If you have been involved in a personal injury accident, and it is someone else’s fault, you may not be responsible for your medical bills. Instead, the individual(s) who caused the accident may be responsible.
Getting Your Medical Bills Paid
While those responsible for the accident (also called the at-fault party) may also be on the hook for your medical bills, his or her insurance company will not pay your medical bills right away.
Instead, the insurance company typically makes a one-time payment at the end of the case. In the meantime, as you receive treatment, you should continue paying medical bills using your own health and car insurance. (If you are on Medicaid or Medicare, submit your claims as you normally would.) When the case is complete, either through settlement or verdict, your insurance companies are repaid using settlement funds.
If you do not have insurance, things get tricky. Usually, you can set up a payment plan with your healthcare provider. Sometimes, a facility will hold balances until the end of a case, provided you submit a letter of protection from your attorney.
Often, the insurance company of the at-fault party will ask you to send them your medical bills. This is not because they are going to pay your bills. Instead, they just want to keep track of ongoing costs.
Payment by Accident Type
Car Accidents
In Wisconsin, the driver primarily responsible for a car accident is also responsible for medical bills and property damage costs. This means you must prove another person’s negligence caused the accident. Common types of negligence include:
- Distracted or inattentive driving
- Reckless driving
- Speeding
- Drunk Driving
- Mechanical defects or malfunctions
If the court finds you more than 50% responsible for the accident, you are responsible for your medical bills. You can learn more about car accident injury claims here.
Premises Accidents (Like Slip & Fall)
If you have been injured on another person’s property, such as an injury caused by a slip and fall accident, the property owner may be responsible for your medical bills.
Like car accidents, you must prove your injury was primarily caused by someone else’s negligence. This means you must prove:
- The property owner or occupant caused a dangerous condition on their property
- The owner or occupant knew about a dangerous condition and didn’t address it
- The owner or occupant should have known about a dangerous condition because it should have been discovered as part of routine maintenance
If the court finds you more than 50% responsible for your injury, you must pay your medical bills.
Accidents At Work
If you have suffered a workplace injury, worker’s compensation should cover medical bills and lost wages. Unlike other types of personal injuries, with worker’s compensation, your damages are paid as they are incurred.
Work injuries caused by the negligence of a third party may be handled by the third party’s insurance.
What About Future Medical Treatment?
It is important to wait until you have reached a healing plateau to settle your injury claim. Waiting until you are 100% better ensures you will not incur any large medical bills after your case is resolved. It also stops you from settling too early, which would prevent you from receiving the compensation you deserve.
If you are expected to need future medical care, get an estimate from your doctor about the treatment, costs, etc. This will help provide an accurate projection of future medical costs as part of your personal injury settlement or trial case.
Working with Habush Habush & Rottier
If you are wondering about paying medical bills after a car accident, or other personal injury accident, the attorneys at Habush, Habush & Rottier can help. We help you keep track of your medical bills and monitor costs. We make sure your medical bills are submitted to the proper insurance carriers, so you do not have to worry about unpaid expenses while recovering. Once you are feeling better, or know what your future care looks like, we ensure that you get the compensation you deserve, whether through a settlement or trial. Our free consultations with an experienced personal injury attorney can help you identify potential mistakes as you move forward with your claim, even if you decide not to hire us. If you have been involved in a personal injury accident, and are wondering about paying your medical bills, contact us today, we can help.
