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How Is the Coronavirus Impacting Personal Injury Claims?

As the global pandemic continues to threaten the health and safety of millions of people around the world, many schools, businesses, and restaurants remain closed. To avoid exposure to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), many people are staying home and going out only to pick up essential items, such https://cglawgroup.ca as groceries and other household goods. However, even though there are fewer cars on the road, car accidents continue to occur. In fact, studies have shown that although the number of car accidents has gone down, there has been an increase in the number of serious car accidents during the pandemic.

If someone is injured in a car accident, they may have concerns about whether the COVID-19 outbreak will impact their claim. Although these concerns are valid, the pandemic should not prevent those injured from collecting compensation. However, there are some issues that may impact the claims process. An experienced car accident lawyer will address a client’s questions and concerns and secure the compensation they deserve.

Why Does the Pandemic Cause Increased Car Accidents?

There are a number of reasons why the COVID-19 virus has caused an increase in serious car accidents, including the following:

When a driver is sick, his or her ability to safely operate a motor vehicle is impaired. In fact, research suggests that sick drivers are often more impaired than drunk drivers. If a driver contracts COVID-19, he or she could be a safety risk to other motorists on the road.

Medications used to treat the symptoms of COVID-19 can cause drowsiness and impair the driver’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.

Wearing a mask can prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, in some cases, it can cause people to feel lightheaded or pass out. If this happens when a person is driving, it can cause a serious accident.

Seek Immediate Medical Treatment

One of the biggest mistakes someone can make is to delay getting treated for injuries resulting from a car accident. Even if the injuries are not life threatening, it is important that medical treatment is sought as soon as possible, whether that means going to the closest emergency room or a primary care physician. If the injured person lives in an area where http://edition.cnn.com/search/?text=aboriginal rights there has been a recent outbreak of COVID-19 cases, health care workers at the local emergency room may already be overwhelmed with patients affected by the virus. That means someone with injuries will likely have to wait longer than usual to receive treatment.

If the injuries are not life threatening, that person may want to make an appointment with their primary care physician. Many doctors’ offices have reduced their hours and are working with a skeleton staff. They may have limited appointment hours; therefore, taking the first available appointment is advised. If the injured person wishes to be seen sooner, or they are not comfortable going into the doctor’s office because of the potential risk of exposure to COVID-19, they can ask if the doctor would be willing to talk to them over the phone or schedule a video call.

Can Clients Settle Their Claim with the Insurance Company?

Even though many businesses are closed or operating remotely during this time, insurance companies are open for business and will be able to process a claim. However, insurance companies are businesses, and their main concern is their bottom line. Insurers will typically present a modest offer or try to encourage the claimant to settle for an amount that is far below what is fair. A skilled car accident lawyer will negotiate on a client’s behalf and recommend the best legal course of action that results in the best possible outcome.

Because many insurance companies are operating with fewer employees, or their staff is working remotely, this can create some logistical issues that may delay a settlement check from being sent. However, clients should not let that influence their decision to pursue an accident claim. Those injured are entitled to financial compensation, even if it means having to wait a bit longer to receive it.

Why is It a Bad Idea to Accept an Early Settlement Offer?

In addition to the impact that the COVID-19 virus has on people’s health and safety, it has caused widespread financial insecurity for people all over the world. People who have been particularly hard-hit by the pandemic may not be in a financial position to wait for their lawyer to negotiate the best possible settlement. If that is the case, they may have no choice but to accept a settlement offer. Although this may be tempting, particularly if someone is struggling financially, it is highly unlikely that they will receive the full compensation they deserve, and what a skilled car accident lawyer can obtain. An insurance company’s settlement offer rarely covers the total costs associated with a serious accident, including the following:

Medical expenses related to the accident:

Medical expenses can accumulate quickly, particularly if the injuries are severe. Examples of these expenses include:

•  Emergency room visits

•  Hospital stays

•  Surgeries

•  X-rays

•  Prescription medications

•  Physical therapy

Lost wages:

If injuries prevent someone from being able to return to work, they will be reimbursed for any lost income resulting from their injuries.

Loss of consortium:

This is the loss of companionship that a spouse of a loved one can provide. In most cases, this is awarded only when injuries are very serious or cases involving wrongful death.

Pain and suffering:

This addresses the loss of comfort, happiness, and opportunity resulting from an accident. The amount of compensation a victim will receive will depend on several factors, including the type of injury, the medication prescribed, the length of recovery, and the permanence of the injury.

Punitive damages:

These are meant to punish the defendant for actions that are considered particularly egregious, malicious, or intentional.

One option that may be available to someone in dire need of financial resources immediately is to obtain a funding advance on a lawsuit. This is essentially a lawsuit loan that clients can borrow against the expected settlement amount. The money can be used for basic needs, including housing costs, food, utilities, other essentials, and bills that the client may be struggling to pay. Although funding loans do not generally need to be repaid if the lawsuit is unsuccessful, it is highly recommended that clients closely review the details of the loan, compare the terms to other financial companies, and select the offer that has the best terms. Fund loans should be a last resort because they come with high interest rates, but clients are more likely to walk away with more money in their pocket by obtaining a funding advance through the accident claim than they would if they settled the claim directly with the insurance company.

When Should Someone Contact a Car Accident Lawyer?

If someone intends to file a personal injury lawsuit after being injured in an accident, it is important that they do not wait to contact a car accident lawyer simply because of COVID-19. In fact, now more than ever, they will need an aggressive legal team to fight for their right to a fair compensation. Also, clients should be aware of the statute of limitations that apply to their case. In Maryland, a personal injury claim must be filed within three years of the date of the accident. The longer someone waits to file a claim, the greater the risk that they will miss the deadline, which means they no longer have the right to sue the at-fault party or secure compensation for their injuries.

An experienced car accident lawyer will conduct a thorough investigation into the details of the case, collect valuable information about the accident, and negotiate with the insurance company on a client’s behalf. If a settlement cannot be reached and the case goes to trial, a dedicated lawyer will develop an aggressive legal strategy to ensure that a client’s rights are protected and that they receive the compensation they deserve.

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Is definitely an Injury Attorney Worth It?

There’s an unlucky series of occasions that direct approximately any incident. Then, in An immediate, your rushed on the clinic. Injuries sustained call for on-likely health care treatment method for months. You shed wages, the opportunity to generate wages; there’s house to replace and an incredible volume of pain and suffering. The insurance provider proves to be difficult. Details uncovered on the internet is complicated, misleading, or merely simple incorrect. When you heal from accidents, you’re needing Qualified suggestions to get fair compensation. This is simply not an unusual scenario. 

Insurance provider Fails To Compensate

Handling the insurance provider after an accident is usually an exceptionally annoying knowledge, particularly when you’re not the negligent get together. To begin with, you’re a target to an cglaw act of carelessness which has brought on serious accidents and other damages. (This is certainly tragic in alone.) Then, you’re victimized again by the insurance company of another occasion. Insurance policies companies who depict the person or individuals at fault might be impolite, pushy, and unfair. They have already been recognized to intimidate victims by proclaiming that injuries, or suffering and struggling are “exaggerated” or simply “manufactured-up.” Accepting their “a lot less than fair” offer you to settle might be like receiving victimized all over again.

Discomfort & Suffering Calculators Misleading

Stressed out about the situation, you, like several incident victims just before, will probable seek out choices. Absolutely free “ache & struggling” or “lawsuit estimate” calculators are effortless to discover on the internet. Nonetheless, these applications are employed by some law firms to “entice” wounded persons to Get in touch with their company more than another. There’s no compensation calculator or assessment Device which will properly assess the value of a potential injury lawsuit. A form is really a lead Software that provides standard information. Also, personal injury damages are too complicated and separately special to get evaluated accurately by any sort of variety. For that reason, agony and suffering calculators are deceptive. In the long run, you’ll have to have an expert to Individually and accurately evaluate the potential of your respective circumstance.

Not Prepared To Make Informed Determination

When accidents occur, they catch people today off guard. A significant accident lawsuit would require educated and strategic steps to guard your well being, property and long term. A private injuries attorney is worth it to circumvent getting to be a target consistently. The purpose of a personal damage lawsuit is to acquire optimum payment for ALL damages. So that you can reach this objective, a reputable harm legal professional will perform to establish and demonstrate fault. The greater professional your law agency is, there much more likely they may do that speedily, and effectively. Action Legislation Offices focuses a hundred% on particular personal injury conditions. For in excess of 20 yrs, harmless incident victims have been represented by Motion Law, and in the long run delighted with the end result.

Is An Injury Attorney Worth It?

There’s an unfortunate series of events that lead up to any accident. Then, in an instant, your rushed to the hospital. Injuries sustained require on-going medical treatment for months. You lose wages, the potential to earn wages; there’s property to replace and a tremendous amount of pain and suffering. The insurance company proves to be difficult. Information found online is confusing, misleading, aboriginal law group or just plain incorrect. While you heal from injuries, you’re in need of professional advice to obtain fair compensation. This is not an uncommon scenario. 

Insurance Company Fails To Compensate

Dealing with the insurance company after an accident is often a very stressful experience, especially if you’re not the negligent party. To begin with, you’re a victim to an act of negligence that has caused serious injuries and other damages. (This is tragic in itself.) Then, you’re victimized again by the insurance company of the other party. Insurance companies who represent the person or persons at fault can be rude, pushy, and unfair. They have been known to intimidate victims by claiming that injuries, or pain and suffering are “exaggerated” or even “made-up.” Accepting their “less than fair” offer to settle would be like getting victimized yet again.

Pain & Suffering Calculators Misleading

Stressed out about the situation, you, like many accident victims before, will likely seek alternatives. Free “pain & suffering” or “lawsuit estimate” calculators are easy to find online. However, these tools are used by some law firms to “entice” injured people to contact their firm over another. There’s no compensation calculator or assessment tool that can accurately assess the value of a potential injury lawsuit. A form is a lead tool that provides general information. Furthermore, injury damages are too complex and individually unique to be evaluated accurately by any type of form. For this reason, pain and suffering calculators are misleading. Ultimately, you’ll need a professional to personally and accurately assess the potential of your case.

Not Prepared To Make Informed Decision

When accidents happen, they catch people off guard. A serious accident lawsuit will require informed and strategic actions to protect your health, property and future. A personal injury attorney is worth it to prevent becoming a victim repeatedly. The goal of a personal injury lawsuit is to obtain maximum compensation for ALL damages. In order to achieve this goal, a reputable injury attorney will work to establish and prove fault. The more experienced your law firm is, there more likely they will do this quickly, and efficiently. Action Law Offices focuses 100% on personal injury cases. For more than twenty years, innocent accident victims have been represented by Action Law, and ultimately pleased with the outcome.

What Types of Injuries Can Form the Basis for a Lawsuit?

Personal injury plaintiffs usually bring lawsuits that turn on a defendant’s negligence. Generally, the plaintiff must prove the following elements of negligence by a preponderance of the evidence: the defendant’s duty, the defendant’s breach of duty, actual and proximate cause, and damages. The elements can vary somewhat based on the situation that gave rise to the negligence. Whether a personal injury case arises out of premises liability, product defects, medical malpractice, or a car accident, the nature and severity of the injuries is what determines the value of the case.

Personal injury lawsuits can arise from many types of injuries, including:

Brain Injury

Broken/Fractured Bones

Burn Injury

Catastrophic Injury

Drowning

Electrocution

Fire/Burn Injury

Spinal Cord/Back Injury

Loss of Limb

Scarring/Disfigurement

Paralysis

The Relationship Between Injuries and Damages

In general, a plaintiff’s attorney will present the plaintiff’s testimony, as well as the testimony of a treating doctor or other expert, to discuss the nature and severity of the plaintiff’s injuries. Often, the past and future medical bills associated with the injuries are not the full extent of the damages available to address them.

For example, when a patient suffers paralysis in a truck accident, he or she may sue the truck driver and the trucking company. At trial, the victim may testify primarily as to pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. However, he or she may also present a treating physician to testify as to the cause of the paralysis, objective findings, and the extent to which this kind of paralysis typically limits patients’ lives. He may need to present expert testimony from a vocational rehabilitation expert to show that he or she will no longer be able to work and will require household services that would not otherwise be needed. The expert will present evidence quantifying these future losses.

To counter the extent of the damages claimed by the plaintiff, the defense attorney will try to minimize the injuries suffered. Generally, the defendant will need to retain one or more experts, including a vocational rehabilitation expert, to respond to the plaintiff’s claim of damages. This expert may testify that the plaintiff can work and that the other expert is wrong, or he or she may testify that the plaintiff cannot work in the same capacity, but is qualified to work in other jobs that pay a similar amount and have job openings. Often, the defense will attack the plaintiff’s credibility not only as to the events that gave rise to the injuries, but also regarding the extent to which the plaintiff is limited by them.

Insurance companies that insure defendants in various types of claims retain investigators to look into suspicious claims of injuries and to conduct surveillance on the plaintiff. In general, as long as the investigation takes place in public places or online in spaces where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy, evidence from these investigations can be used to discredit plaintiffs.

One common error in judgment made by plaintiffs is to post pictures or status updates on CG Law - lawyers aboriginal law Facebook or other social media. A prudent defendant’s investigator will use any public information to show that a plaintiff is exaggerating his or her injuries. For example, a plaintiff in a motorcycle accident who claims back injuries from a car accident, but posts status updates about extreme sports events and hiking, may expose himself to being discredited at deposition or in front of a jury about the extent of his back injuries.

What Types of Injuries Can Form the Basis for a Lawsuit?

Personal injury plaintiffs usually bring lawsuits that turn on a defendant’s negligence. Generally, the plaintiff must prove the following elements of negligence by a preponderance of the evidence: the defendant’s duty, the defendant’s breach of duty, actual and proximate cause, and damages. The elements can vary somewhat based on the situation that gave rise to the negligence. Whether a personal injury case arises out of premises liability, product defects, medical malpractice, or a car accident, the nature and severity of the injuries is what determines the value of the case.

Personal injury lawsuits can arise from many types of injuries, including:

Brain Injury

Broken/Fractured Bones

Burn Injury

Catastrophic Injury

Drowning

Electrocution

Fire/Burn Injury

Spinal Cord/Back Injury

Loss of Limb

Scarring/Disfigurement

Paralysis

The Relationship Between Injuries and Damages

In general, a plaintiff’s attorney will present the plaintiff’s testimony, as well as the testimony of a treating doctor or other expert, to discuss the nature and severity of the plaintiff’s injuries. Often, the past and future medical bills associated with the injuries are not the full extent of the damages available to address them.

For example, when a patient suffers paralysis in a truck accident, he or she may sue the truck driver and the trucking company. At trial, the victim may testify primarily as to pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. However, he or she may also present a treating physician to testify as to the cause of the paralysis, objective findings, and the extent to which this kind of paralysis typically limits patients’ lives. He may need to present expert testimony from a vocational rehabilitation expert to show that he or she will no longer be able to work and will require household services that would not otherwise be needed. The CG Law - lawyers aboriginal law expert will present evidence quantifying these future losses.

To counter the extent of the damages claimed by the plaintiff, the defense attorney will try to minimize the injuries suffered. Generally, the defendant will need to retain one or more experts, including a vocational rehabilitation expert, to respond to the plaintiff’s claim of damages. This expert may testify that the plaintiff can work and that the other expert is wrong, or he or she may testify that the plaintiff cannot work in the same capacity, but is qualified to work in other jobs that pay a similar amount and have job openings. Often, the defense will attack the plaintiff’s credibility not only as to the events that gave rise to the injuries, but also regarding the extent to which the plaintiff is limited by them.

Insurance companies that insure defendants in various types of claims retain investigators to look into suspicious claims of injuries and to conduct surveillance on the plaintiff. In general, as long as the investigation takes place in public places or online in spaces where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy, evidence from these investigations can be used to discredit plaintiffs.

One common error in judgment made by plaintiffs is to post pictures or status updates on Facebook or other social media. A prudent defendant’s investigator will use any public information to show that a plaintiff is exaggerating his or her injuries. For example, a plaintiff in a motorcycle accident who claims back injuries from a car accident, but posts status updates about extreme sports events and hiking, may expose himself to being discredited at deposition or in front of a jury about the extent of his back injuries.