How Do I Obtain Medical Treatment and Pay For Medical Bills?

 If you were involved in a car accident, slip and fall, or other personal injury incident, chances are you are dealing with some very painful injuries. Unfortunately, the cost of treating injuries does add up. Combine medical treatment with any vehicle repairs and loss of wages if you’re unable to work, and you’ve got trouble. How can you obtain medical treatment and pay for medical bills if you find yourself unable to work due to injury?

Who Can Pay My Medical Bills? 

If you need medical treatment after injuries obtained as a result of someone else’s negligent or reckless acts, you can seek compensation. You may be able to file an insurance claim with the other party’s insurance. Sometimes, a personal injury lawsuit is most effective. 

When it comes to medical treatment, however, it is best not to delay. Some personal injury lawsuits can move slowly. This is due to the process of finding a personal injury lawyer, gathering evidence, presenting your findings to the court, and so on. Until then, you don’t want to wait to get medical treatment.

Do I Need to Use My Own Insurance for Medical Treatment? 

Are you insured in the state of California? If so, this can be very helpful when it comes to obtaining and paying for medical treatment. At least until your personal injury case resolves. 

If injured in an accident, you can bring forth a claim with your insurance company. Though this won’t pay every bill completely, you may be able to receive very helpful aid. If you have Medicare or Medicaid, they can also help cover bills as well. If you obtain medical treatment at a reduced insurer’s rate, this won’t affect the amount of compensation you may win from a personal injury case. 

When it comes to calculating settlements for a personal injury settlement, the full amount of the medical bills are taken into consideration.

What if I am Uninsured? 

Insurance can allow you to get medical treatment sooner. However, what if you’re uninsured? Fortunately, the law in California requires hospitals to negotiate discounts and offer reasonable payment plans to patients who are uninsured or whose income does not exceed 350% of the federal poverty level. 

If you do not have insurance for medical treatment, you may also consider obtaining services from a medical provider on a lien basis. When a doctor or other health care provider works on a lien basis, they are delaying payment until resolving your case. 

So Should I Use Insurance or a Lien?

Even with insurance you may wonder, wouldn’t it be better to work on a lien basis and then just delay payment until the case resolves? 

Unless you are uninsured, it’s recommended you use your own insurance while getting medical treatment. With insurance, medical providers can not legally charge you more than the discounted rate. Using your insurance can also allow you to work with a larger network of medical providers and allow you more ease.

Getting medical treatment under a lien still puts you in charge of fully paying back the cost of medical treatment. Also, medical providers can and will usually charge their full rates when working on a lien. 

Am I Supposed to Pay My Insurance Back if I Win My Case?

If you use your own insurance for medical treatment, are you obligated to pay them back after winning your settlement? Health insurers do have a subrogation right, which means they can be reimbursed for the money they paid to you. However, this reimbursement is collected from the wrongful party. 

This means the insurance can collect reimbursement out of your lawsuit proceedings or out-of-court settlement. There have also been some cases where the insurance company sues a wrongful party in the shoes of their client.

It is always best to speak to an expert personal injury attorney to learn more about the legal process when it comes to using your own insurance and reimbursement.

Do I Have a Solid Personal Injury Case?

You’ve been in a devastating accident and are dealing with severe injuries. Do you have a solid personal injury case? 

All personal injury cases work on the same basis. So long as you can prove that the other party: 

• Had a duty of care
• Breached the duty of care
• You were injured as a direct result of this breach

Then you’ve got a pretty solid personal injury case. It is always best to have a consultation with a personal injury attorney to learn more about the process and what the next steps are in order to strengthen your case. 

After obtaining medical treatment, be sure to keep copies of your medical bills. This documentation is necessary in a personal injury case to serve as evidence concerning the extent and severity of your injuries. Saving your medical bills can also come in handy when it comes to determining  the value of your case. 

What Else Can Damages From a Personal Injury Case Cover? 

If you successfully obtain damages from your personal injury settlement, there can be various ways to use the financial compensation. Expenses that can be covered with this compensation include:

• Past medical treatment and medications
• Diagnostic tests and other miscellaneous medical procedures
• Future medical care as a result of serious injury
• Physical therapy
• At-home care
• Repairs of a vehicle or other property
• Loss of wages from being unable to work
• Disability 
• Non-economic damages, such as decreased quality of life, pain and suffering, and mental anguish

Injuries and other expenses after an accident can be draining. It can be especially difficult if your injuries are a result of someone else’s negligence. This is why you should never pay these expenses directly out of your own pocket. By working with a dedicated personal injury attorney, you may have the chance to receive financial compensation from the liable party. 

Why Should I Not Delay Medical Treatment? 

After an accident, you may want to delay medical treatment in order to wait for the case to settle. However, delaying medical treatment can lead to negative consequences for your claim and health. It can be argued by the other party that delaying medical treatment made your injuries worse, making it possible your compensation is reduced.

Putting off medical treatment can also negatively affect your health. Injuries may worsen and take longer to heal the longer you take to get the appropriate treatment. You may find your quality of life dramatically altered due to delaying seeing a medical provider. This is why it is crucial you seek the aid of a doctor right after an accident, so you can begin the process of recovery and filing your personal injury claim. 

Medical bills can pile up after an accident, overwhelming the innocent injured individuals. Medical treatment and their costs can put off injured people from seeking help for their injuries. However, getting medical treatment is crucial. When it comes to paying the bills afterward, there are various options for financial aid while you wait for your personal injury case to progress and possibly resolve in your favor. Sit down with a San Diego personal injury attorney to discuss filing your personal injury claim today!