Should I Wait to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit Due to COVID-19?
COVID-19 and resulting stay-at-home orders have altered people’s lives in numerous ways. However, even as travel is restricted and many individuals find themselves working from home, accidents can, and do, still occur. Accidents frequently result in personal injuries that have physical, emotional, and financial consequences.
The law allows accident victims to hold liable parties accountable for resulting damages, but given the pandemic, people may hesitate to take action. Despite everything going on, individuals should not wait to file a personal injury lawsuit due to COVID-19. Personal injury attorneys Randy Akin and Greg Burton urge individuals in the Longview, TX, area to avoid delaying their personal injury lawsuit.
Statutes of Limitations Are Still in Place
When considering whether to delay filing a personal injury lawsuit due to COVID-19, the most important thing for our Longview clients to think about is statutes of limitations. Statutes of limitations are essentially deadlines that limit the amount of time a person has to file a civil suit.
Despite all of the restrictions that have been put in place, and the delays that have impacted the court system, statutes of limitations have not been suspended or lifted in response to the pandemic. This means that, if accident victims do not act in a timely manner, they risk forfeiting their right to file a lawsuit to pursue compensation for accident damages.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for a Personal Injury Case?
Statutes of limitations are dictated by local law, so they are different in each state. Statutes of limitations also vary depending on the type of lawsuit that is being filed. The statute of limitations for a personal injury case is two years in Texas. The two-year countdown starts on the day that the injury occurs.
What If I Don’t Have Money to Hire an Attorney?
COVID-19 has put a financial strain on many people. With numerous businesses closing or reducing hours, thousands find themself without employment or on a limited income. The inability to pay an attorney is one reason that people may consider waiting to file a personal injury lawsuit until COVID is better under control.
We urge people not to let financial strains prevent them from seeking legal counsel. A personal injury claim can benefit individuals who are struggling to meet the financial demands of a personal injury, because it gives them the opportunity to seek compensation from liable parties. Furthermore, most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis. This means that they are only paid if financial payments are awarded, so injury victims should not have to provide any payment upfront.
What If I Have Safety Concerns?
Safety concerns are another important reason that people may want to wait to file a personal injury claim. Our attorneys understand these concerns, but we are taking precautions to make our law firm a clean and safe environment for our Longview clients. We are happy to discuss safety measures with our clients in further detail, and are willing to conduct a consultation over the phone or virtually if preferred.
Schedule a Consultation with Our Attorneys
If you have suffered personal injuries caused by another person or party, you should act quickly to pursue the financial compensation you may be due. To schedule a consultation with attorneys Randy Akin and Greg Burton, send us a message online or call our office at (903) 297-8929.
