The Covid pandemic has changed the way we do things and this includes getting treatment after you get injured. Since emergency rooms and medical offices are prioritizing COVID patients, the patients who don’t have an urgent need for treatment were placed on the back burner. If you have a worker’s compensation claim or personal injury case that you are a part of, the main question in your mind is will the missed treatments affect your case?
Read along as we discuss how missing treatments because of COVID can affect your case and what to do in this situation.
What are the effects of Covid-19 on personal injury claims?
The pandemic has certainly wreaked havoc on the medical industry as a whole and this includes getting treatment from injuries arising from a personal injury claim. Worker’s Compensation claims are also negatively affected by Covid because it means that the injured parties are waiting longer to get treatment and will need to prolong their absence from work.
People who are unable to get treatment due to Covid can also suffer from increased waiting times to get their claims paid out because they can’t see a doctor and resume their treatment plan. This can place an additional financial strain on you as well as emotional and mental.
The main reason for the delays in treatment stems from the medical industry being inundated by Covid positive cases and puts stress on the medical community as a whole. Hospitals and healthcare workers are overwhelmed with the rising cases with seemingly no end in sight.
Because the priority was given to Covid-19 patients, non-critical and non-urgent health appointments were pushed to the back burned and this included a lot of ongoing treatment for people who have cases or claims.
The guidance to push back non-urgent appointments came from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) so that healthcare workers can concentrate their efforts and resources on people who are Covid positive and in need of immediate help.
Delays in treatment not only affect the employee but negatively affects the employer as well. If their injured employee is unable to get treatment, this means that their return to work date will move to a date that is further on the calendar. This can affect the company’s performance and bottom line.
What should you do if your treatment plan was affected by Covid?
Having your treatment appointments affected by Covid can put a damper on your recovery and your plans to return to work. Here are some of the steps that you should take to ensure that your claim or case is still running on a track and smoothly:
Talk to your case manager
Having an open and honest line of communication with your case manager or the person handling your case is key to getting it resolved without hiccups. You can let them know that you are trying to keep up and schedule appointments for treatments but the medical offices keep canceling or rescheduling them due to Covid.
You should always be upfront and honest with your case manager, especially in situations where delays like this can happen.
Document everything
Keeping track of every communication and every appointment that happened within your case is important because this can build a timeline of events that might be needed if your case needs to be reviewed or re-evaluated. If your treatment schedule keeps getting moved and canceled, try to get a written notice from the doctor’s office and save voicemails. This will help strengthen the case that this is not your fault and you were trying your best to show up to the treatments.
Be flexible and switch to virtual appointments
There are a lot of medical appointments nowadays that can be done virtually. It is better to do it virtually and from the comfort of your own home, if your treatment plan allows this. By being flexible, you can try to still be on track when it comes to your treatment plan. Virtual medical appointments are easy and you can even join from your mobile phone.
If you missed treatment because of COVID – contact Jordan Law today!
The pandemic has surely changed the way we do things and now, we are facing delays like no other. This encompasses medical treatments that might be needed for your case. If you are having issues with missing treatments because of the pandemic and the insurance company is giving you a hard time, contact Jordan Law in Orlando today!
Our team of legal experts can help you with all your legal needs. If you are unsure of how to navigate this uncharted territory, we can hold your hand and guide you accordingly. We take your best interests at heart and set up a legal plan where you will reap the most benefits from.