How Can a Pre-Existing Condition Impact Your California Car Accident Claim?

If you have been in a car accident – or any other incident where another person’s behavior has seriously impacted your health – you are likely aware you can take legal action. However, you might have additional concerns if you have a pre-existing condition. Some victims are concerned that their pre-existing health concerns can result in reduced compensation or excess stress. However, you do not have to manage everything alone. 

At Younglove Law Group, we have extensive experience in personal injury law, including cases involving car accidents and serious injuries. We want to help you feel confident during legal matters, even if you have a pre-existing health condition. Our firm can help you navigate your claim quickly and efficiently, fighting on your behalf against parties who want to take advantage of you. We encourage you to connect with us if you need support with your claim. 

How Do Pre-Existing Conditions Complicate Car Accident Claim Proceedings?

Pre-existing conditions generally mean someone’s health has been affected before a given time. A pre-existing condition from before a car accident could include a plethora of issues, like chronic sickness, reduced effectiveness of the immune system, pain, or broken bones. A medical issue does not need to be chronic to be considered pre-existing. 

In a car accident where someone else is responsible for bodily harm, you are entitled to complete compensation. The compensation is meant to, ideally, help a victim heal and return to the quality of life they had before an inciting incident.

What if the Accident Does Not Exacerbate a Pre-Existing Condition?

If the car accident does not impact a pre-existing condition, the responsible party will likely not pay for any treatment related to that condition. 

This means the liable party is responsible for paying other damages, including new injuries, portions of bills related to these new injuries, and damage to property due to the incident. The liable party will also be responsible for covering additional damages they have caused. 

We encourage victims to be honest with their lawyers about their circumstances. This will help their attorney argue in their favor, identify qualifying losses, and maximize their potential financial recovery. 

What if the Accident Exacerbates Symptoms or Other Aspects of a Pre-Existing Condition?

If you have been in an accident that does exacerbate a pre-existing condition in any way, you deserve to receive compensation for that impact. Contrary to some beliefs, exacerbating a pre-existing condition does not mean the liable party is responsible for the entirety of the health condition. Instead, the responsible individuals must provide compensation that helps victims return to their state of well-being immediately before the accident. 

If someone has a pre-existing condition and is up-to-date on their treatments, doctor’s appointments, and other care, this impact is relatively simple to calculate. Any pain, complications, symptoms, or other issues worse than initially projected by healthcare providers are likely to be the responsibility of the liable party. 

However, calculation can be more difficult if the victim with a pre-existing condition has not kept up with appropriate care. In this case, there might be an increased risk of dishonesty from a victim, as there is less likely to be a record of their condition that can be used to calculate the total damages related to an accident. In this case, getting information from others familiar with the victim might be necessary. Any discrepancies in reporting will likely require additional investigation from all parties, which can increase time spent in litigation. 

Because dishonesty can cause increased stress and time spent in proceedings, we encourage all clients who work with us to be straightforward and truthful in their communications with us. Dishonesty can quickly result in significantly reduced compensation, sometimes leading to penalties due to an increase in distrust from court personnel and other legal representatives. 

Hurt After a Car Accident? Contact Younglove Law Group for Invaluable Support and Assistance in Obtaining Complete Compensation

If you have been in a car accident and faced severe impacts for your health, you do not have to tackle legal matters alone. When you work with an attorney from Younglove Law Group, we can help you determine who is liable, what compensation you are entitled to, and how to communicate with insurance providers. We can perform many tasks on your behalf, helping you receive outstanding recovery just as we have helped our other clients. 

We encourage you to contact us as soon as possible. You can reach out to us by calling (949) 691-3660, accessing our toll-free number at (844) 810-1800, or completing our contact form. When you connect with us, we can schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. Remember, you only pay for our support when you win your claim.