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Reeves & Mestayer | Personal Injury Attorneys in Biloxi

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We have recovered over
$1 Billion
in compensation for our clients

Aggressive
We are persistent, proactive, and ready to fight for our clients' interests

Ethical
While we are aggressive, we always play by the rules and honesty is the foundation of what we do

Experience
We have extensive courtroom and trial experience putting our clients in the best position for success

Reeves & Mestayer is rated
Highest in Legal Abilities & Ethics
by Martindale-Hubbell

Reeves & Mestayer is listed as
One of the Preeminent Law Firms
in America

Reeves & Mestayer has obtained
Record Verdicts & Settlements
for their clients

BP oil spill class action recovery of
$70 Million
We handled thousands of BP claims throughout the Gulf South and was named by the Court to serve on the Economic and Property Damages Committee in the Multi-District Litigation

Defective product recovery of
$55 Million
After being injured or killed by defective tires, we fought to get 75 passengers and drivers the settlement they deserved

Car accident settlement of
$12 Million
After 5 people were killed in a multi-vehicle collision, their families turned to Reeves & Mestayer for help. We fought to get them the settlement they deserved

State of Mississippi tobacco litigation
$13 Million
Reeves & Mestayer law firm gained this verdict for the State of Mississippi to correct wrongful calculations related to the Mississippi tobacco settlement

Defective Product Settlement of
$1 Billion
We fought for 14,000 plaintiffs and 1,000 defendants hurt by Chinese-manufactured drywall products

May 23, 2020 By Jim Reeves

How the Coronavirus May Impact Personal Injury Settlements

The novel coronavirus has caused financial insecurity for millions of Americans. This is especially true for those who are out of work because of a car accident, slip and fall incident, or pedestrian accident. If you were off of work before COVID-19 became a pandemic, you may not qualify for unemployment or remote working options. This puts additional financial pressure on you. This leaves you with a difficult question: what will happen to your personal injury claim in the age of coronavirus?

Possible Delays with Insurance Settlements

There may be issues with claims that are settled with insurance. This is likely relevant to your claim since the majority of personal injury cases settle long before they ever get to court. Insurance companies are experiencing economic struggles at the moment, and many have seen their stocks tank as the economy has crashed. As a result, they may be reluctant to pay out large settlements or negotiate with accident victims. Adjusters may even be limited in their ability to offer fair settlements.

Furthermore, the primary reason that insurance companies settle quickly is to avoid court. Going to court is extremely expensive for insurance companies, and they want to settle claims before they have to pay attorney fees and keep a claim on their docket for months. Right now, though, courts across the country are closed. There is no risk of going to court anytime soon. Insurance companies know that even if you are willing to wait until courts reopen, that gives them plenty of time to wear you down or wait for you to run out of money and consider a settlement. If you don’t accept their first offer, they may be willing to walk away from negotiations.

Limited Legal Options

When the insurance company is unwilling to offer a fair settlement, your next option is to file a lawsuit against them. In normal times, this generally inspires a very quick turnaround on their part and results in a more practical offer. Right now, though, the wheels of justice are turning more slowly. You have to wait, continue getting necessary medical care, and maintain logs of the costs you incur because of your accident. For families that live paycheck to paycheck, this wait may be difficult.

Difficulties Obtaining Medical Care

Perhaps one of the biggest challenges for those with a personal injury claim is the lack of medical care. Of course, emergency rooms across the country have set up separate areas for COVID-19 patients and other emergency patients. You may be able to get emergency care after your accident. However, you may find it much harder to get the routine and ongoing care you need to heal.

Quite a few clinics and non-emergency specialties have completely shut down because of the coronavirus. Even if they do not primarily work with patients who are at high risk of contracting COVID-19, a substantial amount of people with this virus are asymptomatic carriers. By staying open for non-emergency checkups and procedures, doctors could be seen to be encouraging the spread of COVID-19.

Medical care is a key component of most personal injury cases, so being unable to find a provider is a big setback. This is one reason it is very helpful to have an attorney. They have connections throughout the community, and they will likely be able to find a way to get you the care you need.

Why You Need an Attorney

Not only can an attorney help you get around issues with finding medical care, they can also guide you through the rest of the personal injury process. As noted earlier, insurance companies are a little bit less eager to settle right now. They know that most people will run out of money before courts reopen and that if they wait long enough, people will accept an even lower amount.

Having an attorney may make insurance adjusters a little bit more willing to negotiate. If the threat of a future lawsuit is a genuine concern and they know that you have a solid case, they may increase their offer simply to settle the matter and move on. Make sure you choose an experienced attorney who is not afraid to play hardball with unethical insurance companies.

Are you dealing with the aftermath of a serious injury in the age of the novel coronavirus? You’re not alone. Many other people are facing the same struggles and wondering how they are going to get by. The team at Reeves & Mestayer understands your plight and wants to help you get the compensation you deserve. To talk to us in greater detail about your case and explore your options, reach out to us today to set up an appointment.

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Filed Under: Personal Injury Tagged With: coronavirus, covid-19

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Verdicts & Settlements

$156M
Settlement in a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of pensioners of the Singing River Pension Plan.
$55M
On behalf of 75 passengers and drivers injured or killed in tire defect/rollover cases
$22M
On behalf of seven investors defrauded of their life savings
$12M
On behalf of five people killed in a multi-vehicle collision
$10M
On behalf of children and teachers poisoned by defective spray roofing
$5.5M
Verdict on behalf of a woman who was abducted and raped in a K-Mart parking lot because the store provided no security
$6M
Settlement on behalf of an orthopedic surgeon killed during a scuba diving excursion. Believed to be a record settlement for a dive accident in the Bahamas.
$1M
Verdict on behalf of a women who did not receive timely treatment and died as a result of her injuries.

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Reeves & Mestayer

Reeves & Mestayer, PLLC
160 Main St
Biloxi, MS 39530

Toll free: 1-855-558-2977
Phone: 228-374-5151
Fax: 228-374-6630

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