If you become injured in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, you’re probably wondering who will cover your medical expenses. Personal injury settlements are as favorable as a guilty verdict in the rare event that a personal injury case goes to trial. Still, it can take months for a case to make its way through the legal system, and your medical bills won’t pay themselves. Your medical bills are typically covered based on the type of accident you were in, the state you reside in, and the insurance coverage.
Medical Bills Pertaining to Automobile Accidents
An experienced automobile accident injury attorney realizes that it is important to track the client’s medical expenses from the past, present, and future.
When determining how much money a liable party may owe to a victim, the attorney will focus on medical services that the victim received, as well as other medically-related procedures that can become extremely expensive, including:
- Therapy visits
- Prosthetic devices
- Durable medical equipment
Healthcare Expenses for Additional Health Issues
Some automobile accident injuries can cause secondary health complications that could last the rest of a person’s life, even after the injuries are fully healed. Attorneys focus on medical expenses the victim will likely be responsible for by calculating the damages he or she should receive after the accident.
A knowledgeable automobile accident injury attorney will work with experts who deal with medicine and financial planning, as their opinions will prove to be a critical piece of evidence in determining why a plaintiff deserves a larger settlement to cover their medical expenses.
Determining Responsibility
You will need to establish fault to determine whether someone else may be responsible for your medical expenses. The injured party must show that the other person’s actions were negligent or intentional.
Other parties may also be responsible for any damages that were caused by the accident, including:
- The vehicle manufacturer
- Local government
- The driver’s employer
- Another driver
It can be a complicated, fact-intensive process to establish the fault of another party, as you will need to make sure that the evidence compiled is sufficient to demonstrate fault in court. To ensure that any important evidence from the accident scene is preserved, file a collision report. Collision reports typically include whether any citations were issued and record witness information as well as photo documentation.
Evaluating Damages
Even if the accident was another individual’s fault, injured victims could only recover damages if they can prove that the defendant’s actions caused their injuries. All potential damages should be evaluated so that your recovery request is comprehensive.
Some common damages an accident victim may be eligible to receive include:
- Lost Enjoyment: Your injuries prevent you from partaking in activities you once enjoyed. For instance, you may be able to recover damages for your lost enjoyment if you are no longer able to participate in sports or play an instrument.
- Property Damages: If another individual’s negligent actions cause damage to your property, including your car and the contents inside of it, you may be entitled to receive compensation for a replacement or necessary repairs.
- Emotional Distress: Sometimes, people suffer from emotional distress after an accident. Your injuries may have left you feeling depressed and isolated. Automobile accident victims often experience PTSD symptoms that can be triggered whenever you or someone else slams the brakes on in a car. If you are dealing with emotional distress, you may be able to request these damages as part of your compensation.
- Lost Income: Your medical visits and injuries may force you to miss work or school. Injured victims may be able to recover lost wages in some circumstances. Your injuries may also affect your ability to perform work-related duties or force you into part-time employment. Should this be the case, you may want to recover damages for future lost earning capacity.
- Medical Expenses: You will need to consider how much your future medical expenses will cost. Some injured victims may recover costs associated with long-term rehabilitation or assistive devices such as a wheelchair or crutches.
Injured victims may also be entitled to receive compensatory or punitive damages, depending on the circumstances of the accident. These damages punish the behavior that causes an individual’s injuries but does not compensate victims for medical expenses related to their injuries.
Some damages calculations are relatively straightforward, like adding up medical bills, but other calculations may require expert help. An economist may be able to predict what a victim’s lost future earnings will be. A medical expert could give the victim some anticipated costs related to any future care they may need for their injuries. A lawyer may also be able to help an injured victim coordinate with any other experts to determine additional expenses. Expert testimony will ensure that the injured victim has enough evidence to support their claim for damages.
Dealing with Insurance Companies
Keep the following tips in mind whenever you are dealing with insurance companies:
- Report the Accident Immediately: You should never rely on another party to report an accident to their insurer because they will likely avoid reporting it, especially if they know they will be found at fault. When you are reporting the accident, be careful. Statements that may seem seemingly innocent regarding how the accident occurred could be twisted to make the accident appear like it is your fault.
- Pushback Is Likely: Representatives will discredit the severity of your injuries, as well as the amount of damages you are claiming, which is why you must keep documentation of all medical recommendations and visits with your provider as physical evidence.
- Decline Early Settlements: If an insurance company offers you an early settlement, it’s probably much less than you are entitled to. The insurer will prey on your need for financial relief to repair your vehicle or cover your medical bills.
- Review Each Document Before Signing: Insurance companies often try to overwhelm accident victims with excess paperwork. Make sure that you read each document carefully prior to signing it. Settlement agreements typically require victims to relinquish their right to claim future damages.
- Persistence is Key: Insurance companies will try to incentivize a victim to settle by dragging the process out for an extended period of time. You may miss the opportunity to file a personal injury lawsuit if there are any delays in the claims process. You need to ensure that the insurance company understands what these requirements are upfront and require the representative to stick to them.
Insurance companies often have policy limits that are not sufficient enough to cover all of your damages, or they may not fully compensate you.
Legal Funding for Medical Bills Related to Car Accidents
Contact The Legal Funding Group today for more information about legal funding for medical bills related to automobile accidents.
