Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage is different than other types of injury coverage.
PIP coverage exists if the insured or their family member is struck by a “motor vehicle” designed for use mainly on public roads or a trailer of any type according to the 1984, Houston Court of Appeals [1st Dist.] opinion styled, National County Mutual Fire Insurance Co. v. Wallace. In Wallace, the court upheld a jury verdict that a forklift was a “motor vehicle” for purposes of PIP. This holding was based mainly on the fact that the particular forklift in question had been used on a public road, as specifically required in the PIP language.
PIP benefits consist of reasonable expenses incurred for necessary medical and funeral services as well as replacement of 80% of income lost during the period of disability up to the amount of PIP policy limits. To receive the lost income benefits, the covered person must have been an income producer in an occupational status at the time of the accident. When an insured had not yer reported to a summer job that was to start two days after the accident and had not yet earned any wages, the court upheld a jury verdict that the insured was not an income producer. This occurred in the 1981, Houston Court of Appeals [1st Dist.] opinion styled, Slocum v. United Pacific Insurance Company. The court did point out that “one does not have to be at work at the time of the accident to be in an occupational status.” Thus, one simply needs to commence earning income before the accident to be considered an income producer in an occupational status.
If the covered person was not employed, PIP benefits include expenses incurred for obtaining services that the covered person would have performed had they not been injured. It should be noted that the covered person must make an election as to whether he or she wishes to recover for lost income or the costs incurred in obtaining substitute services. He or she cannot recover both.
The statute governing PIP benefits is found in the Texas Insurance Code, Section 1952.151 thru 1952.161.