How To Manage An Injury If You Are Sheltering In Place During COVID-19

Posted on Friday, April 10th, 2020

With the increasing diagnoses of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), many hospitals are overrun, and healthcare professionals overworked. A multitude of other smaller medical facilities have cancelled or postponed their non-emergency or elective surgeries and procedures in an effort to flatten the curve. However, what are you supposed to do if you’re injured? What if you had a scheduled surgery that’s postponed for the unforeseeable future? Coker Law Personal Injury Attorney Fraz Ahmed explains how to manage an injury during the Safer at Home mandate and what you can do to ensure your health remains a top priority.

How To Handle A Personal Injury Claim

When it comes to personal injury cases, whether due to a car crash or unusual incident, patients often need to undergo extensive medical treatment to address their injuries. In order to prove someone’s life was changed due to their injuries, the courts need to see that they exhausted all treatment options available in an attempt to treat their pain or cure their injuries.

With the spread of COVID-19, many people are fearful of going to a hospital or emergency room or even their chiropractor or pain management specialist. However, in Florida, if you were in a car accident, and don’t receive some form of medical treatment or evaluation within 14 days of the crash, the insurance company will deny you benefits you are entitled to.

Here are 3 tips on how to manage an injury during the COVID-19 pandemic and Safer at Home mandate:

• Research Your Options: If you don’t want to go to the emergency room, the best option is to call your primary care doctor and see what they recommend. Your primary care doctor may tell you to come to their office, urgent care, or recommend a specialist for your specific injuries. Most medical facilities are introducing virtual appointments to reduce the risk of exposure, which is a great first step if you are wary of going to the emergency room. As of now most chiropractors and pain management specialists are considered essential and are open for appointments. If they are treating patients, do your best to be consistent about your treatment to treat your injury, alleviate your pain and show that you have followed your doctor’s instructions.
• Stay Diligent: Many medical facilities are having to make significant changes and adapt to new policies due to the pandemic. Medical providers hours and daily practices may have been altered. If for some reason an appointment can’t be scheduled, let your attorney know immediately; remain patient, but do what you can to ensure you receive treatment in a timely manner. Without treatment, not only will your pain and injuries not improve but the insurance companies will use it against you to deny your claim.
• Get Creative: You may be unable to attend physical therapy or go to the gym due to the effects of the pandemic, but there are a multitude of things that can be done at home to rehab your injuries. Ask your doctor or physical therapist for any at home exercises you can do to keep your healing on track. You can set up a virtual appointment where they can walk you through the exercise and see if you are doing it correctly.

Coker Law Is Here To Help

“These are unprecedented times and we hope you and your families stay safe.  During this pandemic, we remain available to help guide you and provide you options if you are unable to get the medical treatment you need because of COVID-19.” said Coker Law Attorney Fraz Ahmed

We hope you never to need to call us, but if you are injured due to someone else’s negligence, you may qualify to receive compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses related to your injuries. To speak with a Coker Law attorney or for more information, call (904) 299-0808 or click here to schedule a free consultation.