What is Personal Injury Protection?

Personal injury protection (PIP), also known as no-fault insurance, is a policy that provides benefits regardless of fault personal injury losses, damages, medical expenses, or lost wages. In some states, PIP is required but in most other states PIP is optional. The policy extends to instances where a person becomes a victim whilst in a car that belongs to someone else or if they were hit by a car as a cyclist or a pedestrian. Though it may overlap with health insurance or body injury liability insurance, personal injury protection is specifically written for car-related injuries and it covers a few other additional expenses not covered by other insurances.

DIFFERENT STATES, DIFFERENT RULES

The amount covered by a PIP policy varies depending on factors including the state the victim lives in and the chosen plan. In some states, personal injury protection does not cover all medical costs and the remaining costs are covered by the victim. In other states, such as New Jersey and New York, victims are required to provide an Attending Provider Treatment Plan, which must be approved and certified by the insurer within a certain period of time after the accident. Failure to do so may result in a co-payment penalty of up to 50%. Thus, it is critical to follow the processes and timeline of the insurance company. A savvy personal injury attorney in Los Angeles can provide proper guidance and legal counsel to victims.

EXHAUSTING PIP COVER

A victim who has personal injury protection as part of their car insurance policy should first exhaust their PIP coverage before considering other options. If the medical costs exceed the PIP limits they can file a claim under the liability insurance of the at-fault driver. However, if the injuries are significant and the medical bills exceed the state’s tort threshold, one may overlook the PIP insurance cover and file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver. Talk to a proficient personal injury attorney in Los Angeles to understand more about the extent of personal injury protection insurance.

PIP AND HEALTH INSURANCE

Other times, PIP works well with health insurance coverage. In such a case, the health insurance coverage should be set as the primary form of injury coverage after an accident. This way, in the event of a car accident that causes an injury, the health insurance benefits will pay the medical bills and expenses and then expenses that exceed the health insurance limits can be taken care of by the personal injury protection cover. PIP covers many essential areas including rehabilitation and lost wages. Using PIP and health insurance in conjunction is particularly beneficial in states where the limit on PIP is low.

FINDING AN ATTORNEY

It is important for a personal injury victim to hire a conversant personal injury attorney in Los Angeles as soon as possible. El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers have over 30 years of combined experience in handling personal injury cases and fighting on the behalf of victims across Los Angeles. They never charge any fees – unless they win the case, which means they always strive for a win-win situation. Customer satisfaction is always the goal. The team has some of the best legal minds in Los Angeles and they are completely available for their clients at any time. Need to know more about personal injury protection? Contact El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers today and get the best legal representation in Los Angeles!