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Being involved in a car accident may leave you feeling lost, disappointed, and both physically and emotionally hurt. Even if you’ve been involved in one before, navigating this experience is never easy. While there are rules and laws in place to help car accident victims, the verbiage can get confusing.
Our attorneys at The Watson Firm are here to guide you and explain Florida’s 14-day rule.
What is Florida’s 14-Day Rule?
All Florida drivers should know about personal injury protection insurance. Since Florida is a no-fault state, your auto insurance pays for medical bills and other expenses, regardless of fault.
Here’s the crucial part: According to Florida Statute § 627.736, you must seek medical attention within 14 days to receive compensation up to $10,000 from your insurance company. Unfortunately, if symptoms of injury show up on the 15th day following the accident, your medical care provider cannot send a bill to your PIP insurer.
With the heightened emotions and adrenaline during an accident, you may not feel immediate pain, but it’s imperative that you still obtain medical treatment from a qualified healthcare provider right away.
The type of benefits you can obtain by complying with the 14-day PIP rule include:
Up to $10,000 in medical and disability benefits
Up to $5,000 in death benefits
Up to 80% coverage for surgeries, x-rays, and rehabilitative services
Up to 80% coverage for ambulatory fees, hospital visits, and nursing care
Why does this rule exist?
The 14-day rule exists to protect car accident victims as well as insurance companies. Prior to the law being amended in 2012, the 14-day provision did not exist, and personal injury protection fraud was a $600 million problem in Florida. The hope is that the amendment stops insurance fraud cases and helps victims receive timely diagnoses to avoid further medical complications.
The consequences of a car accident can be devastating, but you don’t need to handle this alone. Call the Pensacola lawyers at The Watson Firm today at (850) 607-2929 to speak with an attorney about your personal injury case.