In the aftermath of a car, truck or pedestrian accident in Delaware, injured drivers and passengers often feel overwhelmed when dealing with the insurance process. Dealing with a property damage claim on top of figuring out how to get medical bills paid can be incredibly stressful. Part of the stress is in not knowing what to expect or not knowing how the insurance process works. This is especially true for folks who are seriously injured. Family members are often left trying to figure out how to get bills paid while caring for their injured loved ones.
Below is an explanation of the most common claims for financial compensation made after a Delaware car or auto accident.
1. Medical Bills & Lost Wages
Hands down, the question of how medical bills get paid is probably the most common question after an auto accident in Delaware. In fact, the vast majority of drivers and passengers who are injured in auto accidents in this state are usually surprised to learn that their auto accident medical bills are covered under their own auto insurance policies, via PIP (personal injury protection) coverage, and not under the other, at-fault driver’s auto insurance policy.
This is how PIP works in Delaware, like many states, such as Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It’s called the no-fault system and was designed to keep insurance premiums under control and to insure that accident victims received the medical treatment they needed without going into debt. The no-fault system applies to every resident of Delaware who is covered under an auto insurance policy issued in this state.
In exchange for paying your auto insurance premiums, you are entitled to make claims for PIP coverage which includes medical bills and wages lost due to the accident, in addition to other types of coverage like household help and funeral expenses in the event of death. This applies whether you caused the accident or not.
Usually, there is no deductible or coinsurance scheme under PIP coverage. However, every insurance policy varies; some residents of Delaware will have chosen a deductible for PIP coverage. This means that the insured driver/passenger must pay the deductible before PIP coverage actually starts paying bills.
2. Pain and Suffering
Claims for pain and suffering can be made in a subsequent car accident lawsuit. Unlike Pennsylvania and New Jersey which impose restrictions on the right to recover financial compensation for pain and suffering after an auto accident, Delaware does not. In fact, Delaware law is much more plaintiff-friendly. Under Delaware car accident law, Delaware residents may make claims for pain and suffering damages without regard to the type of injury sustained (i.e., serious, permanent, etc.). Read more about pain and suffering damages in a Delaware car accident lawsuit.
To speak to our car accident lawyers about making a legal claim for financial compensation after a car accident in Delaware, please call (302) 658-1717.
*Disclaimer: This website page does not provide any legal advice or create any attorney-client relationship. Every case is unique and you should not take any action or make decisions in your case without speaking to a qualified car and truck accident lawyer in Delaware. Any discussion of results is no guarantee of the same or similar results in current or future cases.
*Use of the contact form on this website or emailing one of our lawyers does not create any attorney-client relationship. In addition, confidential information should not be sent through the contact form.
