In the United States, a large percentage of civil litigation is comprised of personal injury lawsuits. According to the US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2005, 60 percent of the 26,928 real property, contract and tort trials were related to some form of personal injury. Additionally, it was reported that over personal injury cases were heard in the state courts of the 75 most populous counties in the nation. If you are injured in an accident, Personal Injury Protection is one type of auto insurance coverage that may benefit you. Not all states have this insurance coverage, but it is a requirement in others. Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, can give you protection in case you have suffered an injury in an accident. Some people automatically assume that they do not need PIP if they already have health care coverage, but that might not always be true. All health insurance have deductibles and limits, and with an auto insurance policy with PIP, you can get coverage on your health insurance deductible or pay costs over the limits if you are injured in a crash. Additionally, PIP can help you pay various other costs stemming from a covered accident, apart from medical and hospital bills, including:
- Income continuation: If an accident requires you to take time off work and makes you lose money, you can get compensation for loss of income when you have PIP.
- Loss of services: PIP can help you in paying for expenses that are associated with having to pay for your children to be taken to and from school, delivery fees or grocery if you cannot shop for yourself or child care expenses if you are temporarily unable to take care of your children due to your injuries.
- Funeral expenses: Although no one really wants to have to think about, you can be required to spend a lot on funeral expenses. PIP can help your family pay for your funeral costs if your accident was a fatal one.
Consider How much Personal Injury Protection You may Need
First and foremost, if you live in a state where PIP is required, you should ensure that you are meeting the requirements in your state. Otherwise, consider the personal injury protection limit you need and can afford; this is because there will be an increase in your insurance premiums as you raise your limits. One option is to consider how much coverage would be actually required if an accident-related injury were to prevent you from working or caring for your family. Before you make a final decision, consider making a list of all the expenses you have at present and factor in extra expenses like child care and an entire year’s lost wages. Once you have this figure, it will be easier for you to get an idea of how much personal injury protection you may need. If you have been in an accident and want to receive compensation for your injuries, you should seek the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer at Rosenberg, Minc, Falloff, & Wolff of RMFW Law at 212-344-1000. The first meeting is on us. We know this business. We know how to win cases. We want to hear what you have to say. Do you want your voice heard?
