Personal Injury Protection in Maryland Car Accident Cases

If you have been involved in any type of auto accident in Maryland, the following is what you should know about personal injury protection coverage and it’s impact in injury cases. Read on to learn more before calling a Maryland car accident injury lawyer to schedule a consultation and begin discussing your claim.

What Is Personal Injury Protection Coverage?

Personal injury protection coverage is insurance that you can elect to purchase that pays for your medical care, lost wages, and other disability benefits if you are involved in an accident, regardless of who is at fault.

Some people can elect to waive coverage and while it is their option to do so, it often turns out to be a mistake because the premiums for personal injury protection are very low but can provide you with a lot of coverage. So while it may be anywhere from $25 to $50 per month it can provide you with up to $2500 to $10000 worth of coverage for your medical treatment and expenses. This will all be very helpful if you file an injury claim because then there is less money coming out of your settlement that needs to be repaid back to the doctors.

How Can Personal Injury Protection Impact a Car Accident Claim in MD?

Having personal injury protection can help a person obtain medical coverage for medical treatment, because if they don’t have the money to pay out of pocket some doctors won’t continue treating you if you’re unable to pay them. So if you’re able to pay for it, with your personal injury protection insurance, that’s one less thing to worry about.

Additionally, once a settlement is reached you typically have to pay back your attorney’s fees and the outstanding balance to any medical providers for treatment you have received. If you have personal injury protection that number is typically much lower, meaning more money going into your pocket and less going to the doctor.

What Are Some Common Misconceptions About Personal Injury Protection Coverage?

One of the big misconceptions is that you’re not going to need it because you’re not going to get to an accident, or that it’s too expensive or a scam just to make you pay more in your premiums. While you do pay more in your premiums, the small amount of payment is well worth it if you’re actually in an accident. So if you’re in an accident then you would really benefit from having personal injury protection and if you’re skeptical of that then you’ll likely end up paying your medical expenses out of pocket if you happen to get into an accident.

How Does An Injury Claim Change For Someone Without PIP?

Someone without personal injury protection can use their own health insurance to pay the medical bills for treatment and then use any settlement money to pay back the doctor once the case is over. This is in contrast to someone with PIP, who’s insurance would pay for the medical coverage (up to $2500 or whatever that amount is) and then the settlement amount would not need to be repaid because your insurance has already covered it.

Benefits of Personal Injury Protection

When discussing car accident cases the benefits of having persona injury protection really outweigh the costs of your increased insurance premium. Typically you have up to a year to file a claim for personal injury protection after an accident, and you may be able to use it for any treatment or expense incurred up to three years after the accident. Additionally, it can be used for lost wages and medical benefits, making is something that can really benefit you in the case of an accident.