#5 How are my medical bills and lost wages paid if I’ve been injured in a car accident?

QUESTION: How are my medical bills and wage loss going to be paid if I’ve been involved in a car accident?

ANSWER: In Oregon, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) covers medical bills and wage loss regardless of fault. The insurance of the car you were in at the time of the accident pays for your medical treatment and lost wages. PIP provides $15,000 per person for medical care or two years of treatment, whichever comes first, and pays 70% of lost wages for up to 52 weeks, with a maximum of $3,000 a month. If you’re concerned about covering medical expenses and wage loss after a car accident, contact the insurance company for the car you were in to set up a PIP claim.

How are my medical bills and wage loss going to be paid if I’ve been involved in a car accident?

In the state of Oregon, we have a statute called PIP, which stands for Personal Injury Protection. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, your medical bills and wage loss will be paid.

The insurance company that covers the car that you were in, when the collision happened, pays for your medical treatment.

It does not make a difference who is at fault for causing the auto accident. It could’ve been the driver of the car that you were in, it could’ve been caused by you driving off the road, or someone running a red light.

The insurance company that covers the car that you were in during the accident is going to pay your medical bills and your lost wages.

You can think of PIP as being like a mini health insurance policy that wraps around the car.

The PIP statute states that for each person in the car during the accident, the insurance company for that car is required to pay $15,000 worth of medical treatment or two years of medical care — whichever happens first. That means if there are four people in the car, they’re not splitting the $15,000 of medical coverage. They have $15,000 per person to cover their medical bills.

Additionally, if you are taken off work for at least 14 calendar days by your doctor and you don’t work at all during that time period, PIP is required to pay 70% of your lost wages — up to a maximum of $3,000 a month — whichever is less, for up to 52 weeks. If you make $3,000 a month, PIP will pay you $2,100 a month. If your monthly salary is $10,000 a month, PIP will only pay you the maximum amount of $3,000.

If you’ve been involved in a car accident and you don’t have health insurance and you’re wondering how your medical bills are going to be paid, and what you’ll do about your lost wages, there is nothing to worry about.

Contact the insurance company that covers the car that you were in during the accident. That insurance company will establish a PIP claim that will pay for your medical treatment and wage loss.

Whether you’re our client or not, we want to be a bridge of support for you.

We’ve developed a robust library of articles and videos organized into four topics which include our responses to the personal injury claim-related questions we’re asked most often.

• Top 10 Personal Injury Claim Mistakes to Avoid
• What You Need to Know About Your Claim
• How Are My Medical Bills & Wage Loss Paid
• How to Prepare for Your Independent Medical Exam

The articles provide advice and guidelines to help you navigate each phase of the personal injury claims process. Whether we represent you or not, we are passionate about helping you protect your rights, you receiving the medical care you need to recover from your injuries, and having the information you need to avoid mistakes that can harm your personal injury claim.