Covid-19’s Impact on Large Personal Injury Cases

Some cases are so big or so contested that they just need a trial.  And during Covid, the courthouses around the country were closed and cases were not getting to trial. So how did the insurance companies and self-insured Defendants handle these large or contested cases without the threat of a trial?  They stalled and refused to pay fair market value on these cases so they could hold onto their money and earn interest.

Large Personal Injury Cases Affected Most

While every case at JB Law is important, a “large” case involves a significant life-changing injury that can often result in surgery or multiple surgeries.  A wrongful death case would also be categorized as a large case.  The closing of the courthouse has mainly delayed big cases.  However, it has also added a backlog of cases that need to be tried because most cases filed prior to the shutdown should be ready for trial.  All cases were proceeding during the shutdown with depositions, hearings, and mediations taking place by Zoom.  The expectation is that Zoom will be the main avenue for these activities going forward absent exceptional circumstances that require attorneys to attend a deposition, mediation, or hearing in person.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

To be clear and fair, not all insurance companies were holding back fair offers during Covid.  JB Law was able to use our experience in the field to secure dozens of excellent settlements for our clients during the shutdown.  However, because JB Law does a significant amount of litigation work usually involving large cases, several JB Law clients have been just sitting and waiting for courthouses to reopen.  Well, wait no more.  Even with the shutdown and the reticence of insurance companies to pay full value, a large percentage of JB Law’s large cases settled during the pandemic. We pride ourselves on litigating and trying tough cases but our appetite for litigation typically provides our clients with excellent opportunities to settle cases favorably.

With society returning to normal so is the court system.  JB Law anticipates spending a significant amount of time in the courtroom in the coming months with several cases set for trial.  Those large cases that have been just waiting for a day in court are ready to go and we are excited to get to trial.  Those insurance companies and self-insured defendants who have been holding back on paying fair market value on cases are going to find themselves on the courthouse doorstep trying to convince JB Law to settle their cases.  The work is done.  We are ready for trial.  We look forward to our days in court.