Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Personal Injury Protection News

November 17, 2012 | Mark S. Humphreys

Fort Worth lawyers and those in Saginaw, Lake Worth, Benbrook, Keller, Wylie, and other places in Tarrant County would need to keep up with news related to Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance benefits.

The Orlando Sentinel ran a story on Ocotber 1, 2012, that briefly discussed PIP in Florida. The article tells us that a group of chiropractors, massage therapists and acupuncturists have sued the state over a new personal injury protection law that lawmakers heralded as key to reducing auto insurance rates in Florida.

The lawsuit says that the new PIP law, passed this spring, “imposes sweeping changes and significant restrictions on both health care providers and consumers.”

Personal Injury Protection Coverage

September 13, 2012 | Mark S. Humphreys

Grand Prairie insurance attorneys and those in Irving, Duncanville, De Soto, Lancaster, Richardson, Garland, Mesquite, Farmers Branch, Carrollton, and other places in Dallas County should have a good understanding of the way that Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits work. The State of Florida through it’s department of insurance mandates coverage much the way Texas does. The SunSentinel ran an article dealing with PIP complaints. Here is much of what the article says.

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater blasted the auto insurance industry Tuesday, saying it needed to “quit the whining” over reductions to auto insurance rates required as part of reforms to the state’s no-fault auto insurance law.

“The insurance industry came to each committee meeting, they lobbied these legislators – ‘You’ve got to make these changes so we can help our customers,'” Atwater said in an interview. “But no sooner do suggested reductions come out and everybody starts running for cover.”

Definition Of “Motor Vehicle Accident”

July 21, 2012 | Mark S. Humphreys

Fort Worth Insurance Lawyers and those in Saginaw, Grapevine, Benbrook, Burleson, and other places around Tarrant County need to grasp how courts interpret the different words and phrases in an insurance contract.

The meaning of “motor vehicle accident” may seem to be an easy to understand phrase but the phrase was the subject of a lawsuit that went all the way to the Texas Supreme Court. This 2004, case is titled, “Texas Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company v. Jeff A. Sturrock.” Here is some background.

Jeff Sturrock drove his truck to work, parked, and turned off the engine. While exiting the truck, he entangled his left foot on the raised portion of the truck’s facing. Sturrock injured his neck and shoulder in his attempt to prevent himself from falling from the vehicle. Sturrock filed a claim for Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits under his vehicle’s insurance policy, issued by Texas Farm Bureau.

Personal Injury Protection Benefits Rejection

May 6, 2012 | Mark S. Humphreys

People with auto coverage in Weatherford, Mineral Wells, Aledo, Millsap, Azle, Springtown, Brock, Willow Park, and other places in Parker County might think they have Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits, when they actually do not.

The Austin Court of Appeals issued an opinion in 2003, that can be a little confusing. The style of the case is, Kathryn Payne and Carnell Gulley v. Mid-Century Insurance Company of Texas. Here is some background.

Payne and Gulley filed a lawsuit against Mid-Century alleging they were entitled to PIP benefits under the terms of an auto liability policy issued by Mid-Century. Both sides filed motions for summary judgment and the trial court ruled in favor of Mid-Century. On appeal, the trial court ruling was sustained.

Personal Injury Protection And Fraud

May 5, 2012 | Mark S. Humphreys

People in Weatherford, Mineral Wells, Aledo, Azle, Springtown, Millsap, Willow Park, Hudson Oaks, Brock, Cool, and other places in Parker County need to be aware of the Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits in their auto policy.

Most people have have these benefits do not even know how they work. All they know is that when they talked with their insurance agent they told the agent they wanted “full coverage” and as a result of that directive they ended up with PIP. It is a good coverage to have and there are laws regulating this coverage in the Texas Insurance Code.

These PIP laws are found in Sections 1952.151 thru 1952.161.

Rejection Of Uninsured Coverage

December 6, 2011 | Mark S. Humphreys

People with auto insurance policies in Grand Prairie, Arlington, Fort Worth, Dallas, Hurst, Euless, Bedford, and other places through out the DFW metroplex usually do not have a very good understanding of how their auto insurance policies work. All they know is that if they get into a wreck the insurance is suppose to help them.

There are many things an auto insurance policy can provide. The vast majority of people get the bare minimum that is required by state law. But there are many things that can be purchased. The minimum is liability coverage. Beyond liability coverage, a person can purchase coverage for damages to their vehicle, towing, auto rental, life insurance, medical payments, personal injury protection, uninsured and underinsured coverage, and a few other types of coverage.

All of these coverages work a little different from each other. Personal Injury Protection (PIP), and Uninsured / Underinsured (UM) coverage is required coverage on any auto policy sold in the State of Texas, unless these coverages are rejected in writing.

Value Of Claim In Insurance

December 3, 2011 | Mark S. Humphreys

A natural question for someone in Weatherford, Mineral Wells, Aledo, Hudson Oaks, Willow Park, Millsap, Brock, or anywhere else in Parker County to ask is; What is the value of my claim?

When the claim is a personal injury claim, there is no easy answer. One general principle in this regard is that there are laws against making a “double recovery.” A double recovery would be where you collect money from more than one source for an injury. The most likely place for this to be seen is where a person is injured in an auto accident caused by another. The injured person goes to the hospital and pays for the hospital bills with their personal health insurance. Then later on, the injured person makes a claim against the person who caused the accident and injuries and the insurance company for that person pays the injured person again, for the same hospital bills. Technically, this is illegal.

Another example is where the injured person makes a claim against two other people who may be responsible for the injuries and both pay all the bills.

Personal Injury Protection

July 3, 2011 | Mark S. Humphreys

Grand Prairie residents and residents of Arlington, Mansfield, Burleson, Crowley, Benbrook, Fort Worth, Lake Worth, Hulen, and other areas of Tarrant County who have automobile insurance coverage are always given the opportunity to purchase, with their automobile insurance, Personal Injury Protection, otherwise know as PIP.

PIP coverage is required to be offered along with automobile insurance coverage pursuant to the Texas Insurance Code, Section 1952.152. Here is a case dealing with that coverage.

The style of the case is, Texas Farmers Insurance Company v. Carabell Fruge. This is a case decided by the Texas Court of Appeals, Beaumont, in 2000. Here is some background information.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

June 9, 2011 | Mark S. Humphreys

Lots of insureds in Weatherford, Aledo, Willow Park, Mineral Wells, Millsap, Brock, Azle, Peaster, Cool, Hudson Oaks, and other places in Parker County will have Personal Injury Protection benefits included in their auto insurance policies.

Here is an article that discusses an antic one company was using to save money on these PIP claims.

The article was published by the Houston Chronicle on May 13, 2011, and is authored by staff writer, Patrick Danner. The title of the article is, USAA Sued Anew Over Medical Payouts In Crashes Plaintiffs Say Insurer’s Reviews Are “Shams”; Firm Defends Practices.

Personal Injury Protection Benefits

May 29, 2011 | Mark S. Humphreys

Drivers in Weatherford, Mineral Wells, Aledo, Azle, Springtown, Decatur, Peaster, Millsap, Brock, Hudson Oaks, Poolville, Newark, Willow Park, and other parts of Texas are all offered Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits coverage when they buy coverage for their automobile. It is the law.

It is the law that the coverage be offered. However, it can be rejected. To reject it, the rejection must be clearly made and in writing. This law is found in the Texas Insurance Code, Section 1952.152(b).

Here is a 1978 case by the Texas Supreme Court dealing with the rejection. The style of the case is, Unigard Security Insurance Company v. Charles Schaefer et al. Here is some background.