It’s difficult to determine how long a car accident case is going to take, since there are different factors involved. There’s a general timeline of steps that a car accident lawsuit will take, but the length of each step can vary considerably. While most car accident cases settle and don’t result in litigation, some issues cause cases to drag on for months. The extent of an injured person’s damages or any questions about who was at fault can make the process take longer. However, most settlements occur after discovery is complete, and usually don’t go to trial.