My ‘Minor’ Injury Got Worse!
In general, when a person sustains minor injuries in an accident, they do not seek medical treatment, or only do so after a few days have passed and the injury has not healed itself. However, this can sometimes put a person in a difficult spot, because injuries that might begin as minor can sometimes quickly metamorphose into major medical issues. If you have been in an accident and your injuries have worsened, contacting an experienced attorney to find out your options is a good idea.
Some Injuries Appear Later
While injuries like broken bones tend to stay constant in their severity, the most common injuries that can grow worse over time are soft tissue-related, such as harm to tendons or ligaments. Soft tissue injuries can take days or even weeks to make themselves known, because the most common symptoms – swelling, pain, and reduced mobility – do not manifest immediately. However, these types of injuries can be incapacitating, particularly those in the neck.
The obvious issue with this type of harm is that by the time it has made itself apparent, the injury may have caused more damage than, say, a broken bone, which is immediately visible to medical personnel. In addition, a failure to seek immediate medical treatment can signal to an insurance company – or a jury – that your injuries were not sufficiently serious to warrant medical help.
Auto Accident Cases May Be Harder To Win
In addition to the potential physical problems that an injury like this can create, a person whose injuries have gotten worse over time may find themselves locked out of using certain insurance if their injuries were sustained in an auto accident. Florida is a no-fault state, which requires all drivers of four-wheeled vehicles to carry at least $10,000 of personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, as well as $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL) coverage. Ostensibly, this is intended to give those with minor injuries an avenue to settle claims without clogging up district court dockets.
That said, however, there is a time limit on being able to access this coverage. Florida law states that PIP coverage will cover 80 percent of all “reasonable expenses for medically necessary [care],” but only within 14 days of the auto accident. If your injuries do not manifest themselves within that 14-day period, you may not be able to use that required coverage, which can place many people in a difficult position as bills mount.
Contact A Tampa Minor Injury Attorney
While certain injuries may not meet Florida’s tort threshold for filing suit in court, you still deserve to get the compensation you deserve if those injuries were sustained because of another person’s negligence. Calling a Tampa personal injury attorney from the Rinaldo Law Group may help you decide your best path forward. Contact our office at (813) 831-9999 for a free consultation.
Source:
flhsmv.gov/insurance/
