Car or Truck Accident: PIP Benefits
PIP benefits include the following benefits:
a. Medical expenses, including hospital bills, follow-up treatment, and the cost of prescriptions
b. Wage loss
c. Household replacement services
d. Attendant care
e. Case management services
f. Home modification
g. Medical mileage
h. Special transportation
i. Survivor loss
MCL 500.3107(1)(a) provides that you are entitled to: “Allowable expenses consisting of all reasonable charges incurred for reasonably necessary products, services and accommodations for an injured person’s care, recovery, or rehabilitation.” As with medical expenses, attendant care or in-home nursing benefits are payable for life and do not have a cap (i.e. they are unlimited in amount and duration).
Many people are seriously injured in either a car accident, motor cycle accident, or a trucking accident. A serious injury may require a person to help care for you, this is called attendant care. Depending on the type of care needed for your injuries, it could be necessary that a registered nurse provides the care or a family member. The benefits covered range from complex tasks such as catheterizations, changing intravenous lines (I.V.’’s), taking blood, to tasks such as personal hygiene (bathing, toiletry, dressing), meal preparation, feeding, checking in on you to make sure you are doing well or monitoring you, supervising or assisting you during in-home workout program, providing in-home physical and/or vocational therapy, administering medications and/or tests, withdrawing blood, changing bandages. If your auto accident injury is serious enough, your doctor may order 24 hours/7 days week attendant care services, including non-waking hours if for your welfare and safety. The amount of attendant care services or in-home nursing services depends on the injury you sustained in the automobile accident and the type of care that is prescribed by your treating physician(s). For instance, if you sustained a serious traumatic brain injury, you may need 24/7 care for the rest of your life. If you sustained a mild brain injury, you may only require attendant care or in-home nursing for 3 hours per day for 6 months. The services provided must be reasonably necessary for your care, recovery and rehabilitation.
Although some of these benefits have fixed amounts the insurance company will pay, many of them are based on what is reasonable and necessary in light of the accident and your injuries.
The insurance company is required to pay the care provider or family member a reasonable rate for their services. This can range from $8.50 an hour to $30.00 an hour depending on the level of care provided. Very often, the insurance company intentionally underpays the care provider/family member or denies payment altogether for no good reason.
If you or a loved one are involved in a car accident or truck accident and suffer a serious injury, you should consult with an experienced car accident attorney. Allan W. Ben P.C. is a Michigan injury law firm which handles all types of cases involving serious injury or death including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, and drunk driving accidents. We handle cases all over Michigan including Oakland County, Wayne County, Macomb County and Livingston County. Call are office at 248-540-0677 or by email at info@allanwbenpc.com.
