The COVID-19 global pandemic has brought communities and economies to their knees. Even if you’ve been lucky enough to not be impacted personally, your life has likely transformed in the last three months. And it’s unlikely to go back to the way it was anytime soon. We’re seeing a “new normal” emerge that is changing the way we think about going into the office, enjoying a night out, sending our children to school, or even going out to the park.

But there may be a silver lining in all this. The rapid rise of virtual services that’s come about because of the pandemic may be increasing access to people who are injured or disabled. We may be entering an era of better universal access to our legal system.

Transforming In-Person Meetings

When you’ve been seriously injured—or even temporarily or permanently disabled—by a car or other accident, even simple outings to meet with your legal team can be challenging. It may even mean the difference between seeking legal help and going it alone. The international health crisis we’re facing has fast-tracked the development of virtual solutions for everything from education to entertainment.

Virtual Legal Services

During the COVID-19 pandemic, industries have had to adapt quickly—not to say almost overnight—to virtual business. Industries from education to medicine has been affected. This may be an unforeseen benefit to people who’ve confronted access problems in the past. In-person meetings may be a thing of the past which means that those who can’t travel—the disabled or injured—have genuinely equal access to legal services. Issues like privacy, confidentiality, and other legal considerations are already being examined to ensure that clients enjoy the same legal protections that they would in an in-person meeting. Clients looking for virtual access should ask their lawyer what confidentiality measures they have in place for virtual meetings.

Our Virtual Services

At the McCraw Law Group, we’ve quickly adapted our services to the Covid-19 era. We can open cases remotely with clients who have been injured, conduct client interviews remotely, and e-sign documents. We can even perform meetings with minimum social contact if warranted. As a company, we’ve successfully shifted our business to remote work.

Virtual Courtroom

Beyond the law office, other practices are also changing that could be a surprisingly positive outcome from the COVID-19 pandemic. Courtrooms across the country have been moving hearings to Zoom and other virtual platforms. In fact, Texas courts have held more than 10,000 such meetings in the first month of the pandemic. This is virtually erasing barriers to entry to the legal system such as travel and courtroom access—typical obstacles that keep the disabled and injured from participating.

The COVID-19 crisis may indeed have a silver lining—expanded access to legal services.

If you have been injured in an accident and are unsure what could be compensated, contact McCraw Law Group. We can help by explaining your options.