Why? Insurance is not understood and most people rely on their agent and claims adjusters to advise them on what to do after an accident.  Insurance is a multi-billion dollar industry and are in business to make money.  They keep their costs down, less payout, more profits and bonuses at the end of the year.  Good for them and not for you.

What is PIP?

PIP is no fault coverage similar to health insurance but on your auto policy for your injuries and your passengers injuries.  This coverage is available regardless who is at fault.  Yes, you can be the cause of the accident and you will still be covered.  There’s no deductible and no co-payment.  There is other separate coverage that will cover the other party if you were at fault.  You may also be covered if you were hit in a crosswalk by a car or on a bicycle or borrowing someone else’s car.

Why doesn’t the other guy’s insurance pay for my medical expenses and why should I use my insurance?

Medical treatment is expensive and you are liable for the costs.  There is a chance that the other party may never pay for your medical expenses leaving you a financial burden.  PIP gives you peace of mind that your medical bills are covered.  If you use your health insurance, you may have to pay a deductible and co-pays to your doctor and if the health insurance finds out that you were in an accident they could request to be reimbursed.  Some people get referred to a medical provider by their attorney and the medical provider agrees to be paid months or even years later.  Since there are a limited number of medical providers who agree to this arrangement, your choice and quality of healthcare may be limited.   The answer is to use your PIP coverage so you will not have to pay for medical expenses out of your pocket and get the best possible healthcare treatment available for you and your family’s injuries caused by the accident.

The Four Phases of a Whiplash Injury

During a rear-end automobile collision, your body goes through an extremely rapid and intense acceleration and deceleration.  In fact, all four phases of a whiplash injury occur in less than one-half of a second!  At each phase, there is a different force acting on the body that contributes to the overall injury, and with such a sudden and forceful movement, damage to the vertebrae, nerves, discs, muscles, and ligaments of your neck and spine can be substantial. 

Phase 1

During this first phase, your car begins to be pushed out from under you, causing your mid-back to be flattened against the back of your seat.  This results in an upward force in your cervical spine, compressing your discs and joints.  As your seat back begins to accelerate your torso forward, your head moves backward, creating a shearing force in your neck.  If your head restraint is properly adjusted, the distance your head travels backward is limited.  However, most of the damage to the spine will occur before your head reaches your head restraint.  Studies have shown that head restraints only reduce the risk of injury by 11-20%.

Phase 2

During phase two, your torso has reached peak acceleration - 1.5 to 2 times that of your vehicle itself - but your head has not yet begun to accelerate forward and continues to move rearward.  An abnormal S-curve develops in your cervical spine as your seat back recoils forward, much like a springboard, adding to the forward acceleration of the torso. Unfortunately, this forward seat back recoil occurs while your head is still moving backward, resulting in a shearing force in the neck that is one of the more damaging aspects of a whiplash injury.  Many of the bone, joint, nerve, disc and TMJ injuries that I see clinically occur during this phase.

Phase 3

During the third phase, your torso is now descending back down in your seat and your head and neck are at their peak forward acceleration.  At the same time, your car is slowing down.  If you released the pressure on your brake pedal during the first phases of the collision, it will likely be reapplied during this phase. Reapplication of the brake causes your car to slow down even quicker and increases the severity of the flexion injury of your neck.  As you move forward in your seat, any slack in your seat belt and shoulder harness is taken up.   

Phase 4

This is probably the most damaging phase of the whiplash phenomenon.  In this fourth phase, your torso is stopped by your seat belt and shoulder restraint and your head is free to move forward unimpeded.  This results in a violent forward-bending motion of your neck, straining the muscles and ligaments, tearing fibers in the spinal discs, and forcing vertebrae out of their normal position.  Your spinal cord and nerve roots get stretched and irritated, and your brain can strike the inside of your skull causing a mild to moderate brain injury.  If you are not properly restrained by your seat harness, you may suffer a concussion, or more severe brain injury, from striking the steering wheel or windshield.