Houston Car Accident Attorney: Who Pays My Medical Bills?

After a car accident, you may have injuries that need medical attention. However, you might be wondering how to pay for medical care after your car crash. Having a Houston car accident attorney on your side can help you through the process and also help you get the compensation you need to pay for your medical bills. In this article, we’ll discuss some important things to know about car accident medical expenses. 

Injured in a Crash? Hire a Houston Car Accident Attorney

If you were injured in a car accident, it’s important to hire a Houston car accident attorney for your case. Any time you’re a victim of a car accident, it’s on you to provide proof of the other driver’s negligence as well as the amount of compensation you need.

Your attorney can help at every step of the process, from filing paperwork to negotiating with insurance adjusters to help you get the settlement you need for your accident-related expenses. 

Any time injuries are involved with a car crash, this can make it more complicated. Injuries often mean high medical bills and even future medical expenses. Many insurance companies use tactics to avoid paying these high settlements after a car accident. An experienced lawyer can help you avoid these issues and get you justice for your case.

Your Houston Car Accident Attorney Helps You Know Your Options for Medical Bills

When you hire a personal injury attorney near you for your car accident case, they can help you go over your options and develop a plan for your expenses. Generally, the insurance company won’t pay your medical bills as they arrive. Instead, usually you wait until you are recovered or reach maximum medical improvement before settling your case. Then, they provide a settlement amount that, ideally, covers all your expenses related to the accident. 

Your lawyer can help you create a plan for how to move forward after an accident and also develop a plan for how to proceed with your case. For instance, one mistake many people make after a car accident is delaying medical treatment. However, this can seriously harm your case, particularly when you’re seeking damages for your injuries and medical expenses. Your attorney can advise you on these things which are critical for your case. 

How Do Insurance Payouts Work for Medical Expenses After a Car Accident?

If you’re injured in an accident, your first priority should be to get medical attention and make sure you’re physically all right. Of course, this also comes with bills for things like doctor’s appointments, medications, and other treatments. 

After a car accident, the at-fault driver is liable for covering the costs of these costs, as they’re related to the accident they caused. Generally, this means filing an insurance claim against their auto insurance policy, usually with a goal of settling for the value of your case. 

There are several steps to this process, which your car accident lawyers in Houston, TX can help with, including:

Your Houston Car Accident Attorney Helps You File a Claim and Submit Evidence

At the scene, you probably know that it’s important to call the authorities and exchange information with the other driver. As we mentioned, you should also seek medical attention if you might be injured. 

However, after this, it’s also helpful to call your Houston car accident attorney. Hiring an attorney as soon as possible after an accident means they can help you with all the initial steps of your claim, including filling out paperwork and submitting your evidence of the other driver’s negligence. 

Your attorney can even help you investigate to get evidence of the other driver’s fault in the crash. For instance, getting statements from witnesses or asking around for any security camera footage that may have picked up your accident. 

Calculating Your Damages and Writing a Demand Letter

Another important way your Houston car accident attorney helps with your case is calculating the value of your claim, including all your medical expenses. This is essential, especially for your medical expenses, as these bills and out-of-pocket costs can quickly add up. If you don’t know the costs of your medical treatments for your car accident injuries, it can be really difficult to negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance adjuster. Damages can also include non-economic things related to your medical issues, such as pain and suffering. 

The next step to getting compensated for your car accident medical bills is to send a demand letter to the insurance company. This is basically just a letter stating the amount of money you’re seeking from your claim based on all your expenses and other damages. 

Your Personal Injury Attorney Negotiates for Your Claim

After sending the demand letter, usually the insurance company will offer you a settlement amount for your claim. However, in many cases it helps to negotiate, which can often increase the final settlement amount. Using legal expertise and the evidence for your case, your Houston car accident attorney can negotiate to help you get the most compensation available for your claim.

How Do You Pay Medical Bills While Working with Your Houston Car Accident Attorney to Get a Fair Settlement?

Of course, while you’re waiting for that settlement check, you may have medical bills rolling in. It’s a common question to ask how you will pay the bills until you settle your case. 

Generally, you will need to pay the medical bills in some form or another to prevent them from incurring late fees and going to collections. Then, the car accident settlement reimburses you the money. 

How you cover the medical expenses from your car accident depends on your specific circumstances, but here are three common options:

Use Your Health Insurance 

It’s a common misconception that you can’t use health insurance to cover your car accident injuries if the accident was caused by a negligent driver. However, you can actually use your health insurance in most cases. Typically, your health insurance will cover the costs of medical visits and treatments as usual as you seek compensation through a car insurance claim. 

However, keep in mind that your health insurance can ask for reimbursement from the at-fault driver’s auto insurance if you reach a settlement. Usually this means that the auto insurance company will write a check to your health insurance company to cover anything they’ve paid for your injuries for the accident. Then, anything above that amount goes to you. 

Paying Out of Pocket

Of course, you can also always pay for your car accident medical bills out of pocket. This typically means that the whole settlement will go right to you as reimbursement for what you’ve paid. It can help cut out the step of the auto insurance paying your health insurance. 

However, medical bills without health insurance can be expensive and car accident cases can take months to settle. Therefore, you may be out that money for a while as you recover and settle your claim. Also, remember that your health insurance company often negotiates lower rates for doctor’s visits, treatments, and medications. Often you can’t do this the same way, meaning you might end up paying more overall for your treatment. 

Choosing Providers that Will Delay Payment Until Your Insurance Settlement

Another option is to get treatment from providers that will delay billing until you settle your insurance claim. There are some doctors who will do this. That way, you don’t owe anything until after you reach a settlement for your car accident claim. However, keep in mind that not all providers are willing to do this, so you might need to do some research to find someone who will. 

The Law Office of Daniel D. Horowitz, III PC – Top Car Accident Lawyers in Houston, TX

When you need a Houston car accident attorney, contact the Law Office of Daniel D. Horowitz, III PC. Mr. Horowitz is a board-certified personal injury attorney in Texas offering legal services for car accident victims throughout the Greater Houston area. We offer years of experience with many different types of cases and have many success stories for our clients. Contact us now to get a free consultation for your car accident.