Who Foots the Bill for Injuries Caused by a Car Accident?
A car accident is definitely not a pleasant experience for anyone involved. Even if you manage to walk away with barely a scratch, that’s still only the beginning of your troubles. Bills always have a way of catching up to you after these kinds of things, but the question remains: Who’s going to pay for this? That question has a few answers, so let’s explore who foots the bill for injuries caused by a car accident and find out how this issue is settled.
If You’re in a No-Fault State
To begin unraveling this problem, we first need to discuss what a “no-fault state” is in insurance terms. Certain states have what’s called no-fault insurance, basically meaning that your car insurance will pay for injuries incurred during a car crash no matter who may be responsible for things. Whether you were hit while stopped at a light or ran into someone from behind, your insurance should be able to take care of it up to your coverage limits. In general, this also applies to public health insurance options like Medicare who will pay for your treatment after a crash. Certain exceptions do apply depending on your specific coverage as well as the severity of your injuries, those who meet a sufficient level of serious harm being able to pursue legal action against the at-fault driver even in a no-fault state. That said, most people with car insurance living in a no-fault state should be fine in this regard.
If You’re Not in a No-Fault State
If you live outside of a no-fault insurance state, it will usually be up to you to pay your own medical bills following a car crash. If you have medical insurance, this will be like any other trip to the doctor for an injury. One of the differences comes in the form of med pay, a type of coverage in their car insurance that will pay for medical bills incurred by drivers and passengers in their car up to a certain limit. Additionally, those who are not at fault in a crash can hold the other party liable for their bills through channels such as legal action or their own med pay insurance.
Other Ways to Get Your Medical Bills Covered
Outside of no-fault insurance issues, there are other ways to pay your medical bills following a car crash. For example, if you don’t have medical coverage through your car insurance, some providers will allow you to “charge” your treatment against your personal injury recovery. Likewise, sufficiently wealthy people could just pay out of pocket for their injuries. If you don’t have health insurance or the money to pay, talk to those at the hospital to work out a payment plan that’s within your means. The bottom line is that, unless insurance is covering your bills explicitly, you will be responsible for finding a way to pay what’s owed following treatment.
A car crash is scary, but so is a hefty medical bill. Find out all you need to know about who pays for treatment following an accident here to stay on top of your expenses as you recover. This will save you a lot of headaches when the bills for your care come in the mail.
Related: How Does Medical Billing Work?
