December 3, 2025 | Personal Injury
Waiting for a settlement check can be tough. Your injuries may require treatment and therapy. You may even be too injured to work, leaving you with no money to cover your medical bills or living expenses. As a result, you will need a settlement check to receive the required care, allowing you to move forward with your life.
Fortunately, Pennsylvania law sets rigorous standards for claims processing. If you and your attorney can settle your case without litigation, the insurer must stick to the statutory timelines. If you file a lawsuit, however, the timeline for settling your case could become unpredictable.
Process and Timeline for Settling Cases Without a Lawsuit in Pennsylvania
Most injury claims resolve through the insurance process rather than in court. If liability is clear and your damages are well-documented, Pennsylvania’s claims-handling rules can keep things moving.
The steps below outline what coverage may apply, how to open a claim, what the adjuster does, and the key deadlines that guide insurers.
What Insurance May Cover Your Injury
Most personal injury matters begin and end with an insurance claim. Coverage is common across incident types: auto insurance for car crashes, professional liability for medical malpractice, and homeowners/renters/business policies for premises liability.
How to Start Your Claim (Forms & Evidence)
You start a claim by filing a claim form with evidence to support it. The claim form describes what happened and how it affected you. For example, a car insurance claim outlines the crash and describes your resulting injuries. It typically includes a crash report and medical records to support it.
What the Adjuster Does During the Investigation
The insurer assigns the claim to an adjuster for investigation. The adjuster’s interests are at odds with the injured claimant’s. More specifically, the adjuster will determine whether the claim falls under the at-fault party’s policy coverage. They’ll approve or deny the claim based on the findings of their investigation. They can also request additional information.
If the adjuster issues a denial, your only option may be to file a lawsuit. However, if they accept the claim, your lawyer can negotiate a fair settlement based on your losses.
Key Response Deadlines & Status Updates
Pennsylvania law sets out several deadlines for the claim settlement process, including the following:
- 10 days to acknowledge the claim and provide claim forms
- 30 days to complete the investigation and accept or deny liability
- 45 days to update the claimant if the investigation can’t be completed in 30 days
You might naturally be wondering, “How long after a settlement do I get paid?” Pennsylvania law doesn’t set a strict deadline for paying out claims after accepting liability. However, insurers are required to act “promptly” in settling cases, so any unreasonable delay would likely violate the law.
When Checks Are Issued & How to Track Yours
Your next question might be, “Can I track my settlement check?” Pennsylvania law requires insurers to notify claimants when they mail a check of $1,000 or more, so you’ll know when to expect it.
After You Settle: When Will the Check Arrive?
Most Scranton injury claims that settle without a lawsuit pay out in about 2–6 weeks after you sign the release, assuming liability is clear, treatment is complete, and there are no complex liens. Pennsylvania requires prompt, fair claim handling, but there’s no fixed “pay-by” statute after acceptance—post-settlement tasks control timing. Litigated cases or claims with Medicare/ERISA liens can take several months.
What happens before funds reach you:
- You sign the release, agreeing to resolve the claim.
- The insurer issues the settlement check to your lawyer’s trust account.
- Your lawyer handles bank deposit/clearance and lien/subrogation resolution (health insurer, Medicare/Medicaid/ERISA, VA, providers).
- Court approval may be required for minors/estates.
- You receive an itemized settlement statement, and your net proceeds are disbursed.
If any step stalls—especially lien calculations, multi-defendant approvals, or last-minute documentation requests—the payout timeline extends; conversely, organized records and simple liens speed things up.
Contact the Scranton Personal Injury Attorneys at Fellerman & Ciarimboli, Law PC for Help Today
If you’ve been injured by someone else’s wrongdoing, Fellerman & Ciarimboli, Law PC is here to help. We fight to get the compensation you deserve and will not let insurance companies delay payouts. Contact us today for a free consultation.
For more information, contact Fellerman & Ciarimboli, Law PC to schedule a free consultation with our experienced personal injury attorneys. We proudly serve clients in Scranton, Kingston, Berwick, PA, and Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne Counties. We’re here to fight for your rights with trusted, experienced legal support. Let us help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.
Fellerman & Ciarimboli, Law PC Scranton
436 Spruce St Suite 100, Scranton, PA 18503
(570) 714-4878
Fellerman & Ciarimboli, Law PC Kingston
183 Market St #200, Kingston, PA 18704
(570) 714-4878
Fellerman & Ciarimboli, Law PC Berwick
120 W Front St, Berwick, PA 18603
(570) 714-4878
