When you are injured in a car accident in Georgia, you are responsible for paying your medical bills regardless of whether or not you file a car accident claim. Since auto injury claims may take a longer time to process, the medical bills accrued before the settlement still need to be resolved. This can be difficult, as many individuals do not have enough savings to cover the costs of their injuries as well as missing work due to injuries from the accident itself.
Depending on the type of coverage you have, your health insurance should pay for car accident injuries while the lawsuit is active. Health insurance companies should be paid back with settlement amounts to reduce the chance of health premiums going up, but in the meantime, the fact that health insurance companies should pay for car accident injuries helps many victims rest easier.
Contact Scholle Law if you’ve been injured in an accident. We are a team of experienced Georgia car accident attorneys who understand the intricacies and complexities of how health insurance companies work, and we will make sure your policy is honored.
Always Seek Medical Attention After a Car Accident
Within 24 hours of the accident, even if you don’t feel injured at the time, you should be seen by a medical professional to make sure there are no lingering or hidden injuries. Adrenaline and shock can mask the pain of injuries, which means they can surface hours or sometimes days after the incident. Hidden injuries can become permanent if they are not treated early enough.
Don’t brush off pain or assume that you will “get over it.” You are dealing with the only body you’ll ever get, so make sure that it is properly taken care of. Never assume that you aren’t hurt until a doctor clears you.
Do not put your health at risk out of fear of high medical bills, rehabilitation, or surgery. Putting off seeing a doctor after an accident could limit your ability to claim damages that you may be entitled to and could put your health, livelihood, and family at risk.
If you are worried about how to pay for your medical treatment, contact Scholle Law to discuss your options today. We’ll find the best option to maximize your ability to collect compensation in a car accident claim while you focus on healing.
Who Pays for Car Accident Injuries in Georgia?
Georgia is an at-fault state for car insurance. That means that the at-fault driver is expected to pay for the injuries of anyone hurt in the car accident. However, at-fault drivers aren’t paying for these medical expenses out of their own pocket.
If a driver has auto insurance, their policy will usually cover at-fault accidents, forcing their insurance company to pay for the damages.
This is why it can be so complicated to collect damages, as insurance companies do not want to hand over their money. Remember, insurance companies exist to protect their own business. Regardless of who pays for your car accident injuries at the end of a car accident case, someone needs to cover them up front.
The best way to make sure your medical bills are paid is to use your own health insurance and seek reimbursement from the at-fault party afterward. Georgia law does not require the at-fault party to pay medical bills as they are incurred. Typically, the at-fault insurance company will pay all the bills, at one time, normally at the end of all your treatment. However, medical providers don’t want to wait for payment and do not have to treat you for non-emergency conditions.
The overall goal is to be reimbursed for your total treatment, not pay as you go. This means you will need to pay for your copays and deductibles. But once you have recovered, or once you have been given a prognosis, your attorney will then submit all your medical records and bills to the at-fault insurance company to get total reimbursement for all incurred expenses and potential future treatment.
Does Health Insurance Pay for Car Accident Injuries?
Depending on your policy, your health insurance may pay for your car accident injuries. Once you receive the car accident settlement, you may reimburse them to ensure that your premiums do not increase.
Regular Health Insurance
Regular health insurance plans cover car accident injuries in Georgia. It will have the same restrictions for a car accident injury as it will for any other health problem you might face. Many people worry about using their health insurance after a car crash that was not their fault, as they don’t want their premiums to increase.
However, health insurance exists to be used, especially when you can’t afford to pay the costly medical bills.
Occasionally, health insurance companies will refuse to pay for medical care for car accident injuries. This is a tactic that insurance companies often use to bully plaintiffs into dropping their claims. It is unlawful for your health insurance provider to deny you coverage for necessary treatment. If you face this, contact a personal injury attorney at once.
Med Pay
Medical payments coverage (“med pay”) is a type of coverage in a car insurance policy. It is an optional coverage, so you will only have it if you opt to pay for it with an additional premium. The med pay can cover your hospital, doctor and ambulance bills, usually to a fixed amount. Often, the limit is $5,000 – $10,000. However, you will need to check your specific policy to see what your med pay limit is.
If you have health insurance and med pay, you should use your med pay sparingly because once you use it, it is gone. You should ideally use med pay for copays, deductibles and other charges that health insurance doesn’t cover. Use health insurance for the rest. This will make your money last longer and lessen post-accident liquidity issues.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer at Scholle Law
If you have been injured in a car accident, you need to hire an experienced car accident attorney today. Scholle Law can prevent you from accruing costly fees, protect your rights from the insurance companies, and ensure you collect the damages you deserve.
If you don’t, you’re playing right into the insurance company’s hand, allowing them to not pay you what they owe.
Scholle Law has been operating in Georgia for decades, helping individuals like you achieve successful outcomes. We provide compassionate advice and support throughout your car accident claim, so you can rest easy knowing you’ve chosen one of the best lawyers in town.
Contact us today for a free consultation at (866) 592-1296 or with our contact form to see if we’re the right fit for you.