If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you are likely concerned about the payment of your medical bills. Paying for anything from rehabilitation to surgery can prove costly, especially when added to other costs like vehicular damage and bumps to insurance rates. However, depending on the situation, you might not be responsible for the medical costs from a car accident.
Let’s say you’ve been injured in an accident in which you were at fault. There are a few options, such as having the bills paid by your own auto insurance company if you have medical payment coverage as part of your policy (which we highly recommend!). If you do not have medical payments coverage, the only other option for an at-fault driver is to use that driver’s own health insurance to cover the medical bills.
If you’re not at fault in a car accident, there are numerous options.
The insurance company of the at fault party should write a single check that will cover your medical bills, but will issue only one check at the time of settlement. The check will also include an award, if any, for pain and suffering and for any permanent impairment. Thus, there is little financial relief for you while you are receiving treatment.
Another option for the injured party is to submit any bills through medical payment insurance carried by the injured party as referenced above. Medical payments coverage provides payment of medical bills regardless of fault. As such, we always recommend adding medical payment insurance to your plan.
The party that’s not at fault can also use their own health insurance to pay for their medical bills. However, most health insurance plans have a right to subrogate. In other words, the health insurance companies have the right to recoup their medical expenditures from the settlement at the conclusion of the case. This is also true for Medicaid and Medicare payments of accident related medical bills.
A medical lien provider is another potential option. Luckily, Colorado has ample lien providers throughout the state, meaning you’ll be able to find the resources you need. Most attorneys are well versed in guiding you to the correct medical lien provider. As with health insurance, once it’s time for the settlement, payments for medical expenses by lien providers are reimbursed from the settlement.
If the person that’s not at fault doesn’t have medical payment insurance, health insurance, or any other avenues methods to access treatment, the insurance companies are at a huge advantage. As the insurance company only writes a single check at the end of the case, the party that’s not at fault might need to use those funds simply to cover medical costs from the incident.
While it can seem daunting to face massive medical bills following a car accident, you’re not alone. Law One has decades of combined experience when it comes to car accident cases, and our team will do everything possible to assist you in the aftermath of an auto injury. Feel free to call Law One at (303) 831-8313 for a free consultation on your case.
