After a car crash, or any injury someone else caused, you usually pay your own medical bills first. That means your health insurance, your own pocket, or both. The at-fault person or their insurance company typically pays only when your claim settles. If your health insurer covered your care, it may ask to be paid back from your settlement, although Colorado law limits that right for many plans.
It seems to make perfect sense. If someone else is responsible for your injuries, they should be the ones paying your medical bills. After all, fair is fair, right?
As Marlo Greer points out in her video on this topic, however, that’s not how it works. If you are injured in a car crash or a slip and fall or some other situation where your injuries can be blamed on someone else, YOU are the one who has to pay for your medical care, at least at first.
Using Health Insurance While an Injury Claim Is Pending
Of course, in many cases, you may have medical insurance that will cover much of the cost of your care. But you may also have to pay for some of it out of your own pocket. In some cases, you may even have to pay all of it yourself.
The main thing you need to understand is that until you reach a settlement with that person (or their insurance company), you are the one who has the primary responsibility to pay for your own care.
This can be enormously frustrating, especially if you have had to pay thousands of dollars out of your own pocket for medical care you needed due to the negligence or intentional actions of someone else.
Some auto policies also include medical payments coverage, often called MedPay, that can help with medical bills after a car crash. To learn what can go wrong with these claims, read USAA MedPay Claims: Denials and Delayed Payments.
Medical Reimbursement After a Settlement
Another thing to keep in mind is that if your health insurance paid for medical care that you needed because of injuries caused by someone else’s negligence, the insurer may ask to be paid back from your settlement. Colorado law limits that right for many plans, and some plans follow different rules, so it is worth having a lawyer review any repayment claim. That is why it is so important to include all of your medical expenses when you pursue compensation from the person who caused your injuries.
At Greer Law, we understand how difficult it can be to have to pay for medical treatment or rehabilitation in this kind of situation. And while we can’t wave a magic wand so that your case is resolved immediately, we will work diligently to make sure it moves forward as quickly as possible, while at the same time keeping the pressure on so that we get you the compensation you are entitled to.
Related Reading
- What Affects the Value of a Colorado Car Crash Claim?
- Hit by an Uninsured Driver in Colorado: Your Options
Questions About Medical Bills After a Car Crash or Other Injury
Greer Law is dedicated to helping clients who have been injured because of the actions of someone else, so they receive fair compensation for their injuries. That includes people hurt in car crashes, slip-and-falls and medical malpractice situations, as well as survivors of sexual assault.
Contact Greer Law if you have questions about your case. Whether you need to know how health care works when someone else has caused your injuries or you want to know more about what is involved in pursuing a claim, we are ready to help. Call us at 303-331-6460, or fill out our contact form, and we will schedule a free case evaluation.
