Home » What to Expect with Car Accident Medical Bills
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates motor vehicle crashes in Texas led to car accident medical bills of about $43 million in 2018. While getting medical assistance should be your top priority after a car crash, paying for the injuries can turn out to be a tricky issue. Some accident victims might not even know that health insurance can cover the injuries sustained after a car crash.
You can always seek legal assistance from Thompson Law after a car accident. There is a 2-year statute of limitations in Texas and we are always committed to pursuing justice on your behalf and helping with car accident medical bills.
Which Medical Bills Can Arise After a Car Accident?
Statistics from Texas show that there were about 250,000 injuries from car crashes in 2018. Car accidents can cause severe injuries leading to the following medical bills:
- Transportation costs while seeking treatment
- OTC medicines and prescriptions
- ER visits
- X-ray, scans, and blood work
- Surgeries
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Hospital and rehabilitation
- Future medical expenses
In some cases, you may receive invoices from hospitals and physicians for you car accident medical bills. You could also have pending bills for procedures and tests, including radiology tests, blood tests, and more. If you need rehabilitation and occupational therapy, it may lead to additional fees.
The personal injury lawyers at Thompson Law will gather all your invoices to help you estimate your total medical costs, both present and future, in consultation with the doctor. We then submit a demand letter to the at-fault motorist’s insurance company for a total payout of your expenses. We have a pool of experienced attorneys who have helped many victims across Texas, as seen on our results, so you can trust that we will work on ensuring you receive a proper settlement.
Who Should Pay for My Car Accident Medical Bills?
If the car accident results in severe injuries, medical emergency teams will transport you to trauma centers and hospitals for immediate treatment. Victims with minor injuries that do not require immediate attention can visit their primary care physician. Even if you feel okay, make sure you see a doctor for more examination in case of some internal injuries.
The at-fault driver should cover your car accident medical bills, car damages, and other costs in Texas. However, the responsible party will not automatically make the payments before you prove fault. Resolving the accident claim can take a few weeks or even months, depending on the situation. Resolving the claim may also require legal action.
In the meantime, you can use your health insurance cover to pay for your medical bills. Your medical insurer can then recover the amount spent on your treatment from the other driver’s insurer. Our car accident lawyers will work with you to ensure that we recover compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurer.
Will My Health Insurance Cover My Car Crash Injuries?
Many health insurance policies will pay for your injury costs up to a specific point. Still, depending on the timing of the treatment and who is liable for the accident, the expenses may be paid from different sources.
- Co-pays and Deductibles: If there are any deductibles or co-pays on the health policy, you will need to pay for them before the insurer pays for medical costs.
- Auto Policy: When it’s the health insurance company’s responsibility to pay for the car crash bills, the initial payments should be from any auto policy in place. If you have medical coverage on your auto insurance, you can use it to make payments before filing under your health insurance policy. It is not mandatory to have medical coverage on an auto policy.
If the health insurance company makes payments for your medical costs that were to be paid through your medical coverage policy, they can recover the expenses from the auto insurer.
Why Do You Need a Qualified Car Accident Lawyer?
If you are involved in a car accident that you believe was due to another driver’s fault, make sure you seek assistance from an experienced personal injury lawyer. You may assume the at-fault driver’s insurer will pay for your expenses, but this may never happen. Even if they promise to reimburse you for the medical costs, do not fall for it. In most cases, they will look for ways to pay partial payments or none at all.
If you decide to negotiate with the insurer, you could be left with a substantial amount of medical fees on your hands. Even if you pay using your health insurance or auto policy, you will still have to pay co-pays and deductibles. There is also a risk of increased insurance premiums. Make sure you have a lawyer by your side to avoid paying a dime in medical bills. You should not have to worry about any out-of-pocket fees.
You can get a lawyer in 15 minutes from Thompson Law. We provide a free case review of the accident. We also do not receive any payments for your case unless we win, so you pay nothing out-of-pocket.
Why Is the Compensation Process Often Complicated?
The insurance system has set procedures that are aimed at intimidating and frustrating an inexperienced person. This system prevents many victims from collecting valid claims. In most cases, accident victims give up on the claim before receiving the settlement they are entitled to since they find the process impossible or difficult to manage. If you’re the victim of a car accident injury that is not your fault, you need the help of a personal injury lawyer in Texas who is conversant with the legal right procedures that an insurer should follow.
Need Legal Help? Call Thompson Law Injury Lawyers
After a car accident, make sure you seek legal assistance from a knowledgeable attorney about the injuries you sustain from the crash. At Thompson Law, we will effectively communicate with all the insurers involved to ensure your bills are covered. You can contact us at any time for legal representation.