Surgery After a St Petersburg Car Accident: Does It Impact My Case Value?
Michael Babboni
Car Accidents
Many people are unaware of the extent of their injuries immediately following an auto accident on St Petersburg’s roadways. They also don’t know the extent or type of treatment they require.Even without this information, it is still in your best interest to contact a personal injury attorney right away. Once more information on your condition becomes available, the attorney can help increase the value of your case in the earliest stages of the claim process.
How Does Surgery Affect Your Case?
One of the biggest questions is whether the surgery they need after the accident will affect the overall case value. Some are afraid of the surgery as it can result in hefty medical bills and additional expenses. Some actually choose less medical care because they think it will keep more settlement money in their pocket. This is not the right way to think.
No matter what, your health should dictate whether you need surgery or not following the accident. If the surgery is optional and you aren’t sure if the benefits will outweigh the risks, then you should consider not having the surgery.
When it comes to your car accident claim, in most cases, having surgery will significantly increase your claim's value. And if you don’t have the surgery as recommended by the medical professionals you are seeing, your case value can actually decrease in some cases.
Why Can Not Having Surgery Negatively Impact My Claim?
Not having a recommended surgery can negatively impact your claim in a few ways.
• You are causing additional pain and suffering: If you fail to get the surgery, the attorneys on the defense side may argue that you are prolonging your pain and suffering.
• Price increases medical bills: The price of the surgery will increase the overall amount of medical bills you have. If there is enough insurance coverage, these higher medical bills can lead to higher values for your pain and suffering, the amount typically left over after the accident settlement. Higher medical bills equate to higher settlements unless that money or coverage just isn’t available.
The bottom line is if there is adequate insurance coverage and the medical professionals recommend you get the surgery, then it is in your best interest to do so. You also don’t want to delay treatment for a prolonged period of time, or the cause of your injuries could ultimately also come into question.
When Is There Adequate Insurance to Pay Fair Value for the Surgery?
There are a few instances when you can be fairly certain there will be enough liability insurance coverage available to pay for a fair settlement value in cases that require the plaintiff to have surgery.
In these situations, there will likely be at least $1 million in liability coverage:
• It was an Uber or Lyft driver
• Someone delivering for a delivery service like Uber Eats or Postmates
• A driver in a rented car that purchased bodily injury liability coverage
• Someone driving a truck for a big company like Walmart or Publix
• Someone who rented a car from a rideshare service
In most cases, including when surgery is necessary, the coverage is often enough to cover everything, and the settlement might be bigger.
When Surgery Could Result in a Lower Settlement
Sometimes you may see less money when you have the surgery. If the bills from the surgery are greater than the money the plaintiff would have received, then they should expect less money. This may be because the insurance coverage was insufficient to cover all the damages.
If you are unsure how to proceed with your personal injury case, contact an experienced St Petersburg attorney who can help you navigate the process and value your claim.