How Long Does a Texas Personal Injury Case Take?

Every Texas personal injury case moves at its own pace, but experienced lawyers and clients know the general timelines. A straightforward minor injury case can resolve in 6 to 12 months. A complex serious injury case can take 18 to 36 months. A case that has to be tried to verdict (and possibly appealed) can last 3 to 5 years or longer. A Texas personal injury lawyer at McFarlane Law explains the expected timeline at intake and manages each stage actively to avoid unnecessary delay while maximizing settlement value.

Stages and Typical Timelines

The pre-suit investigation and treatment phase typically runs 3 to 12 months — long enough to reach maximum medical improvement or a clear view of long-term treatment needs. Pre-suit demand and negotiation often takes another 30 to 90 days. If the case doesn’t settle pre-suit, filing the lawsuit and initial discovery takes another 3 to 9 months. Expert disclosures, depositions, and summary judgment motions take 6 to 12 more months. Mediation — required by most Texas courts before trial — typically happens 12 to 24 months after filing. Cases that don’t settle at mediation go to trial, which may be set 18 to 36 months after filing, depending on the county’s docket congestion. Post-verdict motions and appeals can add 1 to 3 years. McFarlane Law pushes every case toward the earliest reasonable resolution consistent with maximum value.

Why Serious Cases Take Longer

Serious injury cases take longer for good reasons. Reaching maximum medical improvement can require months or years of treatment before the full damages picture is clear. Life-care planners, vocational experts, and economists need time to assemble comprehensive damages models. Multiple defendants, indemnity disputes, and insurance coverage fights extend pre-trial litigation. Discovery — interrogatories, requests for production, depositions — takes longer in multi-party cases. Summary judgment motions on various legal issues can add months. And jury trials themselves in serious cases typically run a week or longer. Rushing a serious case usually means leaving money on the table. McFarlane Law balances speed with thoroughness to produce the best net recovery.

What Clients Can Do to Speed Up Their Case

Clients can help their own cases move efficiently by keeping all medical appointments and following treatment plans (gaps in care are used by defense to minimize damages); responding promptly to document and discovery requests; appearing for depositions and mediation without rescheduling; avoiding social media posts that could harm the case; and maintaining regular communication with the legal team. McFarlane Law provides clear case-progression reports to every client and encourages active participation in the defense’s efforts to delay or undermine claims. The attorney-client team works best when both sides are engaged.

When to Push and When to Settle

Not every case should be pushed to trial. Some cases have excellent settlement value and high trial risk — meaning settlement at mediation maximizes recovery. Other cases have lowball settlement offers that don’t reflect real damages — meaning trial is the right path. McFarlane Law evaluates each case continuously, from intake through verdict, and advises clients candidly on the expected value, trial risk, and timeline tradeoffs at each decision point. Our goal is always the best net recovery for the client — sometimes that means settling quickly, and sometimes it means trying the case. The decision is always the client’s, supported by thorough analysis from our trial team.

Related Practice Areas

Related: how settlements work, case value, statute of limitations. Hub: Texas personal injury lawyer.

Talk to a Texas Injury Lawyer Today

McFarlane Law explains every case’s expected timeline at intake and manages delay aggressively. Free consult. Austin (512) 222-4900, Odessa (432) 803-5000.