Florida PIP laws were subject to changes in 2013 and these included:
Lower Medical Coverage Except for Emergencies
PIP currently compensates you for 80% of your medical expenses, which can total up to $10,000. However, the law's latest increments have added a condition that the initial medical expenses should be medical emergencies. For non-emergency medical expenses, the new PIP benefit was set at $2500.
You Should Obtain Initial Medical Treatments Within 14 Days
If you fail to get treatment from qualified medical service providers within two weeks following the accident, you will not be entitled to any PIP benefits.
Acupuncture and Massage Therapy Is Not Covered
Since these and other similar medical expenses are not medical emergencies, you will be required to pay for them from your own pocket, unless you obtained coverage for them beforehand.
Changes in the Law for Referral Services
In mid-March, in 2018, the Supreme Court of Florida had also approved a couple of amendments to the rules that regulated lawyer referral services. For starters, these amendments had legally changed the terminology of 'lawyer referral service' to 'qualifying providers.'
In doing so, the definition of the service was broadened so that all pooled or grouped advertising programs or matching and referral services can be subject to the same rules.
This new rule also allows lawyers to practice without applying for malpractice insurance policies. However, these latest requirements have also added a prohibition for:
- Pressuring or requiring any participating lawyers to make cross-referrals
- Providing any participating lawyers with the documentation for compliance with Florida's Bar rules
- They are implying or stating that the referral service provider are, in fact, law firms.
Under these new rules, referral service providers will have to comply with standard lawyer advertising rules and will also continue to be subject to the prohibition on fee sharing. They will also be required to continue to only refer and match clientele to those who are authorized to provide said services.
According to these new rules, a lawyer referral service will now also continue to respond to official inquiries from the Bar, within 15 days. Finally, they will also continue to be subject to the prohibition of implying or stating any endorsement of the Florida Bar. All of these regulations are meant to be followed by all participating lawyers.
Among the most drastic of these changes was Florida lawyers' prohibition from serving new clients from referral services if they also refer them to non-legal professions, following the same incident.
The definition for 'qualifying provider,' set by these changes in the law, now includes:
- Leads or tips programs
- Pooled or grouped advertising programs
- Online matching services
- Directories