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| Car Accidents in a No-Fault State |
No-fault insurance coverage can be very complex and you may want to consult a personal injury lawyer to help you through the process. Here is an example of how complicated it is in Massachusetts. There, every driver must carry personal injury protection (PIP) coverage with a minimum of $8,000 per person which covers the following benefits:
• Medical expenses (including eye glasses, prosthetic devices, funeral services and professional nursing);
• Seventy five (75%) percent of lost wages or lost earning power if unemployed; and,
• Payment to people for necessary services they rendered to the household, which the injured party would have performed without pay (i.e. cleaning, etc.).
Your Massachusetts PIP coverage will only pay the first $2,000 of your medical bills, but will cover up to total of $8,000, if you have no other health insurance. The expenses or losses must be incurred within two (2) years from the date of the accident.
In Massachusetts, you may sue the negligent driver for general damages only under these circumstances:
• Your reasonable and necessary medical bills exceed $2,000, or
• There is permanent or serious disfigurement, or
• A fracture, or
• Partial or complete loss of a body part, or
• Loss of sight or hearing, or
• Death
All of the other No-Fault and Choice states are variations on this theme, but with some major differences in limits and rules for filing suit. Check with your insurance agent, your insurance company, your state’s Department of Insurance, or a car accident lawyer if you have any questions about your state’s rules, individual coverages or your right to sue.
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