The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States has led to an unprecedented number of measures being taken to slow the spread of the virus. This has included a shutdown of all major non-essential industries, schools, restaurants, and more. Coronavirus has also significantly disrupted court proceedings. At Colson Hicks Eidson, our team wants to discuss how COVID-19 could affect a person’s ongoing personal injury case or any personal injury cases that may arise in Florida or throughout the United States.
COVID-19 has forced court changes throughout the US
With much of the country, including Florida, under some sort of stay at home order, this has dramatically affected how our court system operates. The chief justices of many states have shut down non-essential cases in order to ensure there are no large public gatherings. Court systems have transitioned to remote operations for most civil and criminal litigation, except for trials, which have been suspended in many states.
When it comes to personal injury cases, these are considered non-essential. Any personal injury case that has been scheduled for trial will be delayed until the coronavirus pandemic is under control and stay at home orders are lifted. This does not mean they will not be heard, it just means that injury victims will have to wait a bit longer to seek justice.
Most cases do not go to trial
Most personal injury cases do not go all the way to trial. Rather, they are settled out of court. However, even ongoing personal injury cases will likely be delayed. A personal injury case requires extensive investigation in order to prove liability and to properly calculate a victim’s losses. The investigative process may see delays as many businesses and insurance carriers have changed how they operate. For example, if an attorney needs surveillance footage from the outside of an art studio, they may not be able to get it right away due to business closures and stay at home orders.
What about new personal injury cases?
Even during a crisis, there are still going to be times when people are harmed due to the negligence of somebody else. At Colson Hicks Eidson, we are still taking new personal injury cases, and we will make sure that all deadlines are met, including the statute of limitations deadline, for your personal injury case.
We are here for our clients
If you or somebody you love as an ongoing personal injury case, or think that you may need to file a personal injury claim soon, the award-winning team at Colson Hicks Eidson is here to help. We know these are difficult times for everybody in this country. COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to our nation. We are dedicated to meeting every clients’ needs and will work to ensure your personal injury case moves forward regardless of the situation. Our goal has been, and always will be, to ensure that injury victims are properly compensated. When you need a personal injury lawyer in Florida or throughout the United States, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or by calling us at 305-476-7400.
