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There are often car-pedestrian accidents and car-bicycle accidents in Center City, Philadelphia, in addition to car accidents. This is due to the fact that Center City is a hub for businesses, law firms, offices, buildings, stores, etc. Many get around Center City via bicycle, i.e., riding to Center City from South Philly for work or a courier delivering mail from business to business. In this article, we will discuss what cyclists need to do if they are injured in a car-bicycle accident in Philadelphia.
Who Pays for a Bicyclist’s Medical Expenses as a Result of a Car Accident in Philadelphia?
The answer to this question depends on whether the bicyclist has a car insurance policy or is covered under an applicable car insurance policy.
If a bicyclist has a car insurance policy or is covered under an applicable policy, such as a parent’s auto policy, then the car insurance policy would cover the medical expenses under personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. This may seem counter-intuitive since the bicyclist was not at fault and was not driving a car. However, Pennsylvania is a no-fault state, which means that regardless of fault, the injured insured’s own auto insurance company covers their medical expenses. PIP also covers insureds’ medical expenses if they are injured as pedestrians in a car accident. See I was Hit by a Car While Walking in Philadelphia – Who Pays for My Medical Expenses?
An insured injured cyclist’s medical expenses are covered up to the PIP limit purchased. Let’s assume a cyclist has $5,000 in PIP benefits and his medical expenses total $10,000. The cyclist’s insurance company would only cover up to $5,000.
What happens to the remaining $5,000? Many people may think that the at-fault driver would now cover the rest of the medical expenses; however, this is not true. The next level of medical coverage comes from the cyclist’s health insurance company. If there are copays and deductibles, the cyclist can recover these expenses from the at-fault driver in a subsequent Philadelphia car accident lawsuit.
If the injured cyclist is not covered under any insurance policy, then the at-fault driver would pay for the medical expenses via their PIP coverage, up to the limit purchased. If the at-fault driver’s PIP coverage is exhausted, then any expenses over the limit would be covered by the bicyclist’s health insurance.
Help From Our Philadelphia Car Accident Injury Lawyers
Our lawyers have handled countless Philadelphia car accident lawsuits helping injured drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians. If you have questions or concern about a car accident, feel free to contact our office to schedule a FREE consultation. (866) 641-0806
