Immediately after an accident you may be unable to return to work for several days or possibly longer. The car insurance policy for the car you were in at the time of the accident provides Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits. PIP benefits will cover 75% of your lost wages up to a maximum of $8000. It is important to remember the benefits available under PIP cannot exceed $8000 in total. So it often makes sense to document your lost wages as soon as possible so that PIP can provide you with 75% of you lost wages before the $8000 in maximum benefits is exhausted paying your medical bills. This will help you during your recovery to maintain some income, so you can meet your financial obligations while you recover.
Your PIP insurance company is going to need proper documentation before they will begin paying you your lost wages. They will want to review your medical records and your bills, any disability notes written by your doctor and proof of your earnings; such as pay stubs. Accordingly, you or your attorney should quickly gather relevant medical records, medical disability notes and wage verification forms from your employer.
Once you have exhausted your PIP benefits, if you are still out of work you will have to rely on another source of income until your case is either settled or you receive an award after trial since the at fault party’s insurance company will not make ongoing payments during the case. This can be a difficult time for many clients. If you are entitled to benefits under a short or long-term disability policy they may be options until your car accident case is resolved.
