On H-1 near the Vineyard Boulevard exit in Honolulu, a lot of people make the same mistake: they tell themselves, "My back was already bad, so I probably can't claim this," then they let the insurer rush them into a cheap year-end settlement.

No. Hawaii insurance does not get to deny your claim just because you had a pre-existing condition if the crash aggravated it.

The correct approach is to frame the claim around the worsening. If your neck, back, knee, or other condition became more painful, more limiting, or needed more treatment after the crash, that worsening is part of your damages. Insurers count on people not knowing that.

In Hawaii, your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage usually pays the first $10,000 in medical benefits, no matter who caused the crash. Every registered vehicle in Hawaii also has to carry at least 20/40/10 liability coverage, but that is separate from PIP.

If your crash-related medical and rehabilitative expenses go over $5,000, or you meet Hawaii's injury threshold for more serious harm, you may step outside no-fault and bring a liability claim against the at-fault driver for pain and suffering and other losses.

What helps most:

• Records showing your condition before the crash and after
• A doctor clearly stating the collision aggravated the prior condition
• Proof of new limits at work, home, or on the bike
• Not signing a release just because the adjuster says the policy is renewing or "the file has to close by year-end"

For most Hawaii injury lawsuits, the deadline is generally 2 years from the crash date. If the wreck involved road hazards on a state route like Kamehameha Highway, a government claim can involve shorter notice issues with the State of Hawaii Department of Transportation or the City and County of Honolulu.