getting hurt in a California accident. Your California Personal Injury Lawyer helps you avoid these common pitfalls and fights so that you and your family get the most out of your accident injury claim with Geico.
How Many Months Will Geico Take to Send Me a Settlement Check?
On its website, Geico says that most of its injury claims are settled in around six months. They also say that it can be much longer when the other party is “uncooperative.” That’s not really fair to accident victims, because Geico insurance adjusters can be the ones that are uncooperative and who refuse to “play nice.”
Geico might choose to question the fault in a traffic accident, even when a police collision report is clear. They can also question the severity of an injury. These doubts that are raised are just Geico’s way of trying to limit the support they’ll have to provide injured victims. They’ll even attempt to get away with paying out nothing at all.
Dealing with these sort of tactics and others are what actually make the wait for settlement money even longer. Geico can refuse to pay what’s fair and do what’s right. They often leave California personal injury accident victims without the support needed to heal and rebuild their lives.
You can read more about the strategies insurance companies use to rob victims of support on our page about Geico Insurance tactics.
Earning Compensation from Geico Insurance After a California Personal Injury Accident
Victims in California personal injury accidents should know that quicker isn’t always better, especially when dealing with a big insurance corporation like Geico.
Sometimes Geico’s first settlement offer only covers a fraction of your true medical bills. Down the road, you could require additional surgeries or physical therapy sessions. These costs could end up coming out of your own pocket if you sign off on compensation that doesn’t fully cover your recovery costs. Once you sign off on that settlement, you can’t go back and ask for more in compensation later.
It’s also important that you submit a list to Geico that includes each and every hardship you’ve suffered after an accident. Your claim could include injuries after you’ve been hurt in a car accident, in a slip-and-fall on someone’s property, or in a dog bite incident. You must document every economic and non-economic damage in your injury claim. Anything left off won’t be compensated in a Geico Insurance settlement check.
Your California personal injury lawyer will make sure every damage you’ve suffered makes it into your claim and will include a few things you may not have known could earn you compensation.
- Medical bills–The bills already sent to your mailbox and the cost of any care you’re expected to need in the years to come.
- Permanent disability or disfigurement support — Money for the long-term physical therapy and medical equipment needed when you suffer a permanent injury. Compensation for career training if you can’t go back to your old job. House renovations. Plastic surgery costs to restore your appearance.
- Wrongful Death – After the tragic loss of life, the family should receive full support for funeral and burial costs from Geico. The guidance and income the deceased can no longer provide in the coming years must also factor into a settlement check for loved ones.
- Physical pain and emotional trauma – These are non-economic damages that can greatly affect the lives of victims. Enduring extreme pain after an injury should greatly factor into compensation levels. Emotional trauma suffered in an accident or in recovery also must be considered when negotiating a personal injury settlement with insurance companies like Geico.
- Loss of income: The wages you’ve given up by having to miss work hours over your injuries.
- Travel costs: The expense of travel to see doctors and specialists. The added cost if you are temporarily off your feet and require shuttle service for medical care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I speak with Geico Insurance adjusters after an accident?
No. Only give basic information. Geico will call you asking for a recorded statement. Refuse. Adjusters are hoping you say something they can twist later to hurt your case. They want a reason to deny your injury claim.
How can I strengthen my Geico Insurance injury claim?
Take pictures. If you are left strong enough, take pictures of the obstacle that caused your accident. In a car accident, take pictures of vehicle damage and lane markings. Show any visible injuries. Get witness contact info.
Will I have to go to court to win injury compensation from Geico?
Not usually. Only a small percentage of personal injury cases end up in court. Geico would rather pay what’s fair than cover court and lawyer costs. They also want to avoid having their shady practices revealed in court.
Contact a California Personal Injury Lawyer
After an accident involving a serious injury or the loss of a loved one in California, contact attorney Martin Gasparian. Mr. Gasparian is the founder of Maison Law, and he offers a free, no-obligation case consultation for all California victims. If you feel Maison Law can help you win your case, you won’t need any money now. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you, then our fee comes out of the settlement you receive.
Whether in settlement negotiations or in court, Martin Gasparian fights hard to maximize the compensation injured victims receive for their suffering.
Mr. Gasparian takes a hands-on approach to every case and has a long, successful track record when negotiating with big insurance firms like Geico. He believes that no case is over until victims and families have everything they need to heal and rebuild their lives.
