What Are Personal Injury Protection Or No Fault Benefits?

Generally, these are benefits paid by your automobile insurance company without regard to whose fault the car accident was.   The laws are very different depending on the jurisdiction where you, or the owner of the vehicle in whose car you are in, obtained automobile insurance coverage.   Furthermore, arguments can arise as to which jurisdiction's law applies when the accident is not in the same jurisdiction where the benefits were obtained.   Jurisdictional issues are beyond the scope of this article.

Maryland

Generally, with some limited exceptions, a person involved in an automobile accident is entitled to obtain Personal Injury Protection Benefits (PIP benefits) from the insurance for the vehicle they are in, or for a pedestrian, from the vehicle which hit you.   The minimum policy in Maryland is $2,500.00, but vehicle owners may opt out of obtaining that coverage ( the opt out will only apply to the owner, their family over age 15 and any named drivers on the policy).

Benfits which you may claim include all medical bills sustained within three years of the accident and 85% of your lost wages.   These are benefits you are entitled to by contract with your insurance company in excess of any damages you receive from the defendant.   In a sense, it is a double recovery! To claim these benefits you MUST file a claim for them on the forms provided by your insurer within one year of the date of the accident.   Since the forms contain a question which includes a description of the accident, you should not do so without first speaking to your attorney!

District Of Columbia

To Be Completed Soon

Virginia

To Be Completed Soon