When you or a loved one suffers an automobile accident, it can be confusing to figure out which type of insurance claim to file to get the compensation that you deserve for your injuries.
One of the first steps you can take is to contact a Carrollwood personal injury attorney at Inkelaar Law who will work with you every step of the way. Our team is prepared to help inform you of your rights and to aggressively fight for your justice.
To learn more about the difference between personal injury protection and bodily injury insurance claims after your auto accident, read on.
Personal injury protection, also referred to as PIP, is a form of automobile insurance. The purpose of PIP is to provide quick compensation for monetary losses incurred due to an automobile accident. Coverage can be used for medical bills due to the injury and loss of income as a result of injury among other various related monetary losses.
The reason that PIP is a quicker form of insurance compensation is that it is also referred to as “no-fault,” where the claimant can submit their claim, no matter whether they were the cause of the accident or not. Furthermore, due to the “no-fault” element of PIP, there is no need for a consequent liability lawsuit, as would be for other forms of insurance claims.
PIP coverage varies from state to state, required in some states such as Florida, considered optional in some states, and prohibited in others. For the best chance at receiving the most compensation out of your PIP claim, work with the personal injury law firm in Tampa that is the most familiar with local and state insurance laws.
Bodily injury, in a legal context, is defined as:
Simply put, any form of damage to the body that is the result of the defendant party practicing negligence or misdeed.
In a court of law, bodily injury is known as economic damage where the claimant suffers losses as a result of the bodily harm. These quantified economic losses are then placed in the claim for just compensation. For the claim to be legitimate in court, the bodily injury must be tangible and had to have occurred on the body of the claimant, which is along the guidelines of the legal definition of bodily injury, and is the result of the wrongs of another party. The severity of the bodily injury suffered is a nonissue, so long as the injury itself aligns with the legal definition, in the way that any form of bodily injury can be claimed.
Bodily injury liability insurance is meant to compensate victims suffering sustained injuries from an accident where they are not at fault. Coverage for bodily injury, from an insurance claim, may include medical bills and expenses, rehabilitation expenses, lost wages, related legal fees, and funeral expenses.
When hiring a passionate, educated, and locally-based Tampa personal injury attorney who will fight for you and pursue a claim against the responsible party, you can get the compensation for your injury that you deserve.
The primary difference between personal injury protection (PIP) and bodily injury (BI) is that while there is no degree of “at-fault” needed for filing PIP claims by the policyholder, BI claims must be filed by a claimant who is not at-fault. Both insurance claims deal with injury to the person, and there is no legal difference in the type of bodily injury sustained between either of these insurance claims.
To differentiate the local differences between the two, ensure that you are working with a specialized personal injury attorney in Tampa.
An experienced lawyer is familiar with the minute differences between insurance claims that you could file after an automobile accident. As with any insurance claim, many legal aspects must be considered on a case-by-case basis, so it is very important to work with a specialized personal injury attorney in Carrollwood who is close to home and wants to fight for your justice. Protect yourself and ensure that you are properly positioned to receive the compensation that you deserve.
Our team at Inkelaar Law is committed to putting in the effort to help you receive the compensation that you deserve so that you can focus on recovering after your automobile accident. We do not charge an upfront retainer fee, and will only charge a fee if we can help you obtain your insurance financial compensation.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.
