Can’t Pay the Medical Bills After a Car Accident?
Heavy medical bills are a common part of a car accident aftermath. This is in addition to physical injuries, emotional stress, and damage or loss of property. It is possible to be unable to pay the medical bills for various reasons. For instance, depending on the extent of the injuries sustained, victims of car accidents require specialized medical services, which are usually costly. Apart from this, the injuries sustained limit the individuals’ ability to work and raise the financial resources required. How will I pay the medical bills? What will happen if I can’t pay the bills? These are stubborn questions in the minds of many victims of car accidents. Below are the things you need to do when you can’t pay medical bills after an accident.
Steps To Take When You Can’t Pay Medical Bills
You need to first recognize that there are several options you can explore to pay your medical bills following a car accident. This will relieve you of the psychological stress and anxiety, allowing you to concentrate on your recovery. To understand these options, you need to consult a car accident attorney as soon as possible after the accident. The attorney will not only guide the available options to pay medical bills but will also physically see to it that these options are explored and payments made accordingly. Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Review Insurance Coverage
Your auto insurance will probably have an aspect of personal injury protection or medical payment coverage. Either of these two can help you pay the medical bills, regardless of who was at fault at the time of the accident. Through your car accident attorney, you need to contact your insurance company to establish the extent of your insurance coverage. This can be critical in helping you offset the mountain of medical bills.
Step 2: Review Other Health Insurance
Apart from auto insurance, other personal health insurance can also help pay certain medical expenses related to car accidents. For example, these insurance policies may cover surgeries, ongoing treatment, and hospitalization, among others. This significantly reduces the overall burden of car accident bills. Just like auto accident insurance, your car accident attorney can guide you on how to engage your insurance provider to get the maximum possible support to offset your bills.
Step 3. Reach out to Financial Assistance Programs by Healthcare
Do not despair if you don’t have adequate insurance coverage. Several healthcare facilities have flexible payment plans and financial assistance programs that may come in handy. You or your attorney can inquire from the facility about the existence of any assistance program to ease the pressure of the medical bills. Related to these, you can also seek assistance from non-governmental organizations that support victims of car accidents.
Step 4: Seek Compensation
If the accident was a result of the other party’s negligence, you are entitled to compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. You need to consult a car accident attorney to help you file a lawsuit and negotiate for fair compensation. The compensation covers a wide range of aspects, including medical bills, all the guidetopurchasing associated expenses, and property damage, among others. Therefore, with a skilled and experienced car attorney on your side, you have no reason to worry about the huge medical bills that accrue as a result of a car accident.
Conclusion
There are several options to explore when you can’t pay your medical bills after a car accident. The mountain bill should neither hinder your ability to seek appropriate medical attention nor compromise your recovery by raising emotional stress and anxiety. Ensure you contact your car accident attorney as soon as possible to help you explore the available options as well as navigate the personal injury case. Auto insurance and personal health insurance policies top the list of options you may consider.