When people are injured in an accident, the medical treatment can be very expensive. I have had clients incur hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills. When the injuries are severe, there can also be substantial bills incurred for future medical treatment. These expenses can rise rapidly, even reaching into the millions of dollars for catastrophic injuries. Injured clients are rightfully concerned about getting their bills paid and making sure that the negligent party is held responsible.
Is there insurance available to pay any medical bills? Every Florida automobile insurance policy has Personal Injury Protection coverage (PIP). This insurance will cover up to $10,000 of your medical bills/lost wages even when the accident is not your fault. You will not be responsible to pay this money back to your insurance company. Also, if you have health insurance, whether private insurance or Medicare/Medicaid, this will help cover any medical expenses you incur. Usually, the health insurance company will assert a “lien“ and ask to be reimbursed for the expenses they incurred. Medical bills that are not paid by your own insurance can be recovered from the at-fault driver‘s insurance company.
Experienced attorneys can also find you a doctor who will treat you on a “letter of protection”. This simply means that the doctor will not make you pay your bills until your case is over. Once your case is settled, you can use some of the settlement funds to pay any outstanding bills that you owe. Your attorney should always be able to negotiate your bills on your behalf and have them reduced.
It is important to hire an attorney to help you navigate through these matters and be certain that all of your medical expenses are paid when your case is resolved. An auto accident lawyer in Tampa, FL knows what legal advice to give you so that you are protected and you can recover the compensation you deserve. Call a law firm today for a free consultation.
Thanks to Jeff Murphy Law for their insight into personal injury claims and who will pay for medical bills from an accident.