If you recently settled a personal injury case in Las Vegas and are waiting on your check, you are not the only one asking where the money is. The process between signing a settlement agreement and depositing the funds into your account takes longer than most people expect.
Call Drummond Law Firm at (702) 366-9966 with any questions.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Settlement Check in Nevada?
Reaching a settlement is an important milestone, but it does not necessarily mean that a check can be handed to the client the next day. In many Nevada personal injury cases, settlement funds can be distributed within several weeks after the settlement documents are signed and the settlement check is received. The exact timing, however, depends on the circumstances of the case.
At Drummond Law Firm, we do not get paid until you get paid. That means we have every incentive to move the settlement process forward as efficiently as possible. Once a case settles, our goals are straightforward: (1) put as much money as possible in your pocket, and (2) get that money to you as quickly as reasonably possible.
What Happens After a Personal Injury Case Settles?
After a settlement is reached, several things generally must happen before the client’s funds can be distributed. The insurance company must prepare the settlement documents and issue the settlement check. Once received, the check must be deposited into the law firm’s client trust account and clear the banking process.
The firm must also identify and resolve any outstanding medical bills, healthcare liens, Medicare or Medicaid interests, health insurance reimbursement claims, or other valid claims against the settlement proceeds. Depending on the case, this can sometimes be the most time-consuming part of the process.
Why Not Just Pay the Client Immediately?
Because doing so could cost the client money.
Drummond Law Firm does not simply receive a settlement check, pay every outstanding bill at face value, and send the client whatever happens to be left. When appropriate, our team works to negotiate reductions of medical bills and liens so that more of the settlement stays with our client.
For example, if a medical provider claims it is owed $20,000 and we can negotiate that bill down to $12,000, that reduction can mean thousands of additional dollars in the client’s pocket. Taking some additional time to negotiate a substantial reduction may therefore be in the client’s best financial interest.
There is a balance. We do not want unnecessary delays, but we also do not want to rush the process if doing so means leaving our client’s money on the table.
Some Settlements Take Longer Than Others
Cases involving Medicare, Medicaid, ERISA health plans, substantial hospital liens, multiple medical providers, disputed balances, or minor children may require additional steps before the settlement can be fully distributed. Some of these requirements are outside the control of the client or the law firm.
When there is a delay, it does not necessarily mean something has gone wrong. In many cases, work is continuing behind the scenes to resolve outstanding obligations and maximize the client’s net recovery—the amount the client actually receives after fees, costs, medical bills, and liens are addressed.
Our Goal Is the Amount You Take Home
The headline settlement amount matters, but at Drummond Law Firm, we believe the amount that ultimately matters most to our client is how much money goes into the client’s pocket.
That is why our work does not stop when the insurance company agrees to a settlement. We continue working through the disbursement process to resolve liens and medical balances, seek appropriate reductions, complete the necessary paperwork, and distribute the client’s money as quickly as reasonably possible.
And because Drummond Law Firm does not receive its attorney’s fee until the client gets paid, our interests remain aligned through the very end of the case: maximize the client’s recovery, maximize the amount the client takes home, and get the money into the client’s hands as quickly as possible.
When the stakes are high, you need an attorney who’s already been tested under pressure.
What is the Timeline to Get a Settlement Check in Nevada?
Most clients in Nevada receive their settlement funds within four to six weeks after signing the settlement agreement. That timeline assumes the insurance company processes the check without delay, the bank clears the escrow deposit on schedule, and no lien disputes slow down the disbursement.
When any of those steps stall, the timeline can stretch to two or three months. Cases involving Medicare or Medicaid liens, multiple medical providers, or minor beneficiaries can take even longer.
The waiting period is not a sign that something has gone wrong. Some of those steps involve your attorney fighting to reduce the amounts deducted from your settlement before the remainder reaches you.
What Happens After You Sign the Settlement Agreement?
The settlement check goes through five steps before the money reaches your account.
You sign the release first. This document confirms that you accept the settlement amount and waive any future claims against the at-fault party. Your attorney should review every term before you sign.
The release is then sent to the at-fault party’s insurance company, which processes the payment and issues a check. This step typically takes a few days to 30 days depending on the insurer’s internal procedures.
Your attorney deposits the check into a client trust or escrow account. Nevada Rules of Professional Conduct 1.15 requires attorneys to hold settlement funds in a trust account until all obligations are resolved. The bank may need three to five business days to clear the deposit.
Your attorney then pays outstanding liens from the settlement funds. Liens can include unpaid medical bills, health insurance subrogation claims, and Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement demands. Your attorney negotiates these amounts down before releasing any funds to the lienholders.
Finally, your attorney deducts the contingency fee and any case expenses, then disburses the remainder to you. At this point, the funds are yours. Your attorney should provide a written disbursement statement that accounts for every dollar deducted from the gross settlement amount.
The only Nevada personal injury firm with a federally trademarked Reduced Fee Guarantee.®
What Causes Settlement Check Delays?
The most common cause of delay is the insurance company’s internal processing timeline. Some insurers take weeks to issue a check after receiving the signed release. Others take longer when the release form is incomplete, signed incorrectly, or requires additional documentation that was not included in the original submission.
Lien disputes are the second most common cause. If a medical provider, health insurer, or government agency has filed a lien against your settlement, the funds cannot be released until that lien is resolved. Your attorney must verify every lien amount before paying it, and some lienholders take weeks to respond with final figures.
Cases involving minors or estates may require court approval before funds can be disbursed, which adds weeks or months to the timeline.
If you believe the insurance company is unreasonably delaying your check, you can file a complaint with the Nevada Division of Insurance.
Why Does Lien Negotiation Take So Long and Why Should You Care?
Lien negotiation is the step most clients view as a delay, but it is the step where your attorney is working hardest to increase the amount you take home.
Medical providers and health insurance companies file liens to recover the costs they paid for your treatment. If your medical bills totaled $40,000 and your settlement is $100,000, those lienholders expect to be paid from the settlement before you receive anything. Your attorney’s job is to negotiate those amounts down before paying them.
Every dollar your attorney reduces a lien by is a dollar the provider or insurer does not collect from your settlement. A $40,000 lien negotiated down to $25,000 puts an additional $15,000 in your hands.
Rushing this step to get the check out faster can cost you thousands of dollars in lien overpayments. A good personal injury attorney treats lien negotiation as the last chance to keep more money in the client’s account, not as paperwork to clear off a desk.
What Sets Drummond Law Firm Apart?
Most law firms treat lien negotiation as a back-office function and assign it to support staff who process payments without pushing back on the amounts owed. At Drummond Law Firm, the same attorney who handled your case handles the lien negotiation. Every lien is reviewed, challenged where appropriate, and reduced before a single dollar leaves the trust account.
The Reduced Fee Guarantee ensures we will never take more than the client receives in a settlement. Combined with aggressive lien negotiation, this means the client walks away with the largest possible share of the settlement funds.
How Drummond Law Firm Can Help
Drummond Law Firm provides attorney-led representation for personal injury victims across Las Vegas and Clark County, from the initial claim through the final disbursement of settlement funds. We do not consider your case closed when the settlement is signed. We consider it closed when the check is in your hands and every deduction has been accounted for.
Craig Drummond, a former U.S. Army Captain and Bronze Star recipient, brings military discipline to every stage of the process. You will not pay a fee unless we win your case. Call the Captain today at (702) 366-9966 to schedule a free consultation.
