Florida in itself has a rather complicated system for getting financial compensation.
It is a unique state where it is one of the 12 states that has a no-fault insurance policy.
However, in addition to being a no-fault state, Florida also has a 14-day PIP rule that is not commonly heard of.
If one doesn’t know of or hasn’t even heard of the 14-day PIP rule in Florida, it could prove to be problematic when getting medical treatment for their injuries that they sustained from a car accident in Miami.
After a car accident in Miami and sustaining injuries from that car accident, the last thing you want to hear is that you won’t be able to get covered for your injuries because it was too late. While you are already going through pain and suffering, dealing with extra stress and complications in your treatment is the last thing you want.
14-Day PIP Rule
PIP is a requirement in Florida and everyone has to AT LEAST have PIP in the state of Florida. To sum it up quickly, PIP is coverage that will cover medical treatment and other expenses that are related to the car accident. It is an emergency fund of sorts that will help you cover for expenses immediately after a car accident so that you can get treated and get back to living a normal life.
However, there is a catch in the state of Florida.
Although the insurance policy is required to cover at least 80% of the medical treatment and attention that the victim will need, the person that needs the treatment has to go get treated within 14 days of the accident.
This is the Florida 14-Day PIP rule.
Why Does the 14-Day PIP Rule Exist?
But why does this rule even exist?
Shouldn’t one be able to go to the hospital when they want to?
Well, that is exactly why this 14-Day PIP rule was created.
To put it realistically, if you got severely injured in a car accident, even waiting an hour or two would be excruciating.
For example, let’s say your spine and neck got busted so badly in a car accident that you can barely walk to your own bedroom. Going up the stairs is a bigger pain than anything in the world and even laying down in the wrong position hurts you.
Why would anyone wait more than a day to get treatment for this kind of pain? Waiting for treatment is probably the worst thing you can do.
Remember that you can be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries if your accident was caused by the negligence of another driver. In Florida, regardless of the fault, you can get treatment because of PIP coverage.
A common question and concern among victims of car accidents is that they are scared that their premium may go up because of the accident. Although many law firms may try to draw up the insurance companies as the devil and make it seem like they are constantly trying to rip off their insured clients, that is not the actual case. The insurance companies must act in good faith towards their client. Unless there was substantial evidence that the accident was caused by you, the insurance company cannot miscellaneously raise your premiums.
Why is it Important to Get Treated Immediately?
Getting treated immediately is just what everyone should do, regardless of insurance or not. To live in pain and hope that the pain eventually goes away is a horrible way to deal with the damage done to your body.
The two main reasons as to why people don’t get treated for their injuries is because they are either:
- Hoping the pain will eventually go away as time passes
- Are unsure of how the financial process works for getting treatment and are intimidated by the insanely high
These are perfectly viable reasons as to why you wouldn’t want to receive treatment. But this doesn’t actually help you OR your case for your possible financial compensation.
Contacting a Personal Injury Lawyer in Miami
The 14-Day PIP rule in Florida can be confusing to many people.
If you or a loved one got in a car accident and sustained severe injuries from the negligent driving of another motor vehicle operator, then call a personal injury lawyer in Miami.
If your injuries were caused by another person’s negligent driving, then you could be due for financial compensation for your injuries.
Our team will listen to you and hear your case through a free consultation.
Once we heard your story and gathered preliminary details, we will determine whether we can help you and provide value to your case. After we determine that, our team will immediately start gathering evidence like medical bills and photos to build you a strong case.
Remember, we don’t win until YOU win.
