Imagine you are involved in a car accident, are injured, and are experiencing pain as a result. You know you need medical treatment, but have no money and don’t know how to get help paying for your medical bills. You start to think that since the other driver was at fault, you shouldn’t have to worry because his or her insurance will have to pay for your medical treatment.
Here is what you need to understand:
Even though you were injured by someone else’s negligence, neither the at-fault driver nor his or her insurance company will be required to pay for any of your medical expenses until a judge orders them to do so. This means that after being injured in an accident, you will be responsible for paying for your own medical treatment until a verdict or settlement has been reached in your favor.
Don’t Have the Money to Pay for Your Medical Expenses as They Are Incurred?
Getting your medical bills paid before they are sent to collections is extremely important. Not paying your medical bills could have a ruinous effect on your credit. Here is how to get help with paying your medical bills until your personal injury claim is resolve
- Medical Payments Coverage (MedPay): South Dakota law requires auto insurers to offer no-fault medical payments coverage, which pays for medical expenses for you or your passengers, up to a stated amount. Check your auto policy, and if you don’t have med pay coverage, ask your agent to add it. Insurers offer up to $25,000 of med pay coverage
- Your Own Health Insurance: Your own healthcare policy also can be accessed to pay for treatment required by your injuries. Your healthcare insurer or plan then will have a medical lien. At the end of your personal injury case, your attorney will arrange to pay the lien from the money your attorney recovers on your behalf from the at-fault party
- A Letter of Protection: A letter of protection may be sent from your attorney to a medical provider, indicating that the attorney is trying to prevail in a claim or lawsuit on your behalf. A doctor or therapist may agree to provide you with treatment and hold off on collecting for services until your case has been resolved. Then if any money is recovered from the claim or lawsuit, the attorney will pay the doctor or therapist first, before paying out any money to you.
Contact an Experienced South Dakota Insurance Claim Lawyer
Regardless of how you pay for your medical treatment before resolution of your personal injury claim, be sure to properly document all your medical expenses. Lack of documentation is one of the main reasons why insurance companies deny claims.
For help with documenting your medical expenses or with finding a way to pay for medical treatment after an accident in South Dakota, speak with an experienced South Dakota insurance claim lawyer. Call Turbak Law Office, P.C. at (866) 231-0914, or fill out our contact form and we will get back to you to discuss your injuries and how we can help you obtain the treatment you need.
