If you get hurt in an unexpected accident, such as a car crash or slip and fall, you will have immediate medical bills to contend with. Whether or not you must pay for your medical treatments right away or after your related personal injury case settles depends on the circumstances. Consulting with a Laredo personal injury lawyer can help you understand your options in terms of medical bill payment.
How to Pay for Medical Bills While Your Personal Injury Claim Is Pending
Hospitals and health care providers are not legally allowed to deny medical care to a patient based on an inability to pay. You should always go to a hospital or doctor’s office following a harmful accident in Texas, whether or not you have health insurance or the ability to pay upfront. Prompt treatment is critical for your health and safety. Proper medical documentation is also crucial if you decide to file a lawsuit. You may have one or multiple options available to you for medical bill repayment while your personal injury case is pending.
Health Insurance
If you have health insurance coverage, your insurance provider should offer upfront coverage for your medical bills. If a personal injury case later finds that someone else is at fault for your injuries, your health insurance company can seek reimbursement from your settlement through a process known as insurance subrogation.
Car Insurance
If your injuries stemmed from a car accident, you may have medical payment or personal injury protection (PIP) insurance available on your own policy to pay for your upfront medical costs. If another driver is later discovered to be at fault for the crash, your car insurance company can seek reimbursement from that party’s insurance provider.
Workers’ Compensation
If you are injured at work or while performing work-related duties, you may qualify for workers’ compensation insurance coverage that pays for 100 percent of your medical bills, if your employer has this insurance. Although Texas does not require employers to carry workers’ comp insurance, many choose to, so that they are not held directly responsible for worker injuries.
Medical Lien
A medical lien is a legal claim to your personal injury settlement that a medical provider can place against you in the amount of the care provided to you at no initial cost. Medical liens are most common when the injured accident victim does not have health insurance.
Payment Plan
If you have to pay for your medical bills out of pocket before your case reaches a settlement or receives a judgment award, a payment plan may be available, depending on the health care provider. You can then use the amount awarded to you from a defendant (accused party) to reimburse yourself.
Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help Me Handle Medical Bills?
Do not worry about how your medical bills will get paid immediately after a serious accident in Texas. Go to the nearest hospital and get all the recommended medical tests, x-rays and treatments. Continue attending follow-up visits and taking any prescribed medications. Then, contact a personal injury lawyer for assistance and advice regarding how your medical bills will get paid.
A personal injury lawyer can coordinate communications between multiple insurance companies and your medical provider on your behalf. Your lawyer may be able to argue down the cost of your medical care or medical liens during negotiations. This can allow you to keep more of your personal injury settlement.
A Laredo car accident attorney may also be able to provide you with a Letter of Protection, which is a notice sent to your medical providers stating that they will be reimbursed for covering your medical bills upfront from any settlement or judgment award achieved during your case. This can keep bill collectors from contacting you during your case.
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Texas, contact an attorney for help navigating your medical bills and payment options from the beginning.