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As a driver on the road amongst hundreds of others, all it takes is one false move by you or another reckless driver to change the lives of one or both drivers. If the accident is severe enough, it will alter your life in unforeseen ways. You may not be able to return to work, or you may be forced to find a new occupation. If the driver who hit you does not have auto insurance or enough coverage to pay for all of your medical expenses, you will have to find a way to pay for them yourself.
Considering the types of catastrophic injuries that can occur in auto accidents, including traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries, medical bills easily can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even with health insurance, the costs of deductibles and co-payments may be more than you can afford.
Who Is Covered?
With auto insurance agencies, the car insurance covers the owner of the policy and any trouble they would get into, while driving. It will cover you and your car when you are driving. It generally will cover you and cover the vehicle if you are driving a car that you do not own, but with that you have to be permitted to drive the car. This may include a rental car or a car you borrow from a friend or family member.
If you are a passenger in a vehicle that is in an accident you should be covered by your insurance in a no-fault state. If you are in an at-fault state, then the at-fault driver’s insurance will have to pay any medical bills you incur. If you are a passenger in a vehicle involved in an accident, then you might also be covered by the insurance of the person whose vehicle you were riding in. If you live in an at-fault state when an accident occurs the insurance for the at-fault driver is responsible for covering costs to both drivers. If you want to add another person to your insurance policy, you need to speak to your insurance company about getting them coverage and your rates will increase.
You will want to keep track of your medical bills and inform your insurance company as soon as possible. In no-fault states, your insurance company is required to pay your medical bills. Insurance companies have to pay for any treatment that your doctor says is necessary. If insurance companies aren’t kept up to date on treatments, they may try not to pay for them. Therefore, it is highly important to keep your insurance company updated on your medical treatment as quickly and as accurately as possible.
An insurance company may dispute the validity of treatment and require you to visit their doctor to confirm that the treatment is necessary. Based on the examination they may continue or deny further medical coverage. If your insurance company denies you the coverage you need to consult a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to make sure that the insurance company pays your medical costs and that you aren’t stuck paying them out of pocket.
If you are injured in an accident and have unpaid medical bills from the injuries caused by the accident, you have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible driver.
An attorney can review your case and determine the most appropriate sources of recovery for your injuries. Even if the other driver did not have auto insurance, it does not mean he or she escapes liability. In some cases, you may have a claim against an insurance company instead of the driver. For example, the liable party’s insurance company may not have provided you the full amount of compensation you are owed. In other cases, your own insurance company may not have paid out the UM/UIM benefits you are entitled to.
Responsible drivers who have auto insurance should not be forced into bankruptcy when they are injured by irresponsible drivers who do not have insurance or enough insurance to pay for their medical bills. Until there are new and/or updated healthcare laws and laws to provide additional state assistance to accident victims with medical treatment, drivers must be diligent to drive safely and protect themselves by subscribing to quality affordable car insurance plans.
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