PIP

Florida law requires all drivers to carry minimum amounts of insurance coverage, including personal injury protection (PIP). PIP provides coverage for people injured in motor vehicle collisions, regardless of who is at fault. There are strict rules regarding what benefits are owed and when they are available, however, and they can be confusing for people to navigate on their own. If you were hurt in a car accident and have questions about PIP, it is in your best interest to speak to an attorney to avoid unintentionally waiving your rights. The knowledgeable Pensacola attorneys of Cardoso Law, PLLC, are proficient at aiding people injured in collisions in obtaining the benefits they are owed, and if you hire us, we will fight diligently on your behalf. We have an office in Pensacola, and we regularly represent parties hurt in car crashes in cities throughout Florida.

Florida is a “no-fault” insurance state, which means people injured in car accidents do not have to prove liability to recover benefits under their policies. Instead, Florida law demands that insurance policies issued to licensed Florida drivers provide Personal Injury Benefits, or PIP to the named insured and anyone living in the same house as the named insured unless they are excluded under the law. PIP coverage must also be extended to other people operating the insured vehicle, passengers, and certain people struck by the vehicle who suffer bodily harm. PIP benefits will only be paid if a covered individual suffers bodily harm, disease, sickness, or death that arises out of the use, ownership, or maintenance of a vehicle.

Florida PIP covers 80% of an injured party’s medical costs will be covered, subject to a $10,000 limit. Only Additionally, there are important rules that pertain to parties seeking PIP coverage. First, their initial treatment appointment must be within fourteen days of the accident. As such, people who adopt a wait-and-see attitude with regard to their injuries and decline to seek care may unwittingly waive their right to coverage. Secondly, their initial diagnoses must be made by a doctor, dentist, chiropractor, or advanced practice registered nurse in a hospital or a medical facility owned by a hospital. Finally, only people diagnosed with emergency medical conditions are eligible to recover the entire $10,000 limit of PIP benefits. Those who are not diagnosed with an emergency medical condition are limited to $2,500 in PIP benefits. It is important to note that PIP medical benefits only cover the cost of medical care and do not provide compensation for the intangible harm caused by injuries, like pain and suffering.

Florida PIP provides disability benefits to people who cannot work due to injuries sustained in accidents as well, at a rate of 60% of the loss of gross income or earning capacity. Similar to medical benefits, disability benefits are subject to a limit of $10,000. Disability payments also cover the cost of services the injured party normally performs but cannot do because of the accident, like housekeeping, laundry, and yard maintenance. Finally, PIP provides death benefits up to $5,000 to cover the cost of funeral and burial expenses.

People hurt in car accidents are often owed insurance benefits, but figuring out what benefits are owed and how to get them can be complicated. If you were injured in a collision, you might be entitled to PIP benefits, and you should meet with an attorney as soon as possible. At Cardoso Law, PLLC, our trusted attorneys can analyze the circumstances surrounding your accident and help you pursue the full amount of benefits and damages you may be entitled to recover. Our office is located in Pensacola, and we routinely represent parties injured in car accidents in Pensacola, Ferry Pass, Brent, Cantonment, Bellview, Century, Milton, Navarre, Gulf Breeze, West Pensacola, Jay, Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, and Niceville. We also help people pursue benefits and damages in cities throughout Florida, including many in Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa Counties. You can contact us through the form online or at (850) 466-2073 to set up a meeting.