Does my health insurance cover car accidents?

Your health insurance covers your regular medical bills, but when you suffer injuries in a car accident, your medical expenses for treatment of those injuries are often covered first by the liability coverage that is part of the at-fault party’s car insurance. You can be easily confused when you attempt to coordinate your benefits from those sources and verify that you are getting the maximum compensation to reimburse you for your medical costs. A Los Angeles personal injury lawyer at Ellis Law Corporation represent individuals who have been injured in car accidents in southern California. We fight to get you the maximum damages for your injuries from all available sources and to prevent insurance companies from denying your claims.

Medical expenses are covered by the liability insurance of the at-fault party

You may be able to file a coverage claim directly with the at-fault party’s insurance carrier on your own behalf, but more commonly, you will notify your own insurance company and the two companies will resolve reimbursement. The bodily injury component of most auto insurance policies is typically capped. If your medical expenses exceed the limit of the at-fault party’s insurance, you will need to file a lawsuit against that party to recover your expenses directly from him or her.

California is not a “No Fault” car insurance state

Individuals who are injured in car accidents in California have a direct right to sue the responsible party to recover compensation for their injuries, regardless of the seriousness of those injuries. If you have any questions or concerns about how the insurance coverage for those injuries will provide the compensation you need, you should contact an experienced car accident lawyer to represent you in your case.

Your own health insurance will cover you after the at-fault party’s insurance has reached its limits

Your own health insurance pays your medical bills after the at-fault party’s bodily injury coverage reaches its maximum. You can also submit your medical bills to your own insurance company if the at-fault party’s insurer denies your claims or while a claim with that insurer is pending. You will be responsible for paying the deductibles and copayment amounts when you use your own health insurance coverage. Keep accurate records of all of your deductible and other expenses. Your Los Angeles car accident lawyer will fight to recover those expenses for you either through a negotiated settlement or in a lawsuit for your damages.

Your medical insurance carrier may place a lien on damages you recover from an at-fault party

If you submit your medical bills to your own health insurance carrier and then recover a damages award from an at-fault party and that party’s insurance company, your own insurer may place a lien on that award in the amount of coverage that it already paid for your medical bills. This does not imply that you should refrain from filing a lawsuit to recover the full amount of your losses and damages. You may be entitled to non-economic damages, such as a monetary award for the pain and suffering or the loss of consortium that resulted from the automobile accident. In every case, an experienced car accident lawyer will provide a more thorough assessment of the type and amount of damages that you are entitled to receive, as well as whether those damages will be subject to any liens from your own health insurance coverage.

An at-fault party’s insurance company will often attempt to limit its payments to you for bodily injury

Auto insurance companies are notorious for limiting their payouts for bodily injury, arguing that the parties should share responsibility for the accident and the resulting damages and injuries. Your own health insurance will be available to cover your expenses, but again, you will be responsible for deductibles and copays, and your overall out-of-pocket expenses will be higher when you rely on your own health insurance. Consult with a knowledgeable automobile accident attorney for advice on how best to proceed to minimize your own exposure while maximizing the recovery you can receive from an at-fault party.

Call the Ellis Law Corporation for More Information About Recovering Maximum Compensation after a Car Accident

The car accident lawyers at the Ellis Law Corporation have represented parties injured in car accidents in southern California for more than twenty years. We will negotiate the highest available settlement or we will take your case to trial to fight for the payments you deserve. Contact us any time of day or night after you are in a car accident, and see how a personal injury attorney can help you navigate insurance coverage issues to maximize your recovery of compensation for your car accident injuries.