Yes, it’s possible to sue for an accident that aggravates a pre-existing medical condition, meaning your symptoms have worsened as a direct result of someone else’s negligence. Arthritis is one of many disorders that can get worse due to a car accident, slip and fall, and other incidents that result in severe trauma to various parts of your body. As a result, you may have increased discomfort due to the following symptoms:
- Chronic / persistent pain in the joints
- Swelling of the joints
- Fluid buildup
- Increasing pain that makes it difficult to perform daily tasks
As an accident victim, we know you have many questions on your mind when it comes to your legal rights. Do I have a case? What are my rights if my arthritis got worse after an accident? If you’re in need of a lawyer with experience in these cases, look no further than Normandie Law Firm. Contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to schedule a free consultation.
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Can being in an Accident Make my Arthritis Worse?
Arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that is typically caused by problems with the immune system or as a direct result of metabolic conditions, such as gout. It can also happen from cartilage wearing down over time, which is why many elderly people end up with arthritis. But there are cases of arthritis that are caused by or worsened because of a traumatic accident.
Essentially, a serious accident, like a car wreck, can cause inflammation in your joints or make an existing case of arthritis even more painful. Unlike arthritis that develops naturally, post-accident arthritis happens quickly after an accident. For some people, the symptoms will go away as they heal from their injuries, but others end up with chronic joint pain, swelling, and fluid buildup that requires surgery and other invasive procedures.
Aside from the expenses associated with post-accident arthritis, there are many lifestyle changes you will need to make in order to accommodate what may be a lifelong condition. Some people end up losing their jobs and are forced to give up many of the activities they enjoyed prior to the accident. This is why it’s essential to file an injury claim and demand compensation for your monetary losses. With the help of our accident lawsuit attorneys, you can recover the highest possible settlement from the liable entity.
Proving that an Accident Aggravated Your Arthritis
As with any legal case for injuries caused by negligence, medical evidence is the most important form of evidence. That’s why it’s essential to seek medical attention right away if you had an accident. Additionally, notify your doctor right away if symptoms of arthritis and other medical conditions you already have start to get worse. This is the best way to establish a clear link between the accident and your worsening arthritis and ensure that you are compensated by the responsible individual or entity.
During this process, you should also obtain representation from an experienced personal injury lawyer. An attorney can help you in many ways, from building a solid case for compensation to finding another doctor for a second opinion if your doctor is unable to link your arthritis symptoms to the accident.
Average Case Value of Post-Accident Arthritis Injury
Case values for post-accident arthritis may be anywhere from $50,000 to over $1,000,000 based on the total sum of monetary damages, which may include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Value of future / lifetime medical costs and lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage (from a car accident, for example)
- Legal fees
- Punitive damages
The amount for each of these categories will vary widely from one victim to another, and that’s why at the end of the day, there is no such thing as an average value for cases of arthritis that get worse after an accident. If you are interested in finding out how much you can ask for as an accident victim, give us a call and schedule a free case review at your earliest convenience.
How Long will It Take to Get Paid from a Lawsuit?
A personal injury claim can take between a few months to over 2 years to settle and payment is issued to the victim. The amount of time to settle a case is affected by many factors, including the defendant’s admission of liability and willingness to settle the case as soon as possible.
Generally, reaching a settlement is more difficult with cases of serious injury, or the aggravation of a pre-existing injury health issue such as arthritis. These cases require more evidence that claims for new injuries that clearly resulted from the accident, and as a result, obtaining the settlement you deserve can take 12 months or longer.
What is the Time Limit to Sue the Negligent Party?
As a general rule, the statute of limitations for a personal injury case is 2 years in California, starting from whenever you had the accident. There are very few exceptions that can buy you additional time to file a claim, meaning you will lose the right to any form of compensation if you miss the deadline of 2 years. No matter what type of accident you had, our sole motivation is to bring you every penny you deserve from an accident claim. However, we can only do that if your lawsuit is filed by the statutory deadline. Please contact our law firm immediately, so that we can begin the legal process on your behalf.
Deadline to File an Injury Claim against the Government
Did you end up with aggravated arthritis from an accident caused by a government entity? Perhaps you were injured in a car crash with a police vehicle, or you slipped on the floor and fell down in a government building. When the government is negligent in its duty of care, victims have
6 months to file a claim for compensation. This is not the same as filing a lawsuit, which you can only do if the applicable agency denies your claim or fails to provide you with a response within 45 days of receiving your claim forms.
Government liability claims are extremely complicated, so we recommend that you contact a lawyer with many years of experience in lawsuits against city, county, and state agencies.
We Provide Free Legal Services
Are you hesitant to contact a personal injury law firm because you can’t afford to hire an attorney? The burden of paying for legal representation is never on your shoulders when you join the Normandie family. From the very first consultation, you will receive a Zero Fee Guarantee. At no point will you pay us a single penny in legal fees, which are billed to the party that caused your injuries. We only get paid by recovering your settlement, so in other words, you owe $0 in the event we don’t win your case.
The accident injury attorneys of Normandie Law Firm look forward to fighting for you and the compensation you deserve. Please reach out to us for a free case evaluation on your rights and legal options.
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