If you are severely injured in any type of accident, your main concern should be on your health and recovery, not paying medical bills. Unfortunately, financial concerns can quickly arise for you and your family due to the expenses of treating a severe injury. The costs of medical care have skyrocketed in the United States and only keep increasing. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average daily expense of an inpatient hospital day in Maryland is $2,504. Then you must add to that any costs of emergency trauma care, surgical procedures, medications, medical equipment, rehabilitation, assisted living, doctor’s visits, and any additional treatment you may require. Furthermore, you cannot work while you are in the hospital and recovering, so your financial contribution to your household will be paused indefinitely. With all of these factors combined, it is no wonder that paying mounting medical bills is a major concern for injured accident victims.
If another party caused your injury, you may expect them to pay your bills while you are receiving treatment. However, insurance company settlements and personal injury claim settlements happen all at one time--at the end of your case. Until then, your medical provider will expect you to cover part of all of the costs of your care. Too many people rush to get a settlement as fast as possible because of their looming bills. This can be a mistake for severe injuries, however, as many effects of these injuries can be long-lasting. Once you receive a settlement, you cannot go back and request more if you face future medical bills from your injury. Therefore, you want to carefully evaluate and consider all possible future costs and ensure you do not accept a settlement that is less than you deserve simply to speed up the process. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you determine whether accepting a settlement is right for you.
Your Insurance May Help
In the meantime, you may be able to turn to your own insurance for help paying your medical bills. The following are some types of insurance that may assist you:
- Personal Injury Protection (PIP);
- Medical Payments insurance (MedPay); and
- Your own health insurance.
PIP and MedPay are both optional insurance policies and too many drivers overlook this coverage when selecting a policy. However, these policies can be extremely helpful for paying medical bills if you are injured in an accident. If you do not have this type of coverage, you may ask for coverage from your own health insurance. However, the insurance company will likely expect reimbursement from any settlement you receive. An attorney can help you decide on a course of action and can even work with your medical providers to come with an alternate solution for your medical bills.
Call For A Free Consultation With A Baltimore Personal Injury Lawyer
At the Casper Firm in Baltimore, we know how stressful medical bills can be and believe you should be focusing on your physical recovery and not on financial issues. For this reason, we will do everything in our power to help you find a way to pay your medical bills both before and after a settlement. If you have sustained a severe injury, please call a personal injury attorney today at 888-387-3878.
