An auto accident is any driver’s worst nightmare. The injured party does not only deal with the injuries, lost wages and opportunities, mental distress, damages to his or her property, and proving fault when he or she files a claim or lawsuit. Among the injured person’s biggest worries is who has the responsibility to pay for his or her medical bills.
There is no single answer to the question of who will pay for your medical bills because it is dependent upon the laws in the state where you would file suit. For example, in Massachusetts, the vehicle has personal injury protection (PIP) provisions in its insurance policy. This means that regardless of fault, the insurance company pays for the medical bills of the named insured, members of his household, and authorized driver or passengers of the vehicle. An individual’s own personal insurance may also be used for any expense that exceeds the PIP coverage. After the thresholds are met, the injured party may bring a claim or lawsuit against the party at-fault. This is the case in no-fault States.
No-fault insurance is any type of insurance contract under which insureds are indemnified for losses by their own insurance company, regardless of fault in the accident and the losses generated. No-fault is mostly used in the context that a policyholder and the passengers are not only reimbursed by the policyholder’s own insurance company without proof of fault, but also restricted in the right to seek recovery through the civil-justice system caused by other parties. This means that the injured would have to wait for the compensation from the insurance company first before they file suit.
Rhode Island, on the other hand, does not have the same laws. It does not have PIP coverage, which means that an injured person do not have to go through the insurance company to try to recover the money to cover the damages to his person or property, the medical expenses, and the pain and suffering. They may immediately file a lawsuit against the driver or party at-fault. Every state law is different, that’s why you will need an auto accident attorney who specializes in the law of the state that you want to file the lawsuit in order to guarantee that you follow the processes to file a lawsuit and get the compensation that you deserve.
In any case, the services of Providence auto accident lawyer are recommended in order to properly proceed with the case. There are other rules and processes followed before you can negotiate with the insurance provider.
The auto accident lawyers at d’Oliveira & Associates are well equipped to deal with auto accident cases where individuals are suffering or have suffered any injury from the negligence or fault of another driver. Our lawyers make sure that your rights are protected and that your best interests are served. Call a Rhode Island attorney at d’Oliveira & Associates at 1-800-992-6878 to talk to the attorneys that may be able to get you the money that you deserve or fill out a contact form for a free legal consultation.
Paul d’Oliveira
Attorney Paul d’Oliveira has been practicing personal injury and disability law for over 30 years. He started his personal injury law practice in 1989 with two offices in Fall River, MA and East Providence, RI. Today his firm has 16 offices in RI and Southeastern, MA.
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