When you are involved in an accident, the most concerning part is whether or not you have suffered any injuries, and if so, what the outcome of those injuries will be. In fact, most people agree that as long as everyone is okay, things like property damage to a car hardly matter.
Sadly, however, not everyone is always okay; car accidents can have devastating consequences, and may result in serious injuries that require emergency or intensive medical care. As everyone well knows, medical care is expensive.
Who Pays for Medical Care after a Car Accident?
Traditionally, the at-fault driver’s bodily injury liability insurance is responsible for paying for injuries to others in a crash. However, what happens if you are the at-fault driver? Since your bodily injury liability insurance only applies for injuries you cause to others, not to yourself, how will you be compensated for your medical expenses? Or, what if the other driver is at fault for the crash, but they don’t carry insurance – or enough insurance – to pay for your injuries?
This is where auto medical payments insurance becomes very important.
What Is Medical Payments Coverage?
Many clients–probably most of our clients–have auto-medical payments insurance, also known as med-pay. The most typical amount is $5,000, but it can be as low as $500 and I’ve seen them as high as $100,000. What this means is whether you have health insurance or not, you can get your medical bills paid immediately by your own insurance company. Medical payments coverage pays for your medical bills in a crash regardless of fault, which means that even if your own negligent behavior was the cause of the accident, you can still seek compensation for your injuries. Medical payments coverage also covers anyone in your car at the time of the crash, which means that if a family member or friend in your vehicle was injured, your medical payments coverage will help to pay for their medical bills, too.
Working with the Insurance Company
Some insurance companies try to recover some or all of what they have paid on your behalf out of your ultimate recovery, but we have had great success in getting them to waive those requirements. In certain automobile insurance companies, particularly the California State Automobile Association, do not ever make a claim for reimbursement on their med-pay policies.
We can advise you on this and we can also help you coordinate between your med-pay and any other form of insurance you might have.
We Know How to Negotiate Claims
Not only will we advise you on your best recovery options, including how to coordinate your medpay insurance and other forms of insurance, as well as the possibility of filing a lawsuit, but we will also negotiate with your insurance company on your behalf to maximize your settlement amount. We go to great lengths to gather all necessary evidence to prove that your injuries occurred as a direct result of your car accident, and that you deserve to be compensated for all medical expenses. We can also help you to seek compensation for future medical expenses, too.
You Should Buy Medical Payments Insurance Today
While medical payments coverage is not required in the state of California, it is highly recommended. If you are in an accident, this type of coverage can pay for your immediate medical expenses, saving you the worry of incurring hundred or thousands of dollars in medical debt.
At the offices of GJEL, our experienced car accident attorneys in California know how to help you pursue a claim under your medical payments coverage policy, and maximize your compensation amount. If you want an advocate on your side who cares about helping you to get the amount of money you deserve after a crash, you need to contact our law offices today.
Andy Gillin received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California at Berkeley and his law degree from the University of Chicago. He is the managing partner of GJEL Accident Attorneys and has written and lectured in the field of plaintiffs’ personal injury law for numerous organizations. Andy is a highly recognized wrongful death lawyer in California.