One of the biggest concerns among accident victims in Texas is how they will afford medical treatment. Many people have to go to the hospital whether they like it or not, and hospital bills are notoriously expensive.
Many car accident victims pay for medical bills through insurance, out of their own pocket, a lawsuit, or a combination of the three. Depending on the extent of your injuries, you might have your bills completely covered by insurance. The other driver’s auto insurance should pay first, and you can use your own auto and health insurance to pay anything left over. If insurance is unavailable or your bills exceed the policy limits, a lawyer can help you sue the other driver for the remainder of your damages. If the other driver is uninsured, this might be more of a necessity than an option. Compensation does not always come quickly, and you might have to foot the bill on your own until your claims are completed. In that case, you may be reimbursed.
Get an initial case review free of charge when you call (817) 476-1797 and speak to our Dallas car accident lawyers at The Queenan Law Firm, P.C.
Paying for Medical Bills with Insurance After an Accident in Texas
Medical bills are notorious for being incredibly expensive. Many people, if not most, rely on insurance to cover these costs. Without insurance, many people would be unable to afford medical care. After an accident, you might find yourself with various insurance options, depending on the situation. If you are unsure how to navigate the insurance claims process, call a lawyer right away.
Auto Insurance
Texas is an at-fault state when it comes to car insurance. This means that an injured driver should file a third-party claim with the other driver’s insurance after an accident. Before the claim can be approved, the injured driver must prove to the insurance company that the other driver is at fault. If your claim is approved, the other driver’s auto insurance may pay for many of your damages, including medical bills.
Insurance is far from perfect, and some people might need to rely on other forms of auto insurance to help them cover their medical bills. For example, you might rely on uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage if the other driver has no insurance. This is an optional form of coverage that not all drivers have.
Our Garland, TX car accident attorneys can help you review your auto insurance policies to see if your insurance provider can cover your medical costs if necessary. It all depends on what kind of insurance you have and what the policy says.
Health Insurance
Auto insurance is not the only form of insurance you might have. A lot of people have health insurance. They might buy it on their own or have it through an employer. Either way, your health insurance might help you cover medical bills to a certain extent.
Often, the other driver’s auto insurance will pay first. If your medical bills exceed the other driver’s policy limit—which is not an uncommon problem—your health insurance may pay second and cover the remaining costs.
Alternatively, your health insurance may cover medical bills while you await coverage from the other driver’s auto insurance. Generally, once you are compensated by the other driver’s car insurance, your health insurance provider will expect to be reimbursed.
Other Insurance
There are all kinds of insurance policies out there, and you might have additional options for covering your medical bills after a car accident. You might have MedPay, an optional form of insurance meant specifically to cover medical costs after accidents. You might instead have a personal injury protection (PIP) policy that covers you regardless of who is at fault for the accident.
Making the Other Driver Pay for Your Medical Bills After a Car Crash in Texas
Insurance can be helpful when available, but it does not always pay for everything. Even worse, your insurance claim might be denied for a lack of evidence or simply because the insurance company does not want to pay. In this instance, your attorney can help you sue the other driver and make them pay for your medical bills and other damages.
Filing a lawsuit is a complex venture. First, we need to draft a complaint to initiate the lawsuit. This formal legal filing should contain lengthy and specific details about the accident. We need details about you, the defendant, how the crash happened, your damages, and evidence. The time spent preparing the complaint and the lawsuit sometimes exceeds the actual time spent in court.
When suing the other driver, you might have the opportunity to reach a settlement. Sometimes, people have to sue because the other driver’s insurance denied their claim. Suddenly, the insurance company is requesting a settlement agreement. Talk to your attorney before accepting any settlement offer. Your lawyer can help you negotiate for an even better deal or reject it if you have better odds of success in a trial.
What Happens if I Have to Pay Medical Bills After a Car Accident in Texas Before Receiving Financial Compensation?
Insurance benefits or other financial compensation do not always come through right when we need them. Unfortunately, this means some accident victims have to figure out how to pay their medical bills on their own while their legal claims are pending. You might rely on your own insurance or pay out of your pocket. You may be reimbursed when your insurance claim is approved, you are awarded damages in a lawsuit, or you reach a settlement with the defendant.
If you pay for your medical bills using your health insurance or some other insurance policy before winning a court case, your insurance company might have a subrogation claim. Essentially, this means the insurance company will want to be reimbursed for the costs of your medical care if another party is legally liable for paying them.
Get in Touch with Our Texas Car Accident Attorneys for Legal Support
Get an initial case review free of charge when you call (817) 476-1797 and speak to our Amarillo, TX car accident lawyers at The Queenan Law Firm, P.C.