It is that time of year again! We are all gearing up for New Years and there is no better way to start the new year than making a list of goals and then accomplishing them. You may have your 2021 already listed.
Most people say they are going to exercise more, eat less and make more money. These goals are not specific enough. How are you going to exercise more, how are you going to eat less, how are you going to make more money? What practices and habits are you going to commit to establish in the new year that ensures you meet your goals? How can you track your progress?
I encourage you to get specific with your goal setting this year. I also encourage you to figure out a mechanism to track your progress toward your goals. In the grand scheme of your goal/resolution setting process, let me offer three easy suggestions for your list that you can accomplish quickly and build momentum on your process. These suggestions will help you avoid the scenario that we see in personal injury cases all too often—catastrophic injuries with minimal insurance coverage. Don’t put yourself or your family in that situation if it may present itself in some variation in your life. We want to help you be prepared for those situations and in that vein, we offer these three quick and easy steps.
1. Check on your insurance coverage
I’ve posted about this before and you can click here to read more. Increase your liability, uninsured motorist and under-insured motorist coverage to at least $100,000 per person $300,000 per accident. This should be your minimum. The minimum required by Virginia law is $25,000. This is not even close to enough. Depending on your situation, you may need more than $100,000. Perhaps $250,000-$500,000 is more appropriate in your situation. Schedule an appointment with a Virginia personal injury lawyer to discuss how much you need. Also, up your Medical Expense Payments coverage. I’ve seen this coverage as low as $2,000, but that does not buy much treatment in this age of medical inflation. Consider upping your coverage to $15,000 or $20,000.
2. Get necessary medical treatment that you may have put off
If you have put off treatment that you know you should have gotten, but just haven’t, go now. Gaps in treatment and failing to follow through with your treatment are among the top 4 mistakes that can kill your personal injury case. Don’t sit on your hands, get up and schedule your follow up appointment now.
3. Schedule your annual physical with your primary care physician
Preexisting conditions can be a killer to your personal injury case. If you go to the doctor with neck pain five years ago, the insurance company is going to say you have a preexisting condition and the car wreck did not cause your injury. But, if you went into you primary care physician each year after that neck issue and you did not have any complaints about your neck and the doctors assessment of you notes that your neck is normal, then your attorney will have a strong argument that you prior neck complaint has nothing to do with your current injury.
Usually, when a client comes to me, it is too late to do this. If it isn’t done on your own initiative, prior to your injury, your case becomes more difficult to try.
Conclusion
I hope this helps you start the year with a success. These are three goals or resolutions that are easily accomplished and will make you feel like you are on a roll.
Happy New Year!