Share:

While personal injury and bodily injury may sound similar, they should not be mistaken for one another. A personal injury lawyer may help with either type of claim, but each type is unique in that it applies to a different type of situation. By learning when a bodily injury claim can be filed as opposed to a personal injury claim, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the complex process of filing insurance claims.

How Do You Differentiate Between Bodily Injury and Personal Injury?

What is Bodily Injury Coverage?

Depending on the state in which you live, you’ll be required to carry some degree of bodily injury coverage. This is coverage that will pay the medical expenses of others who are injured in an accident caused by the insured driver. This type of coverage is strictly used to cover those other than the driver, which means your personal injury lawyer couldn’t help you file a bodily injury claim on your own policy.

Those who can file this type of claim would include other drivers involved in the accident, passengers in either vehicle, pedestrians, and cyclists. In order to file a PIP claim, those individuals, or an injury attorney representing them, must be able to show that you were responsible for causing the accident. Either through negligence or willful misconduct, it must be shown that you caused the accident before the insurance company will pay out on any bodily injury claim.

What is Personal Injury Coverage?

personal injury lawyerAlso known as PIP, or personal injury protection, this is coverage for you as the driver, as well as for any passengers in your vehicle and pedestrians you may hit with your vehicle. While an accident attorney can help ensure your PIP policy pays out an adequate settlement, many states are requiring this type of insurance as a means of limiting the number of personal injury lawsuits that make it to the civil courts.

Before your personal injury lawyer can consider filing a lawsuit, the insurance company must first pay out on the claim. There is a cap in each state in terms of how much can be paid out for economic and non-economic damages. A lawsuit can only proceed in cases where the individual suffered extreme, life-altering injuries. Your attorney will be able to tell you what special circumstances you must be able to meet to pursue additional compensation, or damages.

 

Jones & Jones PC Attys At Law represent clients in Andalusia, AL who may need an accident or personal injury lawyer. They also practice in the areas of criminal and family law. Experience and dedication matters in any type of personal injury case, which is why you should seek the help of this firm’s professional attorneys. To learn more about their legal team, browse their website. By calling (334) 222­-3161, you can arrange for an initial consultation.

No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.
tracking