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What happens if I miss work because of an accident?

Mar 8, 2022 | Personal Injury

After a car crash, you expect that insurance will help you. You may understand that you can make a complaint against the liability coverage of the driver who caused the crash when you need to repair your vehicle.

However, if you get hurt, there will be more expenses than just repair shop bills. You may have ambulance bills and hospital costs to cover, as well as wages you will lose because you cannot work. Will the insurance company cover your lost wages after a car crash in Texas?

Personal injury protection coverage helps those out of work

Texas drivers usually have personal injury protection (PIP) on their policies. This important no-fault coverage is your first line of defense against medical expenses and lost wages after a car crash in Texas, so if you don’t want to carry it, you have to refuse it in writing. You can potentially make a claim against your own PIP coverage for lost wages and medical bills.

However, the more serious your injuries are, the more likely it is that your time off of work will be extensive. After several weeks off of work, your expenses may be well over the insurance available on your policy. Thankfully, the other driver’s bodily injury liability coverage will protect you in this situation. They should have at least $30,000 worth of coverage to supplement your PIP protection.

What if insurance isn’t enough?

If you will never be able to work full time again or will need two years off of work for multiple surgeries and rehabilitation, someone’s basic bodily injury liability coverage and your own no-fault PIP coverage won’t be nearly enough. You could have a six-figure total price tag for all of your crash-related losses.

You may need to take the other driver to civil court. You may also need to look into whether there is a third party that may have some liability for the crash. The more wages you lose out on because of a crash injury, the more likely it is that insurance will not fully reimburse you for those losses. Understanding the coverage available after a Texas car crash can help you pay your bills after a wreck or invest in the right Insurance before a crash.