Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matt Arnold answers the question: “Should I take photographs of the property damage sustained to my car, of the accident scene, or of my visible injuries following an accident?”
While North Carolina’s stay-at-home order has decreased traffic crashes in the state from about 4,500 in the first week of March to fewer than 1,000 in the last week of April, auto accidents still continue to happen in Charlotte and across the state.
Dealing with a car crash during the coronavirus crisis is completely different from what it was like in the pre-pandemic world.
- You cannot go to court. As court proceedings in North Carolina courts were pushed back until June 1, 2020, filing a personal injury lawsuit following a car crash may not be possible. Also, as many law firms in North Carolina closed their offices and suspended in-person meetings with clients, getting legal help has become challenging for many car accident victims. However, our attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, continue to provide consultations via telephone or video conference.
- Getting medical care can be a problem (or you may be wary of hospitals). With many hospitals in North Carolina postponing non-essential surgeries and treatments, you may not be able to get the appropriate medical procedure following a car crash during the COVID-19 pandemic. You probably would not even if you could due to the fear of contracting coronavirus while visiting an emergency room or a hospital.
- Document your injuries more carefully. During these turbulent times, documenting your car accident injuries has become even more important due to potential treatment interruptions and appointment cancellations. Document your symptoms following a car crash, and take note of delayed treatments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Reporting a car accident or making a claim can take longer than before. Auto insurance companies in North Carolina and across the country are facing increased pressure from their policyholders to provide premium discounts during these unprecedented times. Also, auto insurers are facing increased calls from those who want to settle their claims quickly due to the financial instability and inability to pay bills. For this reason, the wait time can be much longer than usual when reporting a crash or making a car accident
- Beware of lowball settlement offers. The likelihood of accepting a lowball settlement offer may increase during the coronavirus crisis as more insurers may try to take advantage of claimants’ economic uncertainty. Thus, insurers may put more financial pressure when offering lowball offers that do not reflect the victim’s damages and losses. Let a knowledgeable car accident attorney evaluate your case to determine the most appropriate settlement amount.
- Expect delays in your car accident case. As insurance companies face increased calls, hospitals are overwhelmed with coronavirus patients, and courts are handling only emergency matters, there will undoubtedly be delays in your legal case following your auto accident. As the coronavirus crisis is constantly evolving, consider speaking with a Charlotte car crash attorney to explore your options and find out how the pandemic may affect your claim.
Contact our attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, to schedule a case evaluation. Let us assist you in handling your case during these tough times. Call at (704) 370-2828 to receive a consultation with our lawyers to explore your legal options or fill out our contact form. Now taking cases throughout North Carolina with offices in Uptown Charlotte, Mooresville and Monroe.
The skilled personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to maximizing the financial recovery and obtaining justice for every personal injury client injured by another party’s negligence. The issues our personal injury clients may be facing include, but are not limited to, slip and fall injuries, wrongful death, product liability, catastrophic injuries, dog bite claims, car and truck accident injuries, motorcycle injuries, traumatic brain injury (TBI), nursing home negligence, spinal cord injury, boating accidents, and defective medical device injury. Our personal injury attorneys understand the devastating impact such an injury can have on a person’s life, and that the effects so often go beyond physical pain and suffering. The personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to helping clients determine the strength of their claims, and to aggressively pursuing the means necessary to achieve the best possible end result for each client’s particular situation.
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