How long you can wait to receive payment for your lawsuit can be based on the type of personal injury lawsuit you're filing. Different forms of litigation have different time frames in which there resolved. The two primary outcomes of a lawsuit are a settlement, where the defendant settles outside of court, and a verdict that a court awards. Personal injury settlements can occur anytime but usually require an investigation that takes several months to complete. A Trial can take up to a year to a year and a half for a trial date to be assigned and can be appealed.