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How to Get Medical Bills Paid After a Car Accident in California

After being in a car accident that was caused by the carelessness and negligence of somebody else, there’s no reason why you should have to pay the medical bills that you incurred. California law is consistent with that premise, and car accident victims should seek medical attention as soon as injury symptoms appear. Health care providers are going to want to get paid for their services though. Few of them will wait around until a personal injury claim or lawsuit to resolve. If the person who caused your accident and injuries has insurance, that insurer isn’t going to agree to cover your medical bills as they come in either. Here are some of the options that are available to you for getting your medical bills paid after an accident:

  • Your Health Insurance: If your have your own health insurance, a claim can be brought with the company. It might not pay 100% of each bill that you incur, but it will drastically reduce the financial burden on you. Medicare and Medicaid are both likely to cover such bills too.
  • Your Car Insurance: If you carry medical payments coverage, you can claim your medical bills through your own car insurance up to the amount of that coverage. It will likely pay for medical expenses incurred by any passengers who were in your car at the time of the accident.
  • Providers Who Work on a Lien Basis: If you don’t have insurance, some medical services providers will work with you on a lien basis. They’ll secure the value of their services through a health care provider’s lien against any proceeds that you might derive from a settlement or award. There are doctors throughout California who work on a lien basis. You should be able to find one near you, but the providers are likely to require you to have an attorney representing you.
  • Bring a Personal Injury Claim or Lawsuit: Outstanding medical bills or portions thereof from an accident might also be paid from the gross proceeds of any personal injury claim settlement or award that you might receive. In either of these cases you’ll want the benefit and counsel of an experienced California car accident lawyer from Maison Law.

If you or a loved one need help paying medical bills from a car accident, contact us for a free consultation and we will explain your rights to you.

Your Insurer’s Right of Subrogation

It’s highly likely that any insurance benefits you use to cover your medical bills after an accident is going to retain a right of subrogation. That includes Medicare or Medicaid. Such reimbursement is a simple matter of contractual or statutory right. If private insurance is used, California law limits the percentage of any insurer reimbursement. If you have an attorney, it’s capped at 33 1/3% of the gross proceeds. If an attorney hasn’t been engaged, the sum increases to 50%.

Will My Gross Proceeds Be Reduced by My Insurer’s Reduced Payment Rate?

Don’t worry about a gross settlement or award being reduced on the basis of an insurer’s reduced rate.  California’s rules of evidence prohibit that. If your case goes to trial, a medical bill is admitted into evidence so long as a proper foundation is laid and it is fair and reasonable. The full value of the bill is considered. Whether the doctor compromised that bill is irrelevant. The same rule applies in calculating settlements.

Contact a California Medical Bills Paid After a Car Accident Lawyer Today

Another benefit of retaining Maison Law as your California car accident law firm is that health care providers generally won’t become impatient in awaiting payment of their bills. A simple letter of protection from a Maison Law California car accident lawyer is typically sufficient for the provider. Along with the pain and discomfort that you’re enduring from being injured in a California car accident, don’t get headaches too. Contact Maison Law right away for a free consultation and case review after being the victim of any accident.

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