Do I Have to Pay My Medical Bills From My Settlement?

Personal Injury Attorney in Abingdon, VA

Whether you’ve had a car accident, a slip and fall accident or some other personal injury, medical bills can quickly begin piling up – and with them stress. There may be many questions about how you can pay bills, especially if you are out of work. It’s also not uncommon to wonder if you are responsible for all of the expenses. If you wonder whether you have to pay bills directly or if they can come out of a settlement, this is the article for you.

Who’s Responsible?

No matter the situation, you are responsible for your bills. How much of your mounting bills you have to pay, however, can depend on the type of accident you have experienced:

• One when you have insurance
• One when you have minimal, or state-sponsored insurance
• One in which you are uninsured

Do I Pay Bills From My Settlement?

You don’t automatically have to pay medical bills from any settlement you receive. If you are injured but have health insurance, your insurance should take care of the bulk of your bills. Expect to give your medical provider your insurance information to bill your carrier. If you have state-sponsored insurance, they should also provide coverage for accidents. In a case where you have no insurance, you may be able to work with billing departments of medical facilities to make a payment arrangement or even reduce your bills. A personal injury lawyer may be able to negotiate this type of arrangement.

A good personal injury attorney will also know to ask for the full amount of your medical bills when negotiating your settlement. This should help you cover anything your insurance didn’t and take care of anything you had to pay out of pocket. In some instances, you will have to pay your health insurance carrier for any bills it covered. The same is true of state-sponsored insurances like Medicare. These programs often have statutory liens which make it legal for them to recover costs from your settlement. Fortunately, the percentage of your settlement that they are entitled to may be something your personal injury lawyer can negotiate.

Dealing with bills in the face of an accident can bring added stress to an already stressful situation. You may be struggling with the stress and pain of your injury in addition to mounting expenses. You don’t have to go it alone. Work with a personal injury attorney in Abingdon, VA to understand your payment options and take one load off your shoulders.

Thanks to The Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt for their insight into personal injury claims and reasons to hire a lawyer.