After a car accident, things can get rather confusing. You may have been rushed to the hospital in an ambulance and had surgery. You may need medications, x-rays or ongoing therapy. On top of all that, you may be missing work or other important commitments. There is no question, an accident of this type can make things difficult, and the bills start piling up rather quickly.
You should always get the medical help you need, but once everything calms down, will there be money to pay for everything? Here are the basics of what you can expect after an accident from your insurance company, as well as seeking a possible settlement should the accident be someone else’s fault.
Paying Your Medical Bills – PIP Insurance
Personal Injury Protection (PIP), also known in Florida as no-fault insurance, is designed to cover the first $10,000 of your medical bills, regardless of who was at fault in the accident. However, in many cases, this coverage amount will only take care of a small part of your ongoing medical bills. PIP pays 80% of reasonable medical bills, including medically necessary treatment, surgery, X-rays or other diagnostic scans. PIP may also cover rehabilitative services, prosthetic devices and medically necessary ambulance, hospital, and nursing services.
Important: You have 14 days from the accident to report your injuries to a medical professional; otherwise you are not covered.
It is important to point out that your physician or dentist must determine that the care you have received was the result of an emergency medical condition, or EMC. Relatively new Florida law (2016) reinforced that if an EMC is not determined, the insurance company is only required to pay $2,500. An EMC is defined as a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity, which may include severe pain, such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in serious jeopardy to patient health, serious impairment to bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.
EMC’s can be contested by your insurance company, which is why having a personal injury attorney helping you to negotiate and navigate your insurance payout is prudent. As soon as you are able after your car accident, you may wish to speak to a personal injury lawyer to help with your case.
Lost Wages: PIP will also pay for up to $10,000 in lost wages. This applies whether you need time off for doctor’s appointments and therapy, need time to heal, or can no longer do the job as required.
How Do Medical Bills Get Paid?
Once your PIP insurance is exhausted, you may be able to collect a settlement from the other driver’s insurance company – if it can be proven that the other driver was negligent or otherwise at fault for the accident. Their insurance company may initially offer you a settlement, but it is best to not accept the first offer from an insurance company. They are trying to get you to settle for as little as possible, and they know that most people are not aware of the amount of money they can and should receive. A personal injury attorney can help you to determine – and claim – a fair amount for your injuries. If the other driver can be proven negligent and you cannot reach an agreement with their insurance company, discuss the possibility of a lawsuit with your attorney.
Your attorney may also be able to help you to find medical financing, or to help you to negotiate a lesser payment to the hospital or emergency services. Ultimately, your medical bills are your personal responsibility, so having good advice as soon as possible is important. Call the personal injury attorneys at Probinsky & Cole if you have been injured in an auto accident. We are here to help.
