COVID-19 and Personal Injury: Should You Stop or Postpone Your Medical Treatment?
With Florida’s stay-at-home order in effect, many Floridians are afraid to go outside. Even though the order allows residents to leave their house for essential activities – and seeking medical treatment is considered an essential activity – many are reluctant to go to a hospital out of fear of contracting coronavirus.
So, what should you do if you sustained an injury during the COVID-19 pandemic? Or what if you are currently getting medical care in a workers’ compensation case? Should you stop or postpone your medical care due to the fear of becoming infected with COVID-19?
Can You Stop or Postpone Medical Treatment Due to Fear of COVID-19 Infection?
Most hospitals in Florida are currently fighting the COVID-19 outbreak. Thus, it is true that there is a heightened risk of contracting the virus while visiting a hospital for an unrelated procedure. However, stopping or delaying medical treatment would most likely hurt your personal injury or workers’ comp case despite the rational fear of infection during these unprecedented times.
Besides, stopping or postponing treatment could impede your recovery or aggravate the existing injury or illness. Regardless of whether you were injured before or during the coronavirus pandemic, it is imperative that you stay on track with your treatment and follow your doctor’s orders.
Is It Safe to Continue Receiving Medical Treatment During the Coronavirus Pandemic?
If you want to maximize financial compensation in your personal injury case or receive workers’ comp benefits, you should continue receiving medical treatment as recommended by your healthcare provider. This is a critical element of proving the extent of your injuries and determining the amount of financial recovery.
Understandably, many people are reluctant to go to a hospital to receive treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic because it could be unsafe to do so. Your concerns about contracting coronavirus are perfectly reasonable, but stopping or delaying treatment could negatively affect your ability to seek maximum compensation.
Thus, instead of delaying or stopping treatment, try to keep your medical appointment as much as possible while following safety recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and practicing social distancing to minimize the risk of COVID-19 exposure.
Note: Since many hospitals and healthcare facilities are currently overwhelmed with coronavirus patients, you may need to wait longer than usual to get an appointment or receive treatment.
Settling Your Personal Injury Case During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The financial uncertainty triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic may prompt many injured individuals to settle their personal injury cases for any amount to get quick cash. After all, that person may urgently need at least some amount of money, especially if the coronavirus pandemic caused job loss or reduction in wages.
Some insurance companies are taking advantage of this uncertain situation by providing low-ball settlement offers. However, those settlement offers will not cover the full scope of your losses. That is why you should consult with a Tampa personal injury lawyer at Kobal Law prior to accepting any settlement offers. Our attorneys will evaluate your damages to ensure that you receive a sufficient settlement offer. Call at 813-873-2440 for a case review.
Resource:
cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
