If you’ve been the victim of an accident that caused injury, it’s important to know what to expect. In order to bring a successful personal injury claim, there are some steps you need to follow and documentation you will need to gather. In 2020, a personal injury case may seem more daunting than ever, but if you arm yourself with the right information, you should feel much more comfortable with your case.
What to Know About Personal Injury Cases in New York
Personal injury cases are often complex, confusing, and stressful to deal with. If you’ve been injured in a personal injury case, the last thing you probably want to think about is legal proceedings, but it’s important to preserve your rights and get the money you deserve from the responsible parties to your injury.
A personal injury claim can be brought when you have been harmed due to someone else’s negligence. Personal injury cases may take a variety of forms, such as car accidents, slip and fall cases, animal bites, or medical malpractice.
Damages in personal injury cases are the money the responsible party pays you to compensate for expenses you have incurred due to the injury, along with compensation for your pain and suffering. Damages may be awarded for:
Medical Expenses
Anything you had to pay relating to medical treatment for your injury: surgery, hospitalization, doctor’s visits, physical therapy, etc.
Lost Wages
If you’ve had to miss work due to your injury, you can be compensated for the income you were unable to earn. Future lost wages can also be awarded if you will be unable to work in the future because you’ve been injured, due to either further recovery time or suffering permanent injury.
Pain and Suffering
You can be awarded money for your pain and suffering due to your injury and how it has changed your life.
Other Costs
If your property was damaged as a result of the incident, such as your car in a car accident, you should be able to include these expenses as part of your claim. Don’t forget additional costs like prescriptions that arose from your injury.
What to Do If You’ve Been Injured
It is important to note that in New York, you have three years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Much of the time, this step won’t even be necessary to receive compensation for your injuries, although the threat of a lawsuit does help your case. Unless you have only very minor injuries, it is probably worth it to consult with New York attorneys regarding your case, as being represented by a personal injury attorney has been proven to lead to a better outcome for your case, both in your chances of getting settlement money and in the amount of money you are awarded.
Also be sure to seek medical attention immediately following your injury, as you will require official documentation to help prove the extent of your injuries.
How will COVID-19 affect your case?
In 2020, COVID-19 looms over everything, so naturally, you’ll probably be wondering how the pandemic might affect your case. The good news is your case won’t be delayed indefinitely, though you certainly might have to deal with some delays and changes, primarily that any court proceedings or negotiation attempts will most likely be done via online channels. Depending on your financial circumstances, and those of the defendant in your case, you may also feel increased pressure to settle, to either get a much-needed cash infusion for yourself or to avoid ending up with nothing should the defendant experience financial problems due to the pandemic.
This is a guest blog entry.
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