Who knew it would come to this?
Never in our lives have we seen such an event.
One state after the next is declaring lock-downs.
Stay-at-home and work-at-home for all non-essential personnel have now become the norm.
That means our kids are home.
Our spouses are home.
Everyone's home and presumably working (or not) from home.
Kids are online taking classes (assuming their schools are set up for this).
The roads are practically empty.
If you've been in a restaurant to pick up food, it's eerie not seeing anyone in there.
What does all this mean if you've been injured by a doctor or hospital staff and your time to file a lawsuit is quickly approaching?
Well, you should know that the courts in New York have also shut down.
All non-essential personnel have left the building.
They are not working from home.
If you believe that your doctor or hospital staff was careless and caused you harm, you have a limited time in which to start a lawsuit here in NY. The time limits differ for adults and children. They differ if you plan on suing a municipal hospital compared to a private hospital. They differ if it involves malpractice arising from a botched delivery of your child. There are many rules and just as many exceptions to those rules.
However, as of yesterday, March 20, 2020, the Governor of the State of New York, Andrew Cuomo has just signed an executive order that basically extends the time in which an injured patient or accident victim can file their lawsuit. BUT YOU SHOULD KNOW, IT'S ONLY FOR A SMALL WINDOW OF TIME. YOU MAY ONLY GET AN ADDITIONAL 29 DAYS IN WHICH TO FILE.
Word of WARNING:
YOU CANNOT RELY ON ANYTHING IN THIS ARTICLE TO GUIDE YOU ON WHEN YOU BELIEVE YOU SHOULD FILE YOUR LAWSUIT. Why not? Because the time limits change from time to time. By the time you read this, the time limit may have changed. That means the ONLY way to know for sure whether your matter is still timely is to reach out and call. Then we can tell you whether your matter is timely. You can reach me at 516-487-8207 or by email: [email protected]
In the meantime, stay home and be safe and remember...don't let that time limit expire!
