If you haven’t been involved in a car accident in recent years, you may not be aware of how principal injury protection affects how you proceed with medical treatment after a wreck. Personal injury protection1, or PIP, sets up a strict timeline and procedure for how people injured in an accident can use PIP benefits, which can be up to $10,000. PIP can be difficult to figure out, so if you need guidance in this area of law, contact the Clearwater, Florida personal injury attorneys at the Dolman Law Firm.
What is PIP?
Florida is one of several states that has a “no fault” system of car insurance. Florida law requires2 that all drivers carry PIP coverage. This allows a driver, even if the accident was caused by him or her, to receive medical benefits for treatment of injuries sustained in the car accident.
What are the steps involved in filing a PIP claim?
- Within 14 days, the accident victim must seek a PIP medical provider. This is the crucial step in getting coverage. If the accident victim does not do this, he or she will not be entitled to PIP benefits, and there is no other way to recover these medical expenses.
- Under PIP law, the following groups are considered to be a “medical provider”: M.D.., D.O., D.C., dentist, hospital, facility owned by a hospital, and emergency medical personnel.
- At the exam, the medical provider will determine if the accident victim has an emergency medical condition, or EMC.
- An EMC is a condition that without treatment would result in:
- Serious jeopardy to the patient’s health
- Serious impairment to bodily function
- Serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part
- If an injured person is diagnosed with an EMC, he or she will be eligible for benefits up to $10,000. If an injured person is not diagnosed with an EMC, he or she will only be eligible for benefits of up to $2,500.
- Finally, a claim will need to be filed with the accident victim’s PIP insurance provider.
After your initial visit with a PIP medical provider, you can next determine if you have a case for compensation outside of PIP. Under Florida law, an accident victim can still bring a lawsuit for damages besides medical care costs, such a pain and suffering.
Do You Need Help With Your PIP Claim? Contact the Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA Today
Navigating how to file a PIP claim can be difficult and the consequences of not following the law can mean you will lose eligibility for PIP benefits. At the Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA in Clearwater, Florida, our auto accident attorneys can guide you through the process as well as look at any other claims you can make in conjunction with your car accident. Call us today at 727-451-6900 for a free consultation.
Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 33765
727-451-6900
References:
1 https://www.dolmanlaw.com/faqs-pip-insurance-florida/
2 https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0627/Sections/0627.736.html
