Nobody can tell you with certainty how long your case will take. Two main factors influence the timeline of a wrongful death claim: litigation and the number of defendants. Claims that go to trial take much longer to resolve than claims that settle. Your lawyer can evaluate your case and give you an idea of what challenges your case might pose and what kind of timeline is likely to settle or litigate your claim. The number of defendants also typically increases the timeline of a wrongful death claim. The more parties involved in a car accident claim, the more difficult it is to reach a settlement agreement. Parties repeatedly shift blame and do what they can to avoid liability, sometimes shutting down the possibility of settlement. Going to trial with multiple defendants can be the worst-case scenario in terms of time. Multiple defendants can lead to more administrative issues. It's more challenging to schedule witnesses, lawyers, experts, and others who need to be in the courtroom when you have to include more people.