WILL COVID-19 AFFECT MY PERSONAL INJURY CASE?

As uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic makes its way around the globe, it is important to stay up to date and informed. In the Tampa Bay area, we are seeing the impacts of this widespread crisis similar to many other major cities across the world. 

Businesses are shut down and we are urged to stay home unless it is absolutely necessary to venture outside. If you’ve been on any of the streets in Downtown Tampa or St. Pete lately, you can directly see the effects by the silent streets of how this virus is affecting our area. Restaurants are closed and the beaches are bare. Concerts and large gatherings are postponed. 

All of this restriction can be intimidating and scary, how will this impact our city? How will this impact our lives? And also very importantly, you may be wondering, “how will COVID-19 impact my personal injury case?”

We want you to know that in these uncertain times, our team at Pipas Law Group is here for you. 

Given the specific restrictions set in the Tampa area, our team is able to continue to conduct regular operations in-office as an essential business. Our Governor Ron DeSantis has restricted “all persons in Florida to limit their movements and personal interactions outside of their home to only those necessary to obtain or provide essential services or conduct essential activities.” The State of Florida has implemented these restrictions in an effort to keep us safe.

What impact does the COVID-19 regulations have on car accident and personal injury insurance claims?

Our office is continuing to seek full and fair compensation for all of our clients and our efforts have been tireless even through these times. In addition, most insurance companies we deal with are able to carry on with their daily operations, working remotely, as many of you are. 

Although we are still working on getting your case resolved, we encourage you to maintain your efforts in pursuing proper medical treatment and therapies for your injuries so we can continue on this forward momentum. Additionally, if there is any outstanding documents, information, or statements needed by your attorney to move your case further toward a resolution, we encourage you to stay on top of all that you can on your end to ensure that COVID-19 has the littlest possible effect on your case as possible. 

The court system in Florida has shut down all non-essential hearings in response to COVID-19. However, with personal injury cases, many courts and judges are still conducting pre-trial conferences, depositions, and mediations via telephone or video call. At Pipas Law Group, we are making sure we take advantage of their openings to keep our existing client cases moving forward as normal. 

Seeking Medical Treatment for Car Accident Injuries During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Medical treatment may be difficult to access during this time. We want to encourage you to keep up with any medical attention you are receiving for your accident-related personal injuries. If your accident was more recent, please reach out to a personal injury attorney and seek any necessary medical attention. Our team of experienced personal injury attorneys at Pipas Law Group are happy to answer any questions you may have. 

We have found that many providers we work with (and likely many more in the Tampa Bay area) are offering telemedicine and at-home therapies, which can be a great option to avoid the risks of getting sick. 

If you are still interested in being treated in-office, numerous conservative care physicians have continued to remain open to see and treat patients in person, taking extra steps to ensure that their offices are safe and sanitary in an effort to protect the health of their patients. 

Prior to scheduling an in-person visit with your provider, for your health and safety during these uncertain times, we suggest that you touch base with their office regarding their specific COVID-19 protocol. It is a good idea to know and understand the safety measures being taken by the provider to make sure you are not putting yourself at risk of getting sick. 

It is our goal to continue to provide assistance to our current, future, and new clients during this time. We want to keep all of our staff, attorneys, and clients safe and healthy while ensuring that there is continuity in all cases. 

We believe that everyone deserves adequate treatment and fair compensation, however, keep in mind that a “break in treatment” could be something you hear come up from insurance companies as we move forward with your case once the businesses reopen and we start to return to normalcy. This is a common term we have heard in the past (prior to the COVID-19 pandemic) and we expect insurance companies to continue to question this small lapse in treatment even though the entire nation is aware of the shutdown impact this virus has on Florida individuals, and local businesses including health providers. 

If you’ve recently been in an accident and have an existing Florida personal injury case open, we recommend for you to continue working with your attorneys during this unpredictable time to make sure there is nothing more you can do to beneficially move your case further along. 

If you have any specific questions or concerns, please reach out to us at 727-888-3925.