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How You May Be Able to Cover Medical Treatment Bills During Your Personal Injury Claim

Posted on behalf of Arnold Law Firm in
medical treatment paymentsIf you are injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be eligible for compensation to cover the costs of your medical bills as well as other damages related to the accident. Unfortunately, even if your claim is successful, it may take months or longer before you receive that compensation. In the meantime, doctors’ offices, hospitals and other medical providers will ask for payment for the services they provided. What can you do to keep the bill collectors at bay? The Arnold Law Firm’s car accident lawyers in Sacramento are prepared to discuss this issue and your other legal questions in a no-cost, no-obligation consultation. Below are some of the options you may have for paying medical bills while awaiting a settlement.

Using Your Own Auto Insurance Policy

California is an at-fault state, which means the at-fault driver is responsible for the victim’s damages. However, you may be able to file a claim with your own insurance company, if you purchased first-party coverage for your policy. If you have personal injury protection or medical payment coverage in your own policy, you may be able to file a claim through your own insurer. Through the process of subrogation, the insurance company will likely recover any costs paid out for your treatment from the liable insurance company.

Health Insurance Policy

While you are waiting on an injury claim to be settled, or if the insurance company is denying liability, you may be able to turn to your own health insurance coverage to help pay for any necessary medical treatment. Just like when you use your own auto insurance, health insurers may also be able to recover what they paid out through the process of subrogation.

Medical Treatment on Contingency

Another medical treatment payment option is working with medical professionals who agree to treat you without compensation for their services until your claim is settled. The doctors treat your injuries on a lien, agreeing to recover what is owed to them from a settlement or verdict. Generally, this option is only available to injury victims who are working with an attorney.

Other Options

Depending on your situation, Medicaid or Medicare may be possible options for paying for medical treatment while you are waiting for your case to be settled. This would work in much the same way as using personal health insurance. Family members or loved ones may be willing and able to help cover at least some of the costs of treatment. You may be able to negotiate payment plans with doctors and other health care providers. However, make sure you can afford to make the monthly payments. Typically, if you miss a payment, the rest of the bill immediately becomes due. As a last resort, you could apply for a personal loan or litigation loan. However, these loans often carry high percentage interest rates that may leave you paying twice the amount you borrowed.

Have More Questions? Call Us Today

Give us the opportunity to review your claim so we can assess your available options and how we may be able to help you through this process. We offer a free consultation and charge nothing up front, so there is no financial risk to you. The Arnold Law Firm has helped injury victims recover compensation for over 40 years. We have obtained millions on behalf of our clients.

Call today for a free consultation: (916) 777-7777

Settlement - $3,767,000

Truck Accident

A 20-year-old man who had been married for just 12 days left home on his way to work. He was driving on Pleasant Grove Road in Sutter County in the early morning when he came upon a slow-moving truck. As he pulled out to pass the truck, the truck driver turned left in front of him. The young man attempted to steer back into his lane but his vehicle struck an un-flagged piece of metal extending from the back of the truck. He died in the resulting crash.

Expert witnesses brought in by the Arnold Law Firm proved that the truck, owned and operated by a hauling firm, should never have been on the highway that morning. Specifically, the rear and side turn signals did not work and the rear-view mirror was in a poor state of adjustment at the time of the collision. As a result, the driver, who had failed to properly inspect the vehicle before setting out that morning, couldn’t see the young man’s vehicle as it attempted to pass.

The poor condition of the truck, its lack of maintenance and the manner in which it was operated were found to be substantial factors in causing the collision that killed the young man. The testimony also established that the man had been making a lawful pass at the lawful speed limit and acted reasonably when he attempted to avoid the collision.

The man’s 20-year-old widow was awarded $3,767,000.77, his parents were awarded $185,131 and the family was reimbursed $11,899 in funeral expenses. Though money is a poor substitute for a young man’s life, this verdict demonstrates that drivers who endanger the lives of others will be held accountable for their actions.