Who Pays for Medical Bills After a Car Accident?
If you or a loved one has been in a car accident, you may have many different problems to worry about. There might be damage to your vehicle, and injuries to you or anyone else who was riding in the car that require substantial medical treatment. It’s also likely that you will have some emotional healing to do as well, as car accidents can be traumatic. Your first thoughts after an accident might not be about lawsuits, but at some point, it’s important to consider who is responsible for the accident. If someone else’s negligence caused injuries, emotional trauma, or damage to your vehicle or property, you may be entitled to recover monetary compensation that can help you pay for any medical and repair expenses that you incurred.
The Other Party May Have to Pay Your Medical Bills
If you file a civil lawsuit after a car accident and you’re able to prove that the other party’s negligence caused the accident, they will be ordered to compensate you for your medical expenses. Unfortunately, it can take a significant amount of time to receive any compensation or payments from the responsible party. If the case goes to trial, it could take years until there’s a resolution, as the legal system moves slowly. Even then, it can take a very long time for the responsible party to actually pay everything they’re required to.
To recover monetary damages for medical bills, you will be required to submit medical records, doctor’s bills, test results, and anything else necessary to show the kinds of injuries you suffered and what your expenses were. You will also probably have to provide medical records for the last five years for anything related to the injury you’re claiming damages from. Pre-existing injuries make it very difficult to recover damages in a civil claim. However, if an accident made those pre-existing injuries worse, you might be able to recover compensation if you have the assistance of an experienced attorney.
Your Insurance Might Pay for Your Medical Bills
If you are covered by health insurance, it’s also possible that your insurance company will pay for some or all of your expenses. If this is the case and you are still awarded compensation from the lawsuit, your insurance company typically has the right to be reimbursed for the money they paid for your hospital bills. This is known as a subrogation right. This is only the case if you actually receive monetary damages; otherwise, your insurance functions as it normally would.
It’s important to note that your insurance company cannot come after you for the reimbursement. If you’re injured and you use your health insurance, they can only try to collect money if the party who was responsible for the accident is required to pay you damages.
People purchase insurance for this exact reason – if they’re injured and need medical treatment, insurance will cover all or part of the treatment. If you don’t file a lawsuit and there’s no one else to recover money from, your insurance company is not permitted to try to be reimbursed by you even if you were responsible for the accident.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer for Help
If you were injured due to someone else’s negligence, it’s important to contact an experienced Los Angeles car accident attorney right away. They can help you recover the damages that you are legally entitled to, and they can assist you in receiving the help you need to pay for your medical expenses in the meantime.