Personal Injury Protection
If you have sustained an injury in an automobile accident, the very first thing you should do is head to the emergency room to receive the medical attention you need. As an injury attorney, I have witnessed the devastating effects that not seeking medical help right away can have, both on a person's wellbeing and on their auto accident case too.
In general, people don't have a good grasp of the insurance claims process, and how the auto insurance they have purchased can help them immediately pay for their medical bills. To make sure you are prepared in case you happen to be in an accident, it is important to clearly understand what you should do when dealing with your insurance company.
After you have received any medical help you may have needed from the emergency room after an accident, you should notify your car insurance company immediately and open up a PIP claim. PIP is short for "personal injury protection," and if you do not already have it, you should immediately purchase as much coverage as you can afford. PIP coverage is no-fault coverage, and therefore even if you caused the accident, it will still pay for your injuries.
I can't tell you how many times over the course of my career as an automobile accident attorney that I have seen PIP coverage essentially save my clients. Many people fear that by opening up a PIP claim, they're going to see their rates drastically increase, but there is actually a law in the state of Washington that prevents this from happening. Therefore, you do not have to fear that opening up a claim will not be worth it in the long run.
Your insurance company, however, is only interested in making profits, so they are going to put up a fight. They will likely send you to see a doctor of their choosing at some point to undergo an "independent medical examination," or IME. The doctor and insurance company in this case have a relationship where each relies on the other.
The doctor makes money off of the referrals, and in return, they usually side with the insurance company. If they say that you are fine and no longer need medical help, then your PIP claim can be cut off. Despite this being a tool of the insurance company to lower or deny your claim, you have to see this doctor, and it is important that you be 100% honest with him or her the entire time.
If the IME says you no longer need treatment, but you disagree, you will have to go through your normal health care provider. If the accident that caused the injury was due to someone else's negligence, then you can still have your bills covered by their insurance company if you filed a claim against them at any point. You may not need an attorney for your case, but most personal injury lawyers offer free initial consultations, so you have no reason to not consult one for advice.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_G_Epstein
In general, people don't have a good grasp of the insurance claims process, and how the auto insurance they have purchased can help them immediately pay for their medical bills. To make sure you are prepared in case you happen to be in an accident, it is important to clearly understand what you should do when dealing with your insurance company.
After you have received any medical help you may have needed from the emergency room after an accident, you should notify your car insurance company immediately and open up a PIP claim. PIP is short for "personal injury protection," and if you do not already have it, you should immediately purchase as much coverage as you can afford. PIP coverage is no-fault coverage, and therefore even if you caused the accident, it will still pay for your injuries.
I can't tell you how many times over the course of my career as an automobile accident attorney that I have seen PIP coverage essentially save my clients. Many people fear that by opening up a PIP claim, they're going to see their rates drastically increase, but there is actually a law in the state of Washington that prevents this from happening. Therefore, you do not have to fear that opening up a claim will not be worth it in the long run.
Your insurance company, however, is only interested in making profits, so they are going to put up a fight. They will likely send you to see a doctor of their choosing at some point to undergo an "independent medical examination," or IME. The doctor and insurance company in this case have a relationship where each relies on the other.
The doctor makes money off of the referrals, and in return, they usually side with the insurance company. If they say that you are fine and no longer need medical help, then your PIP claim can be cut off. Despite this being a tool of the insurance company to lower or deny your claim, you have to see this doctor, and it is important that you be 100% honest with him or her the entire time.
If the IME says you no longer need treatment, but you disagree, you will have to go through your normal health care provider. If the accident that caused the injury was due to someone else's negligence, then you can still have your bills covered by their insurance company if you filed a claim against them at any point. You may not need an attorney for your case, but most personal injury lawyers offer free initial consultations, so you have no reason to not consult one for advice.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_G_Epstein