Personal injury protection is not available in Colorado. Please make sure to research your local or state laws before purchasing Personal Injury Protection. What is personal injury protection? Learn more about What is personal injury protection below.
What is personal injury protection?
To understand what is personal injury protection, lets examine what it means. Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, is also known as no-fault protection. It covers your medical bills if you are ever in an accident, regardless of who is responsible for it. This is the fastest means of getting reimbursed for damages, as there is no investigation or case-building needed here to determine who is at-fault. Remember, it is your insurance who is paying for your bills here.
PIP is actually pretty comprehensive on what is and what isn’t covered, you can be compensated for all standard medical procedures, surgeries, rehab, medications, and any follow-up support needed. PIP can vary depending on the state and can include the following:
- Loss of income due to being unable to perform your job.
- Hiring of additional help for transportation, childcare, or housework.
- 3rd party injuries for passengers/pedestrians
- Accidental death expenses
All of this is under the pretense that the driver was following the law and not under the influence of any illegal substance. PIP excludes any emotional or pain and suffering claims that are commonly seen in court cases. You should speak to a personal injury attorney to learn more about these limits.
What about other Types of Car Insurance?
When an accident happens, you would utilize the greater part of your PIP benefits first. There are two circumstances when documenting a case against the other party’s real damages or making a claim: when you have doctor’s visit expenses or monetary misfortunes past your own particular PIP limits, or when you require major surgery.
At the point when your PIP maxes out, you could recuperate extra expenses under the other driver’s coverage. You can record a case with the other party’s collision protection, or counsel with a legal advisor and document a claim. In some cases, your capacity to sue the other driver is restricted, and you may need to meet certain financial limits before you can dispatch a claim. On the off chance that there is major surgery involved, you can possibly avoid the related limit and file a lawsuit, if needed.
Depending on the state, some will set a limit for only serious or permanent injuries, especially those that lower quality of life, leave you permanently handicapped in some way, and result in lasting emotional damage. This is where a personal injury lawyer can help immensely on making your case.
How Does Filing a PIP Claim Work?
It’s really simple to file a PIP claim with your insurance company. Most people will call their insurance company on the day of the accident anyways. They can help get you started or you can go online to file a claim. There is little delay after submitting and being approve, then your PIP will begin covering for any medical bills as a result of the accident. If you require extended treatment, your doctor will be in charge of updating your PIP records. In some states, all doctor visits within the first ten days after the accident has to get signed off by the insurance company first. They can also have say in your treatment plan or which doctor you get to see.
In reality, you don’t get a lot of say in regards in how personal injury protection is utilized because the insurer is the ultimate decider, they can often be stubborn or cheap about what kind of care you will receive. You must pay attention to their directions/rules because you don’t want to be stuck paying an expensive co-payment because you forgot to submit proper documentation for your treatment plan. You should always keep track of all your documents and bills.
How to get the most money if you are the victim of a personal injury
It is a good idea to hire a reputable personal injury lawyer, like those at www.ColoradoInjury.pro, who will be able to explain the best option for your personal injury case. An experienced attorney will be able to tell what type of personal injury claim might be best for you, so that you can avoid feeling trapped or underserved if you are ever in a car accident. Contact them anytime you need a free consultation on a personal injury case or if you feel confused or overwhelmed about your rights.
