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770-626-7895You have been in an auto accident that is not your fault that required you to seek immediate care at the local emergency room. Now, you have a bill from the hospital, and you further anticipate accruing even more medical bills as the doctors have just recommended that you see a specialist for your injuries.
The question immediately turns to who pays for these bills? In short, it is you who is typically responsible for these upfront costs. After you complete all of your treatment, you will submit these to the auto insurance company for review as you request reimbursement for these bills as well as for your pain and suffering. This means that once you settle your personal injury case with the insurance company you will use part of your settlement proceeds to pay for your medical bills. Often times, the auto insurance company places the burden on you to pay these bills.
Since these bills must come from your own pocket initially, we must find ways to defray these costs. First and preferably, we suggest that you try to have your own health insurance pay for these bills. If the hospital or medical provider fails or refuses to bill your health insurance provider, then we suggest that you take matters into your own hands, and you submit these bills directly to your health insurance provider requesting that they make a payment. Always remember that you will most likely still have co-pays or patient balances even if your health insurance provider does apply payment.
Nevertheless, it is not uncommon for a health insurance provider to deny coverage for your medical bills. Typical reasons for denying payment include the following:
- Some health insurance contracts explicitly state that they will not pay for treatment caused by a third party.
- In some cases, medical providers will not accept health insurance (this occurs most frequently with chiropractic offices).
- Select healthcare providers will simply refuse to bill your health insurance provider (most commonly occurs at hospitals) and instead suggest that they just send the bill to the at-fault driver’s car insurance provider (commonly referred to as a Medical Lien).
Surprisingly, your own auto insurance provider may also pay for some of your medical bills related to the car accident. You will need to check your Declarations Page (Decs Page) or Coverages Page and see if you have a coverage known as Medical Payments Coverage (commonly referred to as Medpay Coverage). Medpay coverage is not commonly included when purchasing auto insurance coverage; when purchasing auto insurance, you typically need to ask for this type of coverage.
Medpay will cover your medical bills up to the amount of coverage that you purchase. For example, if you purchase $5,000.00 in medpay coverage and you are in a car accident (whether it is your fault or not), then your auto insurance provider will cover up to $5,000.00 of your medical bills for any treatment received related to this collision. Thus, we always recommend that you double check your own auto insurance policy for medpay coverage to see if this can help cover the costs of your medical bills.
Do not allow a lack of insurance coverage and financial restraints to prevent you from receiving the medical care that you need. Contact an experienced attorney to explore further available options to obtain treatment you need.
Car Accidents
A car wreck can lead to whiplash, head trauma and other serious injuries. If you were hit by a negligent driver, we will help you seek the compensation you need to recover.
Truck Accidents
Tractor-trailer accidents often cause major destruction. We will be your steadfast advocates, going up against the trucking company on your behalf.
Motorcycle Accidents
Too often, drivers fail to look carefully for motorcyclists. The result is often a serious crash. We will help you hold the wrongful driver accountable.
Your Health Comes First
At our law firm, nothing is more important than your health and well-being. After an accident that causes serious injury, it is important that you get the medical attention you need to recover. Do not put off seeking treatment after an accident. As you begin your recovery, we will assess your situation and review your insurance policy to determine if MedPay can cover some or all of your medical expenses. If it does not, we will help you determine your options.
Never Settling Until You Are Ready
At our law firm, we are focused on doing what is right for you. We will never push you into a resolution that you are not comfortable with or recommend that you settle your case before you are ready. We want what is best for you and will do everything in our power to achieve it.
At Our Firm, Your First Consultation Is Free
We would like to speak with you about your injuries. Schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced attorneys at Larrison Law Firm by calling 770-554-8100. You may also get in touch with us online.
