How Should I Deal With Medical Bills After a Car Accident?
Car Insurance
First of all everybody needs to have car insurance. It is required by law in every state except for Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Florida. Despite the fact that you are not required to have insurance you will wish you did if you are involved in a car accident because with all the costs associated to an accident you can very easily go broke or amass debt. Rules regarding car insurance differ from state to state. States such as Minnesota, North Dakota, Michigan, Florida and New York are "No-Fault" insurance states. This means that each driver's insurance covers that driver no matter who is responsible for an accident. Therefore there is a Personal Injury Protection policy in these states to cover medical expenses for drivers no matter who is at fault for an accident.
Generally speaking, car insurance covers the owner of the policy and any damage to a car they are driving. It will cover you and your car when you are driving. It generally will cover you and cover the vehicle if you are driving a car that you do not own, but that you have permission to be driving. This may include a rental car or a car you borrow from a friend or family member. If you are a passenger in a vehicle that is in an accident you should be covered by your own insurance in a no-fault state. If you are in an at fault state then the at-fault driver's insurance will be responsible. If you are a passenger in a vehicle involved in an accident then it is possible you may be covered by the insurance of the driver whose vehicle you were riding in. If you live in an at-fault state when an accident occurs the insurance for the at-fault driver has to cover the costs of both drivers. If you want to add another person to your insurance policy you need to speak to your insurance company about getting them coverage and your rates will increase.
You will want to keep track of your medical bills and inform your insurance company as soon as possible. In no-fault states your insurance company is required to pay your medical bills. If your doctor deems a treatment necessary then your insurance has to pay the bill. If insurance companies aren't informed of treatments they may try not to pay for them. Because of this it is very important to keep your insurance company updated on your medical treatment as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. An insurance company may dispute your physician and require you visit their doctor to confirm that the treatment is necessary. Based on the examination they may continue or deny further medical coverage. If you are denied medical coverage you need to consult a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to make sure that your medical costs are covered and that you don't end up paying them.
After a car accident insurance companies may be hesitant to pay medical costs, if you are denied coverage and you live an a no-fault insurance state, or have a policy with PIP, you should not hesitate to contact an experienced personal injury attorney right away. They will deal with the insurance companies, medical professionals, hospitals and billing agencies to help defer payments until a settlement is reached with the insurance company. This assures that you will have your medical bills covered and that you won't be penalized for late payments. If you have been in a car accident and have medical bills that need to be covered it can be very beneficial to hire an experienced and dedicated personal injury attorney.
First of all everybody needs to have car insurance. It is required by law in every state except for Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Florida. Despite the fact that you are not required to have insurance you will wish you did if you are involved in a car accident because with all the costs associated to an accident you can very easily go broke or amass debt. Rules regarding car insurance differ from state to state. States such as Minnesota, North Dakota, Michigan, Florida and New York are "No-Fault" insurance states. This means that each driver's insurance covers that driver no matter who is responsible for an accident. Therefore there is a Personal Injury Protection policy in these states to cover medical expenses for drivers no matter who is at fault for an accident.
Who Is Covered?
Generally speaking, car insurance covers the owner of the policy and any damage to a car they are driving. It will cover you and your car when you are driving. It generally will cover you and cover the vehicle if you are driving a car that you do not own, but that you have permission to be driving. This may include a rental car or a car you borrow from a friend or family member. If you are a passenger in a vehicle that is in an accident you should be covered by your own insurance in a no-fault state. If you are in an at fault state then the at-fault driver's insurance will be responsible. If you are a passenger in a vehicle involved in an accident then it is possible you may be covered by the insurance of the driver whose vehicle you were riding in. If you live in an at-fault state when an accident occurs the insurance for the at-fault driver has to cover the costs of both drivers. If you want to add another person to your insurance policy you need to speak to your insurance company about getting them coverage and your rates will increase.
Keep Track of Medical Bills
You will want to keep track of your medical bills and inform your insurance company as soon as possible. In no-fault states your insurance company is required to pay your medical bills. If your doctor deems a treatment necessary then your insurance has to pay the bill. If insurance companies aren't informed of treatments they may try not to pay for them. Because of this it is very important to keep your insurance company updated on your medical treatment as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. An insurance company may dispute your physician and require you visit their doctor to confirm that the treatment is necessary. Based on the examination they may continue or deny further medical coverage. If you are denied medical coverage you need to consult a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to make sure that your medical costs are covered and that you don't end up paying them.
Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney
After a car accident insurance companies may be hesitant to pay medical costs, if you are denied coverage and you live an a no-fault insurance state, or have a policy with PIP, you should not hesitate to contact an experienced personal injury attorney right away. They will deal with the insurance companies, medical professionals, hospitals and billing agencies to help defer payments until a settlement is reached with the insurance company. This assures that you will have your medical bills covered and that you won't be penalized for late payments. If you have been in a car accident and have medical bills that need to be covered it can be very beneficial to hire an experienced and dedicated personal injury attorney.
Source...