If you or somebody you care about has been injured in a vehicle accident caused by the actions of another driver in Colorado, you should be able to recover compensation for your medical bills. However, it can take some time for an insurance settlement to come in or for a jury to return a verdict related to your claim, and this does not help cover your medical expenses in the meantime. Here, we want to discuss how medical bills get paid after a vehicle accident but before the claim is settled.
In the immediate aftermath of a vehicle accident, you do not have time to wait and determine whether or not you will receive a settlement. You must seek medical treatment immediately.
When you go to the hospital, they are going to ask about how you will ultimately pay for treatment, and you cannot say, “The other driver is going to pay.” The hospital really does not care about your current vehicle accident situation. What is going to happen is that they will bill your insurance or you personally for all emergency medical expenses. That is okay; the ultimate goal is to have the other driver pay for these expenses through their insurance. However, just do not be shocked when you start receiving bills for your medical treatment.
It is not uncommon for individuals to need ongoing medical care for their vehicle accident injuries. This can include surgeries, physical therapy or rehabilitation, medical devices, prescription medications, and more. In some cases, there may have been a settlement for a vehicle accident at this point that has paid money for your medical treatment, but it is not uncommon for insurance carriers to drag their feet, which leaves you on the line for medical expenses that come in.
In some instances, it may be appropriate for you and your attorney to approach the medical provider and ask them to continue providing treatment with the understanding that they will receive compensation from the settlement or jury verdict that comes through with your case. In these situations, the medical provider may decide to place what is called a “medical lien” on the eventual settlement or jury verdict, which means that they have the right to recover compensation when this money does come in.
Please know that in the adventure case is not successful, you will still be responsible for all medical expenses that have occurred as a result of the vehicle accident. Additionally, if your personal insurance carrier has paid out compensation for your medical expenses and you receive a settlement or jury verdict, then your insurance carrier is going to have the right to recover payment for the bills that they have already provided compensation for.
We strongly encourage you to work with a skilled Denver car accident attorney who can handle every aspect of your case. Not only will they investigate the incident and conduct negotiations with insurance carriers, but they will also be the liaison between you and the medical provider to work out some type of payment solution.
