How to Get Paid for Medical Bills Resulting From a Car Accident
After getting involved in a car accident and receiving medical attention, you will probably receive several medical bills. There are different ways to pay medical bills, depending on the situation. Key factors involve determining insurance coverage and who was at fault, or caused the accident. Unnecessary or excessive treatments might impact the amount of money you recover.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Gather and confirm all medical bills, which usually come from different agencies or companies. If you were treated by EMTs, and later received lab services at a hospital, you will receive two separate bills. Make sure that you calculate the correct bill, as medical providers might add wrong charges or send multiple copies of the same bills.
-
2
Determine who caused the accident, if possible. For example, if you were a passenger in a friend's car that struck a building or parked car, your friend was at fault. In several situations, it is difficult to distinguish the direct cause, perhaps because multiple parties acted negligently.
-
-
3
Contact the insurance company of the primary person who caused the car accident. If your friend caused the accident, contact his insurance company. Once you identify yourself as an injured party, you should submit copies of your medical bills to them. The insurance company will pay the medical providers directly if they have accepted liability.
-
4
Review your personal insurance coverage, if the at-fault party does not have insurance. Your insurance company might pay the medical bills on your behalf, and then pursue the at-fault party.
-
5
Consult with a personal injury attorney, especially if you have a complex case in which the insurance companies are disputing liability. Most attorneys charge contingency fees (30 to 40 percent), meaning you will not have to pay the attorney unless you win. If the attorney charges 30 percent and recovers $20,000, you receive $14,000 for medical bills.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Many personal injury attorneys negotiate with medical providers to settle bills for less. For instance, your attorney might settle medical bills of over $20,000 for $10,000. If you received $14,000 for medical bills, you would be left with $4,000.
Regardless of the car accident, your credit will be affected if the medical bills remain outstanding for too long. While different collection policies exist, most medical providers will report a debt even if you hire an attorney and file a lawsuit.
