If you or a family member has been in a car accident and are in need of medical assistance, you may have concerns about expenses compiling and the inability to cover them. An emergency room visit alone could cost thousands of dollars, and this does not include further treatment, medication, or therapy. Who pays these bills? In truth this will depend upon different circumstances. Some parties that may be responsible are as follows:
Your Own Car Insurance Provider
If you choose to have medical payment coverage, your health insurer might ask you to exhaust this coverage before they start to pay your bills. This type of coverage is payable regardless of who is at fault and typically in amounts ranging from $1000 – $25000 or more. In this type of coverage you will not have a deductible.
Your Health Insurance
After you have reached a policy limit, your health insurance should take over the medical payments coverage. Deductibles and copays could apply.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Insurance
Although there are laws that require drivers to be covered by liability insurance, not every driver will have it; and others may carry the bare minimum required by law. This is what uninsured and underinsured insurance policies are for. This type of coverage is optional, but recommended.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates approximately 12 percent of all drivers on the road do not have insurance. If you have been injured because of an uninsured driver’s negligence, your own insurance company will become your opponent. If the damages are more than a underinsured driver’s liability policy, you may be able to take action against your carrier after you have exhausted your limits.
The Other Driver
In general you will be responsible for medical bills that are necessary and a result of the accident. You may also be able to pursue damages against the negligent drivers which may cover losses such as:
- Past, current, and prospective medical bills
- Outpatient treatment
- Therapy
- Counseling for emotional trauma
- Disability or disfigurement
There may also be other options for you such as getting liens from doctors until your settlement arrives. These can cover the costs of medical expenses and then you will be responsible for paying back the doctors. The sooner you contact a lawyer, like a personal injury lawyer Memphis TN trusts, the better as you can begin to focus entirely on your recovery while letting the lawyer take care of the rest.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from Wiseman Bray for their insight into car accident cases and personal injury practice.