Source: pxfuel.com
While the coronavirus rises throughout the United States, many Americans will undoubtedly continue to incur injuries from falls, vehicular accidents, and other usual events. A victim can still bring on a personal injury claim to acquire compensation for his injury amidst the global outbreak. However, he might want to be aware of specific concerns that may influence his claim.
One of these concerns is associated with the courts, which mostly have been shut down until the crisis subsides. Thus, a victim’s personal injury case might not be resolved as effectively as it would have been under normal circumstances. Typically, almost all of these cases are settled even before it gets into a trial, although many of these cases go to at least one hearing before reaching a settlement. With all this chaos and strict guidelines placed on the various states, accident victims will most probably be facing delays in getting resolutions to their cases.
Personal Injury Settlement
The financial burden caused by the coronavirus outbreak might push a lot of accident victims to pursue a case settlement the soonest time possible. He may immediately need the cash from the settlement, mainly if they have just gotten unemployed. Unfortunately, insurers can attempt to misuse this circumstance by providing an unfair amount of settlement. This is why a victim who only incurred serious injuries must think about accepting the first offer of the insurer right away. Most often than not, the insurer will take advantage of the current situation and will not provide the coverage that the victim deserves.
Source: pikrepo.com
If a trial progresses, the victim must also be aware that he might get a tougher resistance from the insurer. The insurance industry profits are expected to go down as the economy grapples to survive, which is why insurers are firm in their efforts to reduce the value of victims’ claims to protect their end more assertively than usual. This could mean that there could be more than one trial to anticipate, or perhaps it may even proceed to a lawsuit.
In other cases, it may be more difficult to collect compensation from a defendant these days. A lot of companies are struggling because of the economic pressures caused by the outbreak, and an uninsured company may be unable to pay. Thus, if the defendant decides to file for bankruptcy, the victim will have to wait for quite a long time to receive the judgment award or the settlement that he is entitled to. What’s worse, he might not even get the full amount.
Medical Care
To make better use of compensation in a personal injury case, the victim must receive medical care as recommended by his doctor or healthcare provider. Medical documentation is necessary for proving the extent of the injury that the victim has suffered and the cost of the injury. While the outbreak is ongoing, a lot of people are hesitant to go to the hospital for their appointments or consultations for fear of getting infected by the virus. This is a valid reason; nevertheless, getting the medical care that he needs is also vital to the value of the claim, which is why victims must try their best to be seen by their doctors while following the necessary social distancing guidelines.
Source: sites.utexas.edu
Health care centers have lately been jam-packed with coronavirus patients, so accident victims might need to wait a long time to acquire medical care. Consequently, settlement of their cases will also take a longer time. They will not be able to determine the full extent of their damages if they do not receive treatment and reach full medical progress.