How To Protect Your Personal Injury Claim During A Pandemic
If you’ve been injured in a car accident or have another injury caused by the negligence of someone else, there are some steps you need to take during this uncertain time to protect yourself and your claim. Even though the coronavirus has closed many businesses across the country — including courthouses and medical offices — attention to your personal injury claim is important. Here’s how to handle personal injury during a pandemic:
Seek Early And Consistent Medical Attention
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not getting treatment after an accident. This is true even during a national health crisis so you can protect your health and your accident claim.
Protect Your Health
If you didn’t get emergency medical treatment at the time of the accident, you should get a medical evaluation from a doctor as soon as possible. If you have one, your own family doctor or primary care physician is often in the best position to evaluation your condition. You may have “soft tissue” or other potentially “hidden” injuries that might not surface for hours, days or even weeks after the accident.
During any stay at home orders, your doctor’s office may have reduced hours or seeing fewer patients. Even if that’s the case, take the first appointment available. If you don’t feel comfortable going to the doctor’s office due to the risk of COVID-19, ask if the office is offering telephone or video appointments. Your doctor may be able to “see” you remotely and prescribe medication, suggest at-home treatments, or refer you to a specialist. Even physical therapy can sometimes be done through video appointments.
The value of your case or how much money you might get will depend greatly on the story that is told in your medical records. If your records reveal delayed or inconsistent medical treatment after the accident, the insurance adjuster will try to use this against you. “After all,” the adjuster will argue, “how injured could you have been if you did not seek treatment soon after the accident and follow-up with your doctor? Maybe some other accident caused your injuries.”
Don’t Open The Door To These Arguments
While obtaining prompt and consistent treatment may be more challenging now, it is not impossible, and the success of your claim will depend on you making a reasonable effort to do so. The BOTTOM LINE is that you should make every effort to get a medical evaluation of your condition and then follow your doctor’s orders. This will help to insure the best possible outcome for your case.
¿Cuánto tiempo puedo esperar para llamar a un abogado?
Cuando usted se lesiona en un accidente de auto en Virginia, usted debe ser consciente de la ley de prescripción que se aplica en su caso particular. El estatuto de limitaciones se refiere al tiempo que tiene después de un accidente para presentar una demanda. En Virginia, este plazo depende de las circunstancias de su accidente y lesiones. El plazo de prescripción empieza a contar en la fecha del accidente. La presentación de una reclamación ante una compañía de seguros no amplía ni retrasa el plazo.
The longer you wait to contact an attorney, the greater the risk that the statute of limitations time limit will expire. If it does, you may lose your right to sue the at-fault party and recover compensation for your injuries. If you’ve been seriously injured and someone else is at fault, you should contact a personal injury attorney at the earliest possible time. Contacting an experienced personal injury lawyer early in your case will help prevent deadlines from expiring and will allow your case to be properly prepared.
Para poder determinar si tiene un caso, su abogado necesita investigar a fondo los detalles sobre su accidente y sus lesiones. Investigar el accidente y recopilar información es mucho más fácil si se hace rápidamente después de que haya ocurrido el accidente. Un retraso puede acarrear muchos problemas, como la pérdida de pruebas y la imposibilidad de encontrar testigos.
Cuando contratas a un abogado para que se encargue de tu reclamación por accidente de coche, primero negociará con la compañía de seguros para intentar llegar a un acuerdo. Si las negociaciones fracasan, su abogado se preparará para presentar una demanda y preparar su caso para el juicio. Por esta razón, es especialmente importante que usted obtenga un abogado con experiencia para ayudar con su caso, como uno certificado a través de la Junta Nacional de Litigios.
Hable con un abogado de accidentes de coche de Virginia
If you or a loved one suffered significant injuries in a car accident in Virginia, Ritchie Law Firm is here to help. The experienced, certified attorneys at the Ritchie Law Firm has helped thousands of injured victims and their families recover the compensation they deserve after an accident. Contact us by phone at
800-277-6124 or
by using our online contact form
El bufete de abogados Ritchie es un bufete de abogados de lesiones personales dedicado a ayudar a las personas que han sufrido lesiones graves y catastróficas o perdido a un ser querido como resultado de la negligencia de otra persona. Ritchie Law Firm sirve a todo Virginia, mientras que ayuda a los clientes en las ciudades y áreas circundantes de Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Staunton, y Winchester también sirve a clientes en Virginia Occidental, incluyendo Martinsburg, WV.
