Who Pays Medical Bills in a Pending Car Accident Case?

One of the first things people want to know when they’ve been hurt by an at-fault driver is who pays their medical bills. It’s natural for them to be concerned about these costs because they have no idea how they’ll be able to pay for their mounting medical expenses and might reject necessary medical treatment out of fear of those costs. 

If you’re in this situation, it’s important to know that Georgia is considered a “fault” state when it comes to car accidents. This means that you’ll be responsible for your up-front costs and expenses stemming from the accident, but if your personal injury lawsuit is successful, you’ll be compensated for not only your medical bills, but all other expenses you’ve incurred due to your injury. 

Although you’re responsible for the costs, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to pay out-of-pocket. Continue reading to see some of the ways you might be able to handle your medical bills as your case progresses. We invite you to speak with the Athens car accident lawyers at Rafi Law Group to learn more about your legal options. You can contact us online or call (706) 995-7547 for a free consultation. 

How to Pay Medical Bills While Your Case is Pending

Although you are responsible for the up-front costs of your medical treatment and expenses resulting from the accident caused by someone else, you have options for handling these expenses:

• Your health insurance will cover a majority of your bills
• A medical payments coverage (MPC) rider on your auto insurance might cover some of the expenses
• You may be able to ask your medical provider to provide treatment using a lien on your potential settlement 

Here’s a closer look at these payment scenarios.

1. Have your health insurance provider(s) pay

Your regular health insurance can cover your medical treatment, just like it would if you were hurt in some other way or if you developed a severe illness, but you will still be responsible for the out-of-pocket costs associated with your plan such as copays and deductibles. If your case is successful, a portion of your settlement or jury award might go toward reimbursing your insurer for the costs they paid. 

2. Pay your bills with medical payments coverage (if applicable)

An MPC rider will typically pay for anywhere from $1,000-$5,000 of an injury victim’s medical treatment, however, some policies might pay as much as $100,000–it depends on your policy. MPC typically doesn’t include any sort of copay or deductible, and the company that wrote the policy will usually not receive any reimbursement. More than likely, your MPC will pay first, then your health insurance will pay.

3. Ask the provider to put a lien on your settlement

If you don’t have health insurance or an MPC, or if they simply don’t provide enough coverage, your attorney may be able to help you obtain treatment on a lien. A settlement lien is a contract with your provider that they will provide treatment without up-front payment, and instead they will be paid upon completion of your case, regardless if it’s a jury trial or a settlement. 

Not all providers will work on a lien, and those who do usually only do so if you have an attorney. An attorney at the Rafi Law Group may be able to help you find doctors and other medical providers who will treat you under a lien arrangement. We can also help draft the letter to make sure your rights are protected.

Hurt in a crash and wondering how you’ll pay your bills? Our firm can help.

You don’t deserve to deal with the stress and frustration of trying to figure out who pays for your medical bills in a car accident. After all, you didn’t do anything wrong. If you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, the Athens car accident lawyers at Rafi Law Group are ready to help.

In order to have all of your medical treatment covered – as well as your lost wages and other expenses you’ve incurred – you will need to prove that you’re not at fault for the accident. You’ll need to hire an attorney who has experience investigating automobile collisions, and gathering the evidence it will take for you to win your case. That’s exactly what you’ll get when you hire our firm. We’ll work exceptionally hard to help you recover the full value of your case.

Schedule a free review of your case as soon as possible by calling (706) 995-7547 or using our online contact form.