Do I Have to Get Medical Care Approved By an Insurance Company After a Truck Accident in Florida?

Were you injured in a truck accident? You may have questions about your rights, your options, and your ability to get medical care. A key thing to know is that you should get the medical care that you need right away. It does not necessarily need to be pre-approved by an insurance company. Here, our West Palm Beach truck accident lawyer provides a more comprehensive overview of the process for getting medical care.

Your Initial Medical Care is Likely Covered By Your Own PIP Coverage

One of the key points to know about commercial truck accidents in Florida is that your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage is likely the initial source of your medical benefits. Florida is a no-fault insurance state (Fla. Stat. § 627.736). The law applies to motor vehicle crashes, including tractor trailer accidents. An injured victim must first seek medical coverage through their own PIP insurance, regardless of fault. PIP provides up to $10,000 in medical and disability benefits if treatment is initiated within 14 days of the accident. Covered expenses include emergency transport, hospital care, surgical procedures, and rehabilitative therapy. If you suffered a serious injury in a crash, you can bring a fault-based claim for additional damages.

You Do Not Need Approval from the Truck’s Insurance Company

In most cases, there is no legal requirement to obtain pre-authorization from the trucking company’s insurer before receiving medical care. Unlike health maintenance organizations (HMOs) governed by contract law, auto liability insurers have no statutory authority to approve or deny treatment before it occurs. Florida law places the immediate duty to treat on medical providers, not insurers. In other words, the truck accident victim has the right to receive medically necessary care as prescribed by licensed professionals.

Key Point: The truck’s insurer becomes involved only after a liability claim is established and damages are submitted for evaluation. You do not need to ask them to get care approved to be eligible to bring a claim.

Submitting Medical Costs and Seeking Reimbursement

Once treatment is complete or ongoing, the injured party must submit itemized billing statements, diagnostic reports, and physician notes to their PIP carrier for reimbursement. For claims beyond PIP limits, medical expenses are included as part of the damages demand package presented to the truck’s liability insurer. Documentation must establish medical necessity and causal connection to the accident under Florida’s Daubert standard for admissible expert evidence. In disputed cases, the insurer may request an independent medical examination (IME). An experienced West Palm Beach truck accident lawyer can help you navigate a claim.

Contact Our West Palm Beach Semi-Truck Accident Attorney Today

At Pike & Lustig, LLP, our West Palm Beach truck accident attorney is standing by, ready to protect you and your rights. We are more than ready to help you navigate insurance requirements. Hurt in a motor vehicle crash? Call us now for a free case review. We fight for truck accident victims throughout all of South Florida.