What is Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance?

Personal
injury protection, or PIP insurance, is a mandatory component of the no-fault
auto insurance that all New Yorkers are required to carry. With this coverage,
the insurance reimburses drivers and passengers for their losses and injuries
regardless of who caused the accident.

Our New York City personal injury lawyers represent car accident victims—and help them to recover the largest available insurance reimbursements.

What Expenses
and Losses Does PIP Insurance Cover?

You
will likely be faced with large bills for medical services in the immediate
aftermath. New York enacted no-fault and PIP insurance requirements to create a
quicker pathway to reimbursement. This is easier and more expeditious than
having the victim seek compensation from the at-fault party.

Thus,
an accident victim’s insurance carrier pays for expenses, including:

• emergency room charges;
• physician and hospital fees;
• ambulance and EMT bills;
• diagnostic tests;
• physical and rehabilitative therapy;
• necessary medical equipment.

Within
limits, PIP insurance also reimburses your wage losses and extra household
expenses that are necessary because of the accident.

Is PIP
Insurance Coverage Limited?

New
York requires car owners to carry a minimum of $50,000 per person in PIP
coverage. These benefits will also coordinate with other reimbursement sources,
including worker’s compensation and Social Security Disability payments.

Assume,
for example, that an employee in New York incurs $60,000 in medical expenses as
a result of an on-the-job accident while driving a company vehicle. Workers’
compensation covers $15,000 of those expenses.

If
the company maintained the minimum of $50,000 PIP insurance coverage, they would
apply the $15,000 workers’ compensation payment toward the minimum PIP coverage—
and will pay only $35,000 toward the remaining balance of expenses.

How Can a New
York Accident Victim Recover Full Reimbursement for Losses and Injuries?

New
York’s no-fault insurance laws limit lawsuits against at-fault parties unless
the victim has suffered a “serious injury.” Serious injuries in New York are
those that cause death or disfigurement, that result in loss of a limb or
permanent injuries to their internal organs, that cause broken bones, or that
leave the victim with disabilities that last more than ninety days.

New York imposes short time limits to file claims for PIP benefits. You must file your lawsuit within three years after the date of the accident. To avoid missing any of these deadlines, do not hesitate to consult with a personal injury lawyer as soon as is possible.

Call Douglas
and London for Legal Assistance to Recover Full PIP Insurance Benefits and
Other Car Accident Compensation

Please see our website or contact us as soon as possible.Our intake specialists will connect you with a knowledgeable and experienced New York City car accident lawyers. They will review your case and assist you in filing your claim with the appropriate PIP insurance carriers.

We
will also assess your claim to verify whether you have a right and opportunity
to pursue the full amount of your damages from the at-fault party that caused
your accident. We’ve secured millions for injured clients, and we can begin
building a compelling case for your losses as well.

Resources:

1. The New York State Senate, New York Consolidated Laws – Insurance Law §5102,
   https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/ISC/5102
2. Value Penguin, How Does Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Car Insurance Work in New York?
   https://www.valuepenguin.com/car-insurance/how-pip-works-new-york
3. New York State Dept. of Financial Services, Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements Coverage,
   https://www.dfs.ny.gov/consumers/auto_insurance/minimum_auto_insurance_requirements