Every so often, a medical provider will send my office a form asking for my “authorization” before they treat one of my injury clients on a lien basis. Sometimes it’s framed as a courtesy. Other times it’s treated like a requirement.

Let me be clear: there is no legal reason a healthcare provider needs my authorization to provide treatment when they’re treating you for your injuries related to your injury claim.

This never happens when the client is using health insurance and is almost exclusively something that happens in doctor’s office when they are unfamiliar with, or fundamentally misunderstand, liens on personal injury cases.

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What a Medical Lien Really Is

When a provider agrees to treat someone on a lien, what they’re really doing is this:

The health care provider is planning on perfecting their lien according to statute, after they offer treatment without up-front payment by the patient/client, thereby waiting for payment in the hopes of getting the bill satisfied from potential future settlement proceed.

This arrangement is a calculated risk taken on by both the provider and the client: The provider’s risk is that they may not get paid, or may get paid less than they are billing. The client’s risk is that they may end up personally responsible for the bill.

Notice that no where in that explanation of this arrangement is any medical decision-making capacity transferred to the plaintiff’s personal injury attorney. That’s not a thing.

The patient is the one receiving medical care. And absent some health care power of attorney or general power of attorney, their medical decisions remain their own.

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I Don’t Practice Medicine and I Don’t Want To

I’m a lawyer. I don’t diagnose. I don’t prescribe. And I don’t decide what treatment is “authorized.”

If a provider believes treatment is medically appropriate, that decision is between the provider and the patient. Asking me to “authorize” care blurs ethical lines and suggests a level of control that I simply don’t—and shouldn’t—have.

In fact, I prefer not to be in that position. Attorneys should not be influencing medical treatment decisions, even indirectly.

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What I Think the Providers Are Asking

IWhen I’m asked, “Do you authorize this epidural steroid injection?” it’s hard to read anything into that question except a request that I take over medical care decisions for my client, or even crazier, agree to pay for said medical care. But what I think providers are getting at, sometimes, by asking this question is that they are looking for reassurance that they are likely to get paid.

Generally speaking, I try not to be involved in cases that I don’t think have value, so I would like to say there’s a great chance all cases are going to work out, meaning there’s going to be at least some money to go around, even though it’s hard at any given point, especially before treatment is done, to have a firm idea as to how much we’d be talking about. I simply can’t say if there’s going to be a settlement, or enough of a settlement, for some or all of any given bill to get paid. And I certainly can’t sign any letters of protection (don’t get me started on that).

What I can promise to do is this:

• I’ll address all validly perfected liens out of settlement proceeds within the rules set out by statute and competing liens.
• I’ll communicate honestly about the status of the case

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The Bottom Line

Healthcare providers don’t need my permission to treat injured patients. They need the patient’s consent and that’s it.

If healthcare providers have questions/concerns about getting paid, I can offer some general information about the case, but I can’t do anything that approaches promising to pay their bill. I can only promise to follow the law when addressing validly perfected liens.

My job is to protect my client’s interests; It’s not to practice medicine, approve treatment plans, or guarantee payment to providers.

When everyone stays in their lane, cases resolve more smoothly—and nobody is surprised at the end.

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If you’ve been injured and have questions about medical liens or treatment issues, call me at 919-929-2992
🖥️ jeffreyhowardlaw.com

I have encountered a lot of legal misinterpretation from adjusters lately, particularly Progressive adjusters, so I thought it worth documenting.

There is an idea being propounded that the NC Rule of Evidence 414 allows liability adjusters to make up their own adjustments and unilaterally “adjust” (which is a euphemism for “illegally refuse to pay”) bills where health insurance is not used.  This is not allowed by law. 

First, let’s start with the text of the Rule itself: 

Rule 414. Evidence of medical expenses. Evidence offered to prove past medical expenses shall be limited to evidence of the amounts actually paid to satisfy the bills that have been satisfied, regardless of the source of payment, and evidence of the amounts actually necessary to satisfy the bills that have been incurred but not yet satisfied. This rule does not impose upon any party an affirmative duty to seek a reduction in billed charges to which the party is not contractually entitled.  (2011‑283, s. 1.1; 2011‑317, s. 1.1.)

 As you can see from the plain text of the rule, what we can put into evidence is “the amounts actually necessary to satisfy the bills…”  In practice, that simply means the liability carrier gets a credit of health insurance adjustments that actually occurred.  Period.  What it does NOT say is that if health insurance adjustments don’t occur that the liability carrier gets to make up adjustments.  They are not the arbiter of what is “reasonable and necessary” to pay the bills.  The rule clearly states that we put into evidence the amount “actually necessary,” not an amount you’d like to be necessary, to satisfy the bills.  

Moreover, there is no affirmative duty on our part to seek a reduction literally written into the rule.  This means that neither the plaintiff’s attorney, the plaintiff, and certainly not the liability carrier have any duty (or right) to contact any providers and say, “We know the billed amount is X, but can’t you take a little more?”  That. Doesn’t. Exist.  The bills are what the bills are and the liability carrier owes them ALL if they owe any of them. 

This brings up a related argument that liability adjusters like to make, which is that plaintiffs have a duty to file their health insurance.  

They don’t. 

This alleged duty does not exist.  If you believe it does, please point to me the statute that creates it.  As of this writing, it doesn’t exist.  In fact, there are some real practical reasons why there should never be such a duty, not to mention the actual case law that exposes the myth of this duty. 

The problem, particularly with ongoing care such as PT or chiropractic, is the ongoing, per-visit cost, as well as potential deductibles, that the patient will be responsible for.  Remember, the plaintiff didn’t ask for this accident, so why should they have to pay $40 or whatever each time they go to get treatment?  Why should a plaintiff, who didn’t ask for this situation to begin with, have to shell out his/her entire $5000 deductible JUST to get the care they need, when there is someone else who can and will be held responsible for this?  This could drastically impact someone’s budget for other basic needs, so if there is an option (such as a lien) in place to help avoid out of pocket costs and disruptions, then it should be, and is, allowed in lieu of making someone suffer even more to carry their health costs. 

There is also the problem that health insurers might limit or deny certain care.  When a patient needs care, I think we can all agree that health insurance companies hurt more than help in these situations.  The patient should get the care they need without having to jump through silly hoops made up to save the health plan money. 

Then there’s the case of Sykes v. Vixamar and Progressive Univ. Ins. Co., 830 S.E.2d 669, 673, 830 S.E.2d 669.

The Court of Appeals held that a medical provider’s lien (rather than the billable amount for the plaintiff under a possible health plan) was evidence of the amount “actually necessary to satisfy the bills.” Plain and simple, if the court wanted to push a view that there was an obligation to use health insurance, it had ample opportunity to do so here. It did not. 

The ultimate conclusion is this:  The correct reading of the NC Rule of Evidence 414 is that if there are health insurance adjustments that were actually taken, then the liability carrier can take them into account (in other words, get a credit for them) when evaluating its responsibility to the plaintiff.  But if there are no actual health insurance adjustments because the health insurance was not billed (for whatever reason) then liability carriers are legally compelled to consider the amount represented in the bill as the amount necessary to pay the bill. 

If you’re running into some adjusters just making stuff up about your injury claim, give me a call at 919-929-2992

Clients sometimes ask whether we can settle the liability portion of their personal injury case first and then deal with the underinsured motorist (UIM) claim later. Technically, yes—it can be done. But most of the time, it’s not my favorite way to do things, and there are several reasons I normally caution against it.

Let me explain why I usually prefer to resolve everything together and why taking the pieces separately can cause serious problems down the road.

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1. The Insurance Company’s Right to Subrogation

When the liability carrier tenders its limits, I’m legally required to notify the UIM carrier. Under North Carolina law, the UIM insurer gets 30 days to decide whether it wants to “subrogate”—meaning they can choose to pay the liability amount themselves so they can pursue reimbursement later.

They almost never choose to do that, but I still have to give them the full 30-day window before I can accept the liability check. That delay is built into the law.

Here’s the relevant statute for reference:
👉 N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-279.21 (UIM procedures and subrogation information)

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2. Settling the BI Claim Can Accidentally Kill Your UIM Claim

The wording in the liability settlement documents matters. A lot.

If the wrong language is used—or if the settlement is accepted in the wrong order—you could permanently bar your right to make a UIM claim. Even one incorrect phrase can jeopardize coverage.

I have to be extremely careful with this process, but even with that level of attention, it’s much safer when everyone is on the same page and the UIM carrier agrees with how we’re handling the settlement. When the carriers agree, there are no surprises—no gotchas, no loopholes, no battles later.

I’ve written before about the importance of involving an attorney early to avoid these kinds of problems:
Why You Should Call an Attorney Right After an Injury

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3. Piecemeal Settlements Can Create Complicated Disbursements

Even if we get everything perfect on the liability settlement and don’t accidentally harm your UIM claim and save it for later, settling the case in chunks can create enormous disbursement headaches.

Here’s why:

• If you have health insurance liens, we have to pay them back from your settlement funds.
• If you settle liability first, you end up paying those lienholders based on the only partially-finished settlement total…in other words, the ratios of what you pay out v. what you get look really different (and sad).
• Later, when the UIM money comes in, your gross recovery changes.
• When the gross recovery changes, your lien payback calculations can change.
• That means we have to recalculate, re-negotiate, and sometimes even re-pay lienholders.

It’s confusing, time-consuming, and increases the chance of errors or disputes. And no one wants problems with Medicare, Medicaid, ERISA health plans, or hospital liens—those organizations have long memories and great reach.

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4. Waiting Helps Prevent Errors and Protects You

The bottom line is this: while we can settle liability and UIM separately, doing so exposes you to risks involving:

• Lost UIM benefits
• Incorrect lien calculations
• Reopened and/or uncertain disbursements
• Delays caused by recalculations
• Potential legal exposure if a lien is overlooked

Unless you’re facing a true emergency—such as foreclosure, eviction, or some other immediate hardship—it’s almost always better to finalize everything together so we can get it right the first time.

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My Goal Is to Protect Your Entire Claim

I know waiting can be frustrating. But settling the case in the correct order, with the correct language, and with all carriers notified and aligned is essential for protecting your full recovery.

I’d rather take a little extra time and make sure your entire claim is secure than rush into something that could cost you thousands later.

As always, call me if you have an automobile injury claim: 919-929-2992.

When I am representing someone in an auto accident in North Carolina, sometimes, but not always, I get this question:
“Why are you holding onto my Med Pay funds instead of just paying them to me right away?”

It’s a fair question, but the answer is somewhat complicated. It mainly has to do with liens and rights of reimbursement.

As your attorney, my job isn’t just to get you compensated—it’s to protect you from problems that can pop up after the settlement check clears. And nothing can cause more trouble than failing to properly address all potential claims against the funds I collect for you.

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What Is MedPay, and Why Does It Matter?

Med Pay is an optional coverage on your auto insurance policy that helps pay for medical bills after an accident, no matter who’s at fault. If you have it, you should definitely use it! But as mentioned above, part of my job is to protect you from making costly errors.

Hospitals, health insurance companies, Medicaid, or even workers’ compensation carriers may all have liens or reimbursement rights to that money. If I just handed it over to you without checking, it could leave you (and potentially me) exposed to serious financial and legal consequences.

While they aren’t fun and do sometimes possibly reduce your take-home from your settlement, these rights can be legally enforced, so we have to deal with them. If we fail to pay even one legitimate lienholder, that party can come after the settlement—and sometimes after you personally.

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Why I Hold the Funds

When I receive Med Pay funds, I don’t rush to disburse them. I take the time to:

• Identify all potential lienholders or payback obligations.
• Confirm the amounts owed and whether they’re legally enforceable.
• Negotiate reductions where possible/appropriate.
• Document every step so there’s no dispute later.

This process can take time, but it’s far better than accidentally overlooking a lien and facing a claim from a healthcare provider or health insurance provider down the road.

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Ignoring a Lien Is Dangerous

If you ignore even one valid lien, the consequences can be serious:

• The lienholder could sue for repayment.
• You could lose future coverage or benefits.

That’s why I handle these details carefully and personally. I’d rather delay disbursement a bit to make sure it’s done right than rush a payout that could come back to haunt you.

The Bottom Line

I know everyone wants their settlement money quickly. But part of my job as your attorney is to make sure that money stays yours once you get it. By holding and carefully managing your Med Pay funds, I’m protecting you.

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Call me if you’ve been injured in a car accident and have questions about your Med Pay coverage. 919-929-2992

Many of us have been here…you’re stopped at a red light, someone behind you isn’t paying attention, and BOOM, you’re hit from behind. Classic rear-end collision. It seems cut-and-dry, right? The other driver is clearly at fault, so you figure you can just exchange insurance info and move on.

WRONG! I hear this all the time—but here’s the truth: even a simple rear-end accident can get complicated really quickly. And without an attorney, you could leave money on the table or get blindsided by the at-fault insurance company (or even your own!).

Don’t Be Fooled by “Obvious” Fault

In North Carolina, rear-end collisions can seem simple. We often presume the driver in back is at fault, but insurance companies don’t always just hand over checks, especially in the amount you should get. They look for anything to shift blame, lower your payout, or argue that you weren’t really injured.

And remember: North Carolina is a contributory negligence state. That means if they can pin even 1% of the fault on you, you could be barred from recovering anything. It sounds ridiculous, but I’ve seen insurers argue things like:

• You braked too suddenly.
• Your brake lights weren’t working perfectly.
• You stopped “unexpectedly” when traffic wasn’t fully stopped.

One percent is all they need to fight your claim.

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Hidden Injuries and Delayed Symptoms

Rear-end crashes often cause soft tissue injuries like whiplash, which can take hours or even days to show up. If you tell the adjuster you “feel fine,” they’ll use that statement to minimize or deny your claim later.

My job is to make sure you are getting the advice you need to avoid damaging your claim AND helping you to do the right things to support your claim.

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Documenting Damages the Right Way

It’s not just about fixing your bumper. Even a low-speed impact can lead to:

• Neck and back injuries
• Lost income
• Physical therapy or chiropractic care
• Pain
• Suffering
• Emotional Distress

Proving those damages takes documentation, strategy, and sometimes expert testimony. Without a lawyer, you’re relying on the adjuster’s idea of what’s “fair,” and their job is to pay youas little as possible.

I’ve written before about why you should call an attorney right after an injury—and rear-end accidents are a perfect example of why timing matters.

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Outside Resource: Understanding Whiplash and Rear-End Injuries

For more information on the medical side of rear-end crashes and whiplash, see this helpful overview from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It explains why even “minor” crashes can cause serious injuries.

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Bottom Line

No matter how minor a rear-end accident looks at first, remember that the moment your accident happened, forces started moving on the carrier side to negatively impact your claim. Their goal is to close your claim quickly and cheaply. My job is to make sure you’re treated fairly.

If you’ve been in an accident in NC, call me at 919-929-2992.

If you’ve been hurt in a car accident here in North Carolina, you might be wondering: Do I really need an attorney? Can’t I just handle this myself with the insurance company?

Totally legitimate questions. Maybe you can handle this on your own. And, yes, you can try to deal with the claim on your own, I can tell you from experience that it can turn out to be a bad idea.

Insurance Companies Are Not on Your Side

The insurance adjuster may sound friendly on the phone, but their job is not to take care of you. Their job is to save the company money, which usually means offering you the lowest settlement possible. They have lawyers working for them behind the scenes from day one. If you don’t have an attorney, you’re stepping onto the field without a coach, without pads, and without a playbook.

I wrote before about why you should call an attorney right after an injury, and car accident claims are one of the clearest examples of why timing matters.

North Carolina’s Harsh Contributory Negligence Rule

One of the toughest things about auto injury claims in North Carolina is our contributory negligence rule. Here’s what it means: if the insurance company can prove you were even 1% at fault, you could be barred from recovering anything.

That’s right—1%. Even if the other driver was 99% at fault.

Insurance companies know this, and they’ll twist facts, statements, and evidence to make it look like you share blame. The adjusters are trained to ask you questions in a way to get the answers they want. Part of my job is to keep you from making mistakes that can hurt your claim. If you wait too long to get help, I can’t go back in time.

Building the Real Value of Your Claim

Car accident claims aren’t just about paying your medical bills. They’re about your pain, your suffering, your lost income, your long-term health, and the impact on your life. But unless you know how to properly document and present those damages, the insurance company will pretend they don’t exist.

That’s where I step in. I gather the medical records, employment records, expert opinions, and testimony needed to prove the full value of your claim—not just the parts the insurance company is willing to acknowledge.

Don’t Risk Selling Yourself Short

You only get one shot at settling a personal injury claim. Once you sign that release, you can’t go back later if your injuries turn out to be worse than you thought. Having an attorney means you have someone making sure the settlement accounts for not just today’s bills, but tomorrow’s as well.

The Insurance Information Institute has a helpful overview of what to do after a car accident, but when it comes to actually pursuing compensation, you don’t want to go it alone.

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If you’ve been injured in a car accident in North Carolina, call me at 919-929-2992.

When you’ve been hurt in an accident, you may miss time from work. That missed income is an important part of your personal injury claim. But here’s the catch: just writing down your own estimate of how much money you lost isn’t enough to convince an insurance company—or a jury—that your claim is legitimate.

I understand the temptation. You know how many hours you missed, what your paycheck usually looks like, and how your injury has impacted your ability to work. But from a legal standpoint, your personal statement about lost wages isn’t strong evidence.

Why Your Word Isn’t Enough

Insurance companies don’t just take your word for it because you’re not what’s called a “disinterested party.” You’re the one asking for money, so of course you have a financial interest in the outcome. That doesn’t mean you’re dishonest—it just means that your own notes or estimates don’t carry the same weight as independent documentation.

Think about it this way: if you were asked to prove how much money you spent on your bicycle that got ran over by a neighbor, would your handwritten note saying “I spent $1,000” be credible? Probably not. You’d want to see bank records, receipts, or some kind of third-party proof. Injury claims work the same way.

What Counts as Good Proof

The best way to prove lost income is with documentation from sources other than yourself, like:

• Employer statements on company letterhead showing your hours missed and rate of pay. THIS, coupled with doctor’s notes writing you out/putting you on light duty is the GOLD STANDARD.
• Tax returns if you’re self-employed, backed up by client invoices or contracts, is often what you have to do in lieu of an employer’s note.
• Medical records tying your inability to work directly to your injury.

The more independent the source of the information, the harder it is for the insurance company to argue with it.

Why It Matters

Lost income is a real part of your damages, but it’s also one of the areas insurance adjusters love to pick apart. If you don’t have proper documentation, they’ll either lowball you or deny that portion of your claim altogether. By gathering the right records from the beginning, you put yourself in the best position to be compensated fairly.

I’ve written before about how insurance companies look for any excuse to minimize your claim, and lost wages are one of the easiest targets if you don’t have solid proof.

For more general information about documenting lost income and damages, the Insurance Information Institute has some useful resources for accident victims nationwide.

The Bottom Line

If you’re serious about recovering lost income after an injury, don’t rely on a handwritten note or a self-made spreadsheet. Get the records. Get the employer statement. Get the paperwork that makes your claim undeniable. And if you’re not sure how to do that, that’s where I step in—I know what insurance companies will accept and what they’ll reject.

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📞 Call me today if you need help proving your lost income claim. 919-929-2992
🖥️ jeffreyhowardlaw.com

Let’s have an honest conversation about what really drives the value of a personal injury claim.

Yes, medical bills matter. Lost wages matter. But if you’re wondering why some injury cases settle for thousands while others get six figures (and sometimes, very rarely, more), the answer usually boils down to pain and suffering.

If you can’t show it, you probably won’t get it.

What Is “Pain and Suffering” in an Injury Case?

“Pain and suffering” is the legal term for how your injuries affected your life on a personal level. It includes:

• Physical pain
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life

It’s the human side of the injury. Insurance companies don’t pay big money just because your MRI showed a bulging disc—they pay when your life actually changed because of it.

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If You Act Fine, They Think You Are Fine

This is where I see a lot of injury claims lose steam. If you:

• Don’t follow up with your doctors
• Downplay your pain
• Don’t tell your providers what you’re dealing with
• Try to “tough it out” without documenting anything…
• Don’t get much treatment
• Spend more time complaining than you do getting treatment

…then the insurance company assumes you’re doing great. And great = cheap settlement.

You can’t expect to get compensated for pain and suffering if there’s no record of your pain and no evidence that you suffered.

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Evidence of Pain = Power

I’m not saying you should exaggerate or make things up—absolutely not. What I am saying is that you need to document your pain honestly and consistently:

• Tell your doctor how your injury affects your sleep or work
• Let your physical therapist or other relevant provider know about your limitations and encourage them to document them
• Seek treatment if you don’t feel right
• Keep a journal if it helps you stay consistent

These records are what I use to prove your suffering to the insurance adjuster, or to a jury if it gets that far.

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So What’s Your Claim Worth?

If you’re curious how injury claim values are calculated, check out this earlier post I wrote:
👉 How Much Is My Injury Case Worth?
(You’ll see—pain and suffering is a huge part of the math.)

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The Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a big number, you have to be willing to talk about the hard stuff. Your injuries, your stress, your pain. It’s not just about x-rays and bills—it’s about how your life has been disrupted. And that only works if you help me document it.

I’m here to build your case. But I can’t do that if you suffer in silence.

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📞 Call me if you’ve been injured and need real help building a case that tells your full story.
🖥️ jeffreyhowardlaw.com

If you’ve been hurt in an accident and you’re covered by Medicaid, you’re probably anxious to get your settlement check and move on with your life. I get it. But if you’re wondering why it’s taking so long, let me give you the short version:

It’s because we’re waiting on Medicaid.

And they don’t exactly move at lightning speed.

What’s the Hold-Up?

When someone on Medicaid gets a personal injury settlement, the law says Medicaid has a right to be paid back for any medical expenses they covered related to the injury. That’s called a Medicaid lien, and we absolutely have to know what that amount is before we can finalize your case and send out any money.

Sounds simple, right? It’s not.

Getting that lien amount from Medicaid takes weeks, sometimes even months. We have to request it, wait for them to process it, sometimes follow up multiple times, and only then do we get the final number. Until that happens, I can’t legally or ethically release any funds.

Can’t You Just Estimate It?

Nope. I wish I could. But the rules don’t work that way. If we guess wrong and don’t withhold enough, Medicaid can come after me—and worse, they can come after you. That’s not a risk I’m willing to take with your money or my law license.

Here’s the statute that governs it: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 108A-57. It lays out exactly what has to happen before settlement money can be distributed when Medicaid has paid for any of your treatment.

Didn’t You Write About This Before?

Yes, and if you want a more in-depth look at how Medicaid liens work, check out my earlier blog post here:
👉 Understanding Medicaid Liens in NC Injury Cases

The Bottom Line

If you’re on Medicaid and you’re expecting an injury settlement, please be patient. The delay is not about me dragging my feet—it’s about waiting on the government to tell us what they’re owed. I follow up. I push them. I keep your case on my radar. But this part is outside of anyone’s control except the folks processing the lien.

When I say I’ll get you paid as fast as the law allows, I mean it. Just understand that when Medicaid’s involved, “fast” is a relative term.

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📞 Have questions about your injury case and Medicaid? Call me.
🖥️ jeffreyhowardlaw.com

Let me deal with the red tape—so you don’t have to.

Big changes are coming to North Carolina’s traffic laws in July 2025, and if you’re a young driver—or the parent of one—you need to pay attention. The state is overhauling how insurance companies treat things like Prayers for Judgment (PJCs) and traffic infractions, and it’s going to be a lot harder to keep your insurance premiums under control in the event of a ticket.

Let me break it down for you.

1. One PJC Every Five Years—That’s It

Starting July 1, 2025, insurance will only ignore one Prayer for Judgment every five years. That’s per policy, not per driver. Criminal court might still let you use two PJCs in five years to avoid license suspension, but don’t expect insurance companies to give you the same break. If you’ve used a PJC 3–4 years ago and try to use another, your rates could spike.

Translation: That PJC you thought was a get-out-of-jail-free card? Not anymore. Use it wisely.

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2. “Clean Record” Now Means 5 Years, Not 3

Used to be, if your record was clean for 3 years, a small speeding ticket (like 10 mph over the limit, or less) wouldn’t affect your insurance. That grace period is now 5 years. One little mistake—like driving 44 in a 35—can now cost you a 40% rate increase if your record isn’t squeaky clean for five full years.

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3. Certain Convictions Will Haunt You for 5 Years

If you’re convicted of a traffic offense that carries 4 or more points (think Reckless Driving), that conviction sticks with you for 5 years instead of 3. Some of these offenses can result in 90% or higher rate increases, and now you’re stuck with that penalty for two extra years.

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4. Young Drivers: The Surcharge Now Lasts 8 Years

Previously, the “Young Driver Surcharge” (that lovely little penalty for just being young and breathing behind the wheel) lasted 3 years. Now, it’s going to last 8 years for anyone who gets their license after July 1, 2025.

Here’s the kicker: they’ll dangle a little “safe driver discount” carrot after the first 3 years—but any conviction (even a PJC) kills your chance of ever qualifying for that discount. Forever.

One mistake in those 8 years = no discount. Ever.

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5. Miss Court? Insurance Might Jack Your Rates

There’s a new twist on what counts as a “conviction.” Now, not just guilty pleas and verdicts count—so do bond forfeitures, meaning if you skip court and don’t get your bond reinstated, it could show up on your insurance like a conviction.

Lesson: Don’t miss court. Ever.

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So, What Does This Mean for You?

It means that every traffic ticket, every decision you make after getting pulled over, just got a lot more serious. What used to be a minor hiccup can now jack up your rates for half a decade, or cost a young driver thousands in unnecessary premiums.

And this is where I come in.

If you’ve gotten a ticket—or your kid has—and you’re not sure how to handle it, don’t wait. Don’t just “pay it off.” The insurance impact alone could cost you more than legal representation. I know how to navigate the new laws, minimize the long-term damage, and advise you on whether that PJC is really worth using.

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📞 Contact me today before your “minor” traffic ticket becomes a financial headache.
🖥️ jeffreyhowardlaw.com

Let’s fix it before it gets expensive. 919-929-2992