Each year, there are thousands of car accidents in West Virginia that result in personal injury claims being brought against the responsible parties. While most of these claims are ultimately settled outside of the court, many of the cases are contested by insurance company of the responsible party. There are a variety of reasons why these cases can be contested, one of which involves the reporting and treatment of injuries incurred in an accident. Whenever you or your loved ones are involved in a motor vehicle accident in which you sustain injuries, it is important to speak with a car accident lawyer about a possible personal injury claim right away. For a risk-free initial consultation, contact Colombo law today.
Many individuals wonder whether delayed reporting of injuries has a significant impact on a case. Generally, people are under the belief that the failure to immediately report an injury will result in hurting their claim. While this is often a topic of discussion, it is a myth that the failure to immediately report an injury will significantly damage your claim in every instance. While insurance companies typically use delayed reporting as a tactic to minimize your claim, the true impact of delayed reporting must be considered on a case-by-case basis. Two factors that our attorneys typically look at include:
Whether the delayed reporting cause additional harm: When you are injured in an accident by another individual’s negligence, the injured party is obligated to prevent further harm. If that individual fails to properly treat an issue due to their delay in reporting, there may be an impact on the amount of recovery, especially in cases in which the damage caused by one’s own actions exceed the damage caused by the negligent parties.
Whether the injury is physically felt too log after the incident in question: Generally, insurance companies are aware that individuals do not always immediately feel the effects of an accident, especially when the injuries are not serious or immediately apparent. This is often because individuals experience higher levels of adrenaline immediately after an accident. Because of this, individuals do not report feeling symptoms until several hours or a couple of days later. While this type of delay is normal and may not hurt your claim, the length of delayed reporting must be reasonable. The more time elpases before an injured party seeks medical attention (for example: several weeks later), the more difficult it may be to prove a claim.
Contact Colombo Law
The Colombo Law firm is located in Morgantown, West Virginia. We are highly experienced personal injury lawyers who successfully handle hundreds of personal injury claims each year, obtaining justice and monetary relief for our clients. Call 304-599-4229 for a FREE personal injury case review.
