On Friday, December 11, the Food and Drug Administration approved Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, after a large scale clinical trial of 44,000 people showed the vaccine to be 95% effective. With millions of vaccine doses shipped throughout the United States and ready for use, the impact on many aspects of American life will be significant. In fact, the first dosages were administered to front line workers in New York City on December 14th. If the vaccine is successful in stemming the tide of the Corona Virus, people who have suffered injuries due to car accidents, slip and falls, construction accidents, and other serious bodily injuries will begin to be able to have more in-person visits with their doctor and have easier access to services like physical therapy and chiropractic treatment.
Although Zoom and other virtual doctor appointments like TeleHealth were creative solutions to curtail the spread of COVID-19, it is difficult for physicians and other medical professionals to diagnose and conduct follow-up examinations on patients. Importantly, patients who receive hands-on treatment like chiropractic care and physical or occupational therapy did not have comparable substitutes with these virtual appointments. Additionally, many patients have had to push off getting much needed surgical care. Hopefully, scheduling these surgeries will also become easier as the vaccine continues to be more widely available.
The successful implementation of the vaccine can also benefit the legal world. As infection rates presumably go down, Courts will be able to resume in-person proceedings, such as trials, appeals, and arguments on civil motions. The Courts will also be able to hold in-person alternative dispute resolution conferences, such as mediations.
We’ll Still Fight For Your Case
Even as life begins to normalize, it is expected that insurance companies may try to spin the effect of the pandemic to benefit their legal arguments and contend that a personal injury plaintiff’s delay in medical treatment during the pandemic should limit the amount of money they are awarded in a lawsuit. However, this is an argument that will be meet with vigorous opposition by the plaintiff’s bar, including our office.
At the Law Offices of Louis Grandelli, our team is highly skilled in handling all aspects of your personal injury case, including the additional hurdles that the COVID-19 pandemic has created. If you or someone was involved in a slip-and fall, construction accident, motor-vehicle accident, dog-bite or other personal injury accident, don’t hesitate, call us today at 212-668-8400 to set up a free consultation. Our offices are located in Manhattan and Staten Island. Appointments and consults are available both in-person and virtually.
