How Do I Pay My Medical Bills While My Personal Injury Claim is Open?

May 30, 2022

If you’ve been injured in an accident, you may be wondering how you should pay your medical bills. Most people assume that if they have been injured in an accident, their medical expenses are going to skyrocket. 

However, there are ways to keep your medical expenses under control, even if your personal injury claim is still pending. Keeping track of your medical expenses and payments is tricky enough without the added pressure of worrying about how you will afford them. 

While it can be hard to balance these two things at once, it’s important that you do not let your personal injury claim interfere with your long-term financial plans. In this article, we will help you make the right decision for your circumstances.

After you’ve read this article, be sure to contact Crary Buchanan Attorneys at Law. We will provide the legal counsel you need to get your life back on track while you await your claim.

Why Pay Medical Bills While Your Personal Injury Claim Is Open?

Many people ask, “Should I pay my medical bills while my personal injury claim is open?” The answer to this question depends on your circumstances and may not be the same for everyone.

If you have health insurance, you may want to wait until your settlement has been finalized before paying any medical bills. This way, your settlement will cover any outstanding medical bills that your health insurance does not cover.

If you do not have health insurance and are going through a no-fault state, then you may want to begin paying your bills as soon as possible ( Like Florida)  in order to avoid placing a lien on your property for unpaid hospital bills.  

 

If you are unsure about what the best course of action is, it may be a good idea to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney or financial planner who can help guide you in making these decisions. 

 

Another important consideration is whether or not the accident occurred in a no-fault state. If so, then it would be wise to continue paying for your medical expenses, even if it means putting them on credit cards or other sources of income.

File a Claim Through Your Own Car Insurance Policy

If you’re in the United States, your car insurance policy should have a provision for personal injury protection. This provision can help pay for medical bills in case of an accident. 

When you file a claim through this section of your auto insurance policy, it will reimburse you for reasonable and necessary medical expenses that resulted from an accident. You’ll need to report these expenses to your car insurance company right away. 

Paying your medical bills through your own car insurance is probably the easiest option for most people as it eliminates the hassle of filing a claim with another entity, such as a health care provider or health plan. 

However, if you have other health care coverage or if you are paying out-of-pocket, then this may not be an option for you. In this scenario, it may make more sense to use one of the other methods below to cover your medical expenses while waiting for your personal injury claim to be processed.

Using Your Health Insurance Policy

Paying your medical bills with your health insurance policy is another popular choice. It is affordable, secure, and reliable, which makes it the best option for many people. However, if you are filing a personal injury claim for the injuries sustained in an accident, you may not be able to use your health insurance policy until your case has been settled, your no-fault insurance, and personal injury protection ( PIP ) is exhausted.

If this is the case for you, talk to your personal injury lawyer about how to handle these expenses until your personal injury claim is settled. They should have information about how much money you will receive from your settlement and how to set up a payment plan while still receiving care.

Negotiate a Payment Agreement with the Medical Provider

One way to keep your medical expenses from skyrocketing is to negotiate a payment agreement with the medical provider. You can ask the doctor to provide you with an itemized list of all future services and their costs, which you can then use to come up with a monthly payment plan. This will help you avoid any surprise charges that may occur when your personal injury claim is still pending.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney

First, it’s important to know that you are entitled to receive coverage from your health insurance company for medical expenses related to your injury. In other words, your medical bills will be covered in full impart even if the accident was not your fault. However, the process of receiving this coverage can be tricky. Your case is open when you have filed a personal injury claim.  

In Florida, You may have up to four years after the date of your injury before you must file suit with the court in order to obtain compensation. If you miss that deadline, you need to pursue another course of action and may not be entitled to compensation. This means that at some point during this time period, you will need to make a decision about how you want to pay for your medical bills. 

Here are a few things to consider when deciding whether or not you should use insurance coverage or pay for your medical bills using other methods:

1. You may be able to get an advance on any compensation that is awarded by filing suit and waiting until after the settlement is received before making payments on these expenses.
2. By paying with an insurance advance before filing suit, there’s no chance of interest accruing on them over time.

Call Crary Buchanan Attorneys at Law for Assistance

Whether you’re awaiting your claim to process or you need legal counsel concerning the best course of action for paying your medical bills, contact our personal injury attorney at Crary Buchanan today. Call (772) 287-2600 or send an email at info@crarybuchanan.com .


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