When you get injured in an accident, the first question that pops up in your mind is that who is going to pay for your medical treatment. An injury settlement or a verdict at trial is usually a great relief for the plaintiff but that does not help the plaintiff pay his or her medical bills there and then. Whether you shall get help to pay your medical bills depends on the type of accident that you have, the state that you live in, and the type of insurance that is involved.

When you get into an accident, you are usually responsible for the payment of your medical bills at the point of time. However, in case of car accidents in “no fault” states, things might be slightly different. Even if the person who injured you is clearly at fault, the law does not require him or her to pay your medical bills on an ongoing basis. The law requires only one thing, that is, if the other person is at fault, he or she must pay you damages to resolve your lawsuit. In most of the cases, your medical bills are a part of those damages. However, in any case the defendant does not have to pay your medical bills as they incur.

In case of a motor vehicle accident case, coverage of your medical bills depends on whether the accident happened in a “no fault” state or not. No fault insurance refers to the fact that your automobile insurer will pay some or all of your medical bills if you get into a car accident. This is irrespective of the fact as to who was at fault for the accident. There is a limit to what your own automobile insurance company will pay in certain “no fault” states. It is a fact that the limit differs from state to state. However, it is generally $10,000 or less.

After your medical bills exceed the state’s “no fault” limit, you are responsible for paying them. Your health insurer will pay your medical bills if you have proper health insurance coverage. In case you are on Medicare or a state run health insurance program through Medicaid, those entities usually pay the bills. When you do not have any health insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid, then you need to figure out the payment arrangements with the help of your health care providers.

You will generally be responsible for paying your medical bills when you get into a car accident in a state that does not have no fault insurance. But, there are some drivers in these states with medical payment insurance coverage. This coverage is known as “med pay” coverage. “Med pay” coverage pays the medical bills of drivers or passengers involved in a car accident with the insured, up to the insured’s “med pay” policy limits. These limits are generally less than $10,000. In case your bills exceed the “med pay” policy limits, you will be responsible for paying them. “Med pay” coverage is not always required.

In case neither you, nor the person at fault, have “med pay” coverage, you are responsible for paying the bills.

When it comes to a premises liability or slip and fall case, the injured person will generally be responsible for payment of his or her medical bills. This might be prevented if the premises owner’s property insurance policy has “med pay” coverage. In case the premises owner has “med pay” insurance coverage, then his or her insurance company will pay the injured person’s medical bills up to the “med pay” policy limits.

In general, boating insurance policies do not have “med pay” insurance coverage. Thus, if you get hurt in a boating accident, you will most likely be responsible for paying your medical bills.

When it comes to a work-related accident, your workers’ compensation insurer will pay all of your medical bills. Here, you are not required to pay any money toward your medical bills. In general, you do not have to pay any medical bills or deductibles. There are many states that require the workers’ compensation insurer to reimburse you for transportation expenses for all of your travel to and from your medical appointments. The transportation expenses include mileage, tolls, and parking.

If a person or business causes injury to someone, that person or business should, at minimum, be liable for paying all medical bills that are associated with the injury from the accident.

The Liable Party might be sued for medical Bills Paid by Health Insurance. However, the plaintiff probably isn’t going to end up with the money.

The Insurer That Pays Your Medical Bills Is Entitled To Reimbursement. When a health insurer, Medicare, or the state agency administering Medicaid benefits pays your medical bills related to your accident, they are entitled to be reimbursed for what they paid your health care providers.

In case you can’t afford the bills, you might need to turn to family and friends, or consider getting the debt discharged through bankruptcy.

On getting discharged from the hospital and beginning your recovery, you are usually bound to depend on your auto insurance company to ensure that your claim is being processed in a timely manner. Your auto insurer might be pressured by your health insurer as well.

In case the matter goes to court, your health insurer will remain closely interested in the proceedings of your case. These even places a lien on the settlement that you stand to receive. Your health insurance company becomes a secured creditor of your auto insurance company. Your health insurer will be able to recover all of the payments that it made to cover the cost of your medical expenses when your auto insurer agrees to pay out on your claim. This is a proper legal process that is referred to as subrogation.

The insurance company might be obliged to hire the attorney and pursue the lawsuit. Whatever the case may be, this is how the system works. You need to keep such things in mind when it comes to your lawsuit over a personal injury.


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