How the COVID-19 Pandemic Can Affect Your Car Crash Claim
After suffering the trauma of a car accident, you now face the consequences of a global pandemic. COVID-19 affected the lives of everyone around the world in myriad ways. As the victim of a car accident, you may wonder how COVID-19 affects your claim. A qualified personal injury attorney works to protect your rights even through a pandemic, so you experience minimal surprises as you navigate your way to recovery.
How Will the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect My Claim?
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, accidents continue to occur. While a qualified attorney works to shield clients from interruptions on their road to recovery, inevitably, COVID-19 may affect aspects of your car crash claim.
Settlement Pressure
As insurance companies experience a loss in profits, they may push claimants to settle their claims to minimize their payouts. Additionally, insurance companies understand the urgency many car accident victims may feel in obtaining compensation. Therefore, they may pressure claimants to settle for less than they deserve, relying on claimants’ need for payment. However, it’s important not to settle for less than what your claim is worth. You may end up with lengthy injuries requiring long-term medical attention with minimal compensation to support your expenses.
Court Delays
With courtrooms shut down for months during the pandemic, most courts may reopen only on a limited schedule. However, even if courtrooms reopen fully, they may have substantial backlogs from the closures.
Unavailable Medical Treatment
Amidst the pandemic, many hospitals canceled non-essential medical attention due to the COVID-19 pandemic to keep individuals safe and reserve all medical personnel to attend to the COVID-19 patients. Therefore, if you delayed medical treatment due to COVID-19, even if it was not your choice, this may result in a delay in the valuation of your claim.
Lapses in Coverage
The COVID-19 pandemic caused substantial financial stress for many Americans. As a result, many of those experiencing financial hardships minimized financial obligations, such as insurance premiums. If you suffer injuries in a car accident with a driver during a lapse of their insurance coverage, it may be more difficult for you to obtain compensation for your injuries. These facts add complexity to your car accident claim requiring the assistance of a qualified personal injury lawyer.
Loss of Income
Many individuals suffered a loss of employment during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you sustained injuries in a car accident during a period of unemployment, you may feel pressured to settle your claim to obtain the compensation you need quickly. However, it is important to first consult with a qualified personal injury attorney to determine the value of your claim and your options moving forward.