The Drawbacks of Neglecting to File a Personal Injury Claim
Whether you were involved in a car crash, medical malpractice incident, or dog attack, being injured in any kind of accident can be a stressful and painful experience.
In the aftermath of an injury or accident, you may be faced with a whirlwind of things to do, decisions to make, and bills to pay. You may find yourself overwhelmed by hospital and doctor bills, medication costs, and therapy expenses. You might have to take time off from work to recover from your injury and make appointments. On top of everything else, the pain you experience may be tremendous and constant.
Nothing can make up for all the losses you’ve suffered. But the compensation you can obtain by winning a personal injury claim should make the process of recovering and moving forward with your life a little bit easier.
As you struggle to deal with the consequences of an accident, filing a personal injury claim may be the last thing on your mind. You may feel reluctant to go through the process because you are afraid that it will add even more stress to your life.
However, the consequences of neglecting to file a personal injury claim can end up causing a lot more stress and harm in the long-run. Below, we’ve explored some of the biggest drawbacks of choosing not to pursue a personal injury claim.
You may have to pay for expenses out of pocket. Medical care is expensive. And if you’ve been injured, there’s a good chance you’ll be paying for a lot more than a couple of doctor visits. There’s also the cost of prescriptions, medical equipment, and therapy sessions to consider. By filing a personal injury claim, you may be able to obtain compensation for these and all other costs related to your recovery, as well as damages for the pain you’ve suffered.
You may lose money in the form of lost wages. Perhaps the biggest financial blow after being injured comes in the form of lost wages. After suffering harm in an accident, you may have to take time off of work in order to recover. In some instances, your ability to work may be impaired or diminished by your injury for many years or a lifetime. Through a successful personal injury claim, you may be able to recover compensation for both past and future lost wages.
The negligent party or dangerous condition can cause future harm. One of the most important goals of a personal injury case is to work to prevent a similar accident from happening in the future. By filing a personal injury case, you can raise public awareness of a dangerous condition, negligent entity, or societal problem and help to keep it from harming others in the future. Alternatively, by neglecting to file a claim, you can allow a dangerous person or condition to prevail uncontested.
Keep in mind that the process of filing a personal injury claim doesn’t have to be stressful.
If you work with insurance companies on your behalf to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. In many cases, your attorney may be able to obtain a fair settlement outside of court. However, if it becomes necessary to take your case to trial, your lawyer will fight tirelessly to get the compensation you deserve and need to heal and move on with your life.
About the Author:
John K. Lawlor, a South Florida personal injury attorney who focuses his practice on complex personal injury, wrongful death, and professional malpractice, founded the law firm of Lawlor, White & Murphey in 1998. Since 1995, Mr. Lawlor’s trial advocacy and litigation skills, as well as his wide-ranging legal expertise, have provided plaintiffs and their families with a distinct advantage when seeking financial compensation and justice for injuries caused by the negligence of others. Mr. Lawlor is an EAGLE member of the Florida Bar Association and an active member of the American Association for Justice, the Broward County Justice Association, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and several professional associations.