How COVID-19 Affects Your Personal Injury Claim

personal injury claim during covidShould you get injured due to a slip and fall, defective product, or even a car accident during COVID-19, you may think you have few options regarding a personal injury lawsuit. However, this is not true. In fact, attorneys are handling personal injury claims each and every day. Yet, while this is the case, there are things you should be aware of concerning how COVID-19 may affect your lawsuit. To get the best advice during these unprecedented times, consult with Tampa FL personal injury lawyers at Wagner, McLaughlin & Whittemore.

 

Don’t Delay Medical Treatment

Since many people are afraid of being infected with COVID-19 in hospitals or while visiting a doctor, accident victims are choosing to delay getting treatment for their injuries. If you are pursuing a personal injury lawsuit, this is a critical mistake. Florida law requires you to see a doctor within 14 days of your accident; if you do not, your own insurance company may reduce the amount it is obligated to pay you under your “personal injury protection (PIP)” coverage. By delaying treatment, you put your health in jeopardy while giving insurance companies the chance to claim your injuries were not serious enough to warrant medical treatment. Therefore, always get immediate medical treatment and have your injuries documented by doctors.

 

Accepting a Quick Insurance Settlement

If you are like many people during the pandemic, you may be facing stressful financial circumstances that have been made more difficult by your accident. Unfortunately, insurance companies are well aware of this and will likely use it to their advantage. Since the insurance company will want to compensate you little, if any, for your injuries, it may contact you and offer you a quick settlement for a very low amount of money. Rather than immediately accepting this offer, let Tampa FL personal injury lawyers at Wagner, McLaughlin & Whittemore negotiate for you to ensure you get maximum compensation to pay medical bills and replace lost income.

Should you have additional questions as to how you can pursue your personal injury lawsuit during COVID-19, consult immediately with Tampa FL personal injury lawyers at Wagner, McLaughlin & Whittemore.