I was injured in a car accident in Dallas, Texas on January 2, 2016, by someone else’s negligence. Who pays for my medical bills from this car accident ?
There is a misconception that if someone causes your injuries from a motor vehicle accident that they must pay your medical bills as you incur them. Unfortunately this is not true. Your medical bills are always your legal responsibility. However, the responsible party (we call this person a third-party) is legally liable to reimburse you for your medical bills at the time of settlement or as ordered by a court in the form of a judgment after trial. Normally, a person that causes the accident has liability insurance to pay the medical bills as well as the other damages that you suffered in the motor vehicle accident.
There is no legal process that transfers the responsibility to pay the medical bills to the negligent party. Instead what normally happens is you will be reimbursed for the medical bills that you paid out of your pocket or what you owe the medical provider or the third party (group insurance company, Medicare, Medicaid etc.) that paid your bills.
This responsibility to pay your medical bills as you incur them creates the greatest hardship for an injured person who does not have any insurance to pay for medical bills.
In my practice, I encounter the following groups of individuals faced with medical bills as the result of an injury that occurred from a motor vehicle accident or an on-the-job injury. A injured victim may have group insurance through their employer or purchased medical insurance through the Affordable Care Act, be insured with government insurance called Medicare and Medicaid or may have no medical insurance whatsoever.
Despite the progress our country has enjoyed with the Affordable Care Act , there are millions of Americans without any medical insurance. Fortunately, my office works with a network of doctors, MRI facilities, pharmacies, and hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area that will treat you now and not expect any payment until the case settles. I work with medical doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists, orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, pain management doctors and other medical providers who all share the same objective; to treat you regarding your injuries. The doctors will also help us document your injuries so we can show the insurance company or a jury the extent of your injuries. Without written documentation from the medical providers, it is impossible for my office to achieve a fair settlement or jury verdict based on your injuries.
When an injured person has group insurance with their employer or through the Medical Care Act, they have a legal duty to mitigate their damages and seek medical care that is the least expensive. However, many injured victims experience the following problems with group insurance: they cannot afford the deductible under their policy, the group insurance company will not pay benefits since a motor vehicle accident is a third-party claim, or the group insurance company does not have medical providers that can treat the specific injury suffered by the injured victim. In this situation, the injured victim may be able to benefit from the network of doctors that will work with my office and delay collection efforts until the case settles.
If you’ve been injured in an accident it is very important that you contact a qualified expert to represent you regarding the claim. I am Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Law with 27 years of experience. Please call me today for a free consultation regarding your claim.