Florida Personal Injury Protection (PIP) System - Legislature Passes Proposals

 Last week we reported that the 2012 sixty-day Florida legislative session would wind-up on Friday, March 9 and that there were a few issues that remained in order for the Legislature to enact new laws that would reform the state’s personal injury protection (PIP) insurance system. Today, we learned that a softer version to the House and Senate proposals were passed by our lawmakers. Under the new system, on the condition that Governor Rick Scott signs the bill, persons who are injured in a Florida motorvehicle accident will have to seek medical treatment within 14 days from the date of the accident-and preferably at a hospital emergency room. Moreover, the new law will ban payments to acupuncturists and therapists.

Also, our Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyers have warned clients about recent PIP fraud schemes and the state of Florida is taking this issue seriously. In addition to the aforementioned reforms, the Legislature also created an association to fight PIP fraud. Fraudulent PIP claims is severe blow to our state’s economic vitality and for our honest taxpayers who have suffered enough by paying costly insurance premiums. When lawbreakers attempt to get rich quick in schemes such as accident staging, insurance companies must raise their rates which are thus passed to our law-abiding consumers. It is reported that PIP insurance fraud costs the U.S. $80 billion each year. Therefore, if you know of a medical organization that is involved in an accident staging scheme, or schemes to swindle the PIP system, you need to contact law enforcement officials immediately or report them to the Florida Division of Insurance Fraud.

The agency has been very active in the prosecution of those responsible of deceiving the system. Since February 2012, the Division has received thousands of suspected PIP fraud cases that has contributed to the 20 percent increase of fraud cases reported over the last fiscal year. The Fort Lauderdale accident attorneys at our law firm represents those who have been harmed or injured in an accident related occurrence. If you have a case that you believe your injuries were caused by the intentional or negligent conduct of a person or company, you should consult with them concerning your case. Moreover, if you believe that your treating medical provider may be committing acts of fraud, you need to discuss this with our attorneys. Failing to do so is more than likely to bring about serious legal consequences for you, including but not limited to jail and hefty fines.

On the whole our clients are very trustworthy, honest and hard-working individuals who through no fault of their own were severely injured, or had someone who was killed in a personal injury incident. Regardless if your case involves an automobile wreck, train crash, cruise ship incident or a work-related injury, our Fort Lauderdale injury attorneys are here to help you get the legal assistance you need in order to recover compensation for the damages you have sustained. You can contact our office at our website address at www.kpwlaw.com.

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Medical Clinic Employees Arrested for PIP Insurance Fraud

On Tuesday, three employees of a Tampa medical clinic were arrested on insurance fraud for their alleged involvement in Florida personal injury protection (PIP) scheme. According to investigators from the Florida Department of Financial Services’ Division of Insurance Fraud, the three employees from the CPS Medical Clinic solicited a confidential source to file fraudulent claims for services which were never provided. Further, their arrests come days before the Florida legislature is schedule to adjourn and in currently in the process of possibly passing PIP reform regulations.

Governor Rick Scott earlier stated that PIP fraud was a top priority during this year's 60-day legislative session. One of the key issues to be decided before Friday’s adjournment include the time frame in which Florida motorvehicle accident injured parties are to seek medical treatment to be eligible for PIP insurance coverage. Under the Senate’s proposal, injured parties would have 14 days, but House members want a seven-day time limit. Nevertheless, when PIP insurance fraud similar to Tuesday’s arrest; it becomes more costly for Floridians who have to pay higher premiums due to the wrongdoing of others.

PIP insurance coverage in Florida is based upon the no-fault system. This means that if you or a member of your family becomes seriously injured during a motor vehicle accident, you could possibly recover damages for your injuries under the PIP system. The types of damages that are ordinarily recoverable in PIP cases are compensatory damages such as medical expenses, regardless of fault. Also, under the state’s PIP system, all drivers are required to carry the minimum insurance benefits of $10,000, and $10,000 property damage coverage to pay for vehicle repairs. If a driver does not possess the mandated insurance, he or she could face other administrative civil consequences, such as the loss of their driver’s license.

If you have been hurt during an automobile accident, you should consult with a Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorney to discuss the type of damages which you could possibly recover in a lawsuit. Any attempt to seek monetary compensation from a person who has caused an accident and injured another party can become quite complicated. Also, it is possible that an insurance company could offer you a settlement in order to prevent going to trial. Nonetheless, prior to entering into a settlement agreement it is advisable to consult with an attorney to learn all of the legal alternatives which may be available to you.

Our Fort Lauderdale accident attorneys are here to answer clients’ questions regarding PIP insurance because policies are difficult to understand. For example, some people do not understand that under the law, it is a requirement that the policy must pay 80 percent of all the reasonable necessary medical expenses of an injured person. This could include rehabilitative expenses, surgical, dental or x-ray services. Also, under the Florida’s no-fault system, if you are injured and become unable to work, you could receive 60 percent of your lost earnings, depending on your policy coverage. If you or a loved one has been recently involved in an accident and have been hurt, or worst a family member died in a car crash, contact our office today to consult with an attorney.

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