If you have been in a car accident in Florida, your PIP insurance or personal injury protection will kick in to compensate you for medical bills, damage to your vehicle and potentially your lost wages. This insurance has been put in place to ensure that any driver in Florida will have the ability to receive medical care and have some of their financial losses compensated for, regardless of who is to blame for the actual accident. The intent was to make the insurance recovery process faster and more streamlined. In some cases, like minor fender-benders, it works efficiently since the medical bills can be minor and not too much time will be missed from work. However, as an attorney, we know that PIP insurance is very rarely enough to cover the expenses associated with more significant car accidents.
Florida PIP Insurance Provides You with Limited Compensation
In a car wreck, your PIP benefits pay for:
Your medical bills
The medical bills of your children or spouse who was in the car
The cost to repair your vehicles
A portion of your lost wages
PIP Insurance May Not Be Enough
Since PIP insurance was designed to only pay for a portion of your medical bills and a portion of your lost wages, you will be responsible for any remaining financial loss after they have paid their share. This could be quite problematic, especially if your bills are significant. In this situation, your best option is to file a civil lawsuit against the driver who caused the accident and try to seek additional compensation from them and their insurance company. This is something that we can help you to do as a Florida personal injury law firm. It is also important to note that if you want to seek damages for pain and suffering, this is something that you will have to do through a lawsuit since your PIP insurance will not cover that.
Many of our clients are unsure whether they should file a lawsuit or just work with their own individual insurance company. One thing that you need to consider when making this decision is how significant your injuries are and how certain you are that you will recover quickly. If your doctor suggests that it may take some time for you to recover, filing a lawsuit will preserve your right to seek compensation for your medical care.
File Before Reaching the Statute of Limitations
The reason that you need to file in a timely fashion is because there is a statute of limitations and once that time frame has passed you will be unable to sue the other driver. At the Law Office of J.J. Talbott, we encourage you to call our office or schedule a free consultation online so that we can provide you with legal advice regarding how to proceed with your case and ensure that your rights are protected along the way.