Are You Eligible for PIP After an Injury in DC?
At Regan Zambri Long, three of our named partners are board-certified trial lawyers, and our Washington, DC car accident attorneys have guided injured clients through DC’s PIP system for nearly three decades — challenging delayed or denied claims, advising on the election before the deadline passes, and coordinating PIP with health insurance to close payment gaps. Our results include a $14 million car accident settlement and a $15 million settlement for a paralyzed crash victim, backed by over 160 five-star Google reviews.
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If you carry PIP coverage and are injured in a DC car accident, you have 60 days from the date of the accident to formally decide whether to receive PIP benefits. This is not a formality; it’s a binding legal election with consequences for the rest of your case.
If you elect PIP within 60 days, your insurer begins paying covered expenses promptly, without waiting for a fault determination. However, your right to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver becomes restricted. You can only sue if your injuries meet at least one of DC’s severity thresholds:
If you do not elect PIP within 60 days, DC law treats you as having chosen to pursue a third-party liability claim against the at-fault driver instead. You won’t receive PIP benefits, but you are not subject to the severity thresholds.
Health insurance covers medical treatment, but it typically requires deductibles, copayments, and prior authorizations that can delay access to care. Health insurance also does not cover lost wages, funeral costs, or essential household services, all of which PIP can address.
PIP can also fill gaps left by health insurance. If your health plan requires you to pay a deductible before coverage begins, PIP may cover those out-of-pocket costs. If your health insurer requires authorization before approving certain treatments, PIP can provide faster access to care during the critical early weeks after an accident.
In some cases, PIP and health insurance may coordinate benefits, meaning PIP pays first and health insurance covers remaining costs, or vice versa. How this coordination works depends on the specific terms of both policies, which is another reason to review your coverage with an attorney after an accident.
A Regan Zambri Long attorney can evaluate whether your injuries are likely to exceed your PIP limits, advise you on the election decision, and build the fault record needed to protect a future liability claim if one becomes necessary.
PIP claims seem straightforward on the surface: file with your own insurer, get paid. In practice, insurers delay payments, dispute whether treatments are accident-related, and push low settlements that don’t reflect the full cost of your injuries. When your PIP benefits run out, and you need to pursue a fault-based claim, the stakes get even higher in a contributory negligence jurisdiction like DC.
At Regan Zambri Long, our attorneys handle PIP from the day of the accident, filing claims, challenging delays or denials, and building the medical documentation needed to support a liability claim if your injuries exceed your coverage. We front all case costs and bring in medical experts to establish lasting harm when insurers try to minimize your injuries.
If your PIP coverage isn’t enough to cover your losses, contact Regan Zambri Long today for a free consultation..Â
Have you or your loved one sustained injuries in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia? Regan Zambri Long PLLC has the best lawyers in the country to analyze your case and answer the questions you may have.