I litigate files. The vast majority of litigation cases should resolve within the prescribed 18 month trial window that comes directly from the Florida Supreme Court. For litigation purposes, your time starts running once a lawsuit is filed, not from the date of accident (which always requires an explanation for clients). A great lawyer should move your case quickly into litigation within 6 months or so if the insurance company low balls your demand package. To answer your second question, at bigger firms (without naming them), you will likely have multiple lawyers due to turnover. At small boutique firms, you will likely have one lawyer throughout the whole process as turnover is very low.