Under Florida’s no-fault system with car accidents, a driver or passenger has 14 days to seek medical attention after a collision to file a claim with the insurance policy. Insurers are likely to deny a claim if you do not see a medical provider within two weeks of the accident. Even if you feel fine, visit your medical provider within two weeks of your accident.

Some injuries don’t show up immediately, but it is still wise to visit a doctor soon after the accident to make sure that you don’t have any internal problems. Moreover, if you want to seek a claim for compensation through no-fault, personal injury protection insurance, you must have a medical checkup.

Associated with the 14-day rule, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance can only be claimed when you’ve visited a medical provider within 14 days of the accident, and this insurance will cover your medical expenses and treatments following a vehicle accident and injury. Basically, Florida law requires that Florida drivers remain responsible for their own injuries by having PIP insurance. 

The 14-day rule exists to help encourage medical treatment after a vehicle accident, minimizing complications. In the event of a PIP insurance claim, the 14-day rule helps determine the link between the car accident and corresponding injuries. Accident victims receive care, and their accident claims receive medical evidence.

In Florida, every insurance company offers specific terms for filing a claim for a personal injury, and this includes the period of time taken to file. In order for your claim to succeed, a few things need to occur after the vehicular accident.

Either the police must arrive at the scene or you must complete a police accident report within 10 days of the incident. Next, you must apply the 14-day rule and seek medical attention before two weeks have passed. Both will be crucial for a PIP claim, but you’ll need to check with your insurance to know how quickly you must file your PIP claim.

Florida law 627.726 specifies that an insurance company must provide compensation under the insurance agreement with the driver as long as the victim gets initial medical services and care within 14 days of the accident. 

It should be noted that if you receive medical care within the specified time frame, your insurance company must cover 80 percent of your medically necessary care to the limit of the policy. For example, individuals with minimum insurance limits may receive up to $10,000 for emergency medical conditions or up to $2,500 for medical care bills. Check your insurance policy to know what is available.

Acceptable medical care providers after a vehicular accident include the following:

•    EMTs (emergency transportation and management)
•    Urgent care
•    Emergency room
•    Hospital medical services
•    Primary care doctor
•    Specialist doctor
•    Chiropractor
•    Dentist
•    Outpatient facility run by a hospital

Be sure to see a medical provider that’s approved by the Florida statute; otherwise, your insurance company will likely deny your PIP claim.

In some situations, an insurance company may not pay fairly, and it can be possible to bring a claim against your insurance company for failure to uphold their side of the contract to provide funds for your medical condition after a personal injury. If you’ve done everything according to the law and your insurance company fails to pay appropriately, you may have reason to seek legal solutions.

Reach out to our office today for a free consultation to discover if your situation qualifies for a legal claim. Email office@carrilloinjurylaw.com today.