How to Pay for Medical Costs Before Your Case Is Settled

If you were the victim of a personal injury and plan to take the responsible party to court, you may be left wondering what to do about your medical bills in the meantime. You don’t want to be sent to collections, which would make your situation more damaging, so it’s important you get them paid, but how? Consider the following options.

Health Insurance

If you are covered by health insurance, you’re lucky because you shouldn’t have to pay too many out of pocket costs. Let your insurance company pay for your medical costs, but keep in mind part of your settlement could go directly to them. For example, if you were injured and accrued $30,000 in medical and therapy bills, which were paid in full by insurance, the insurance company could receive $30,000 of your settlement. The insurance company would have to file a lien against your claim to collect the money, but they often do seeing as though they were the party that paid the bills and should technically be reimbursed.

Haven’t you been paying premiums, making the insurance company’s payment really your payment in a roundabout way? Yes and no. While it is true insurance premiums are comparable to you saving up for medical costs, the insurance company decides on those premiums. If they felt they wouldn’t receive compensation after an injury settlement, they may decide to charge higher premiums. Their decision to charge you a lesser premium could actually save you money, making their right to a portion of your settlement justified.

Out of Pocket

If you don’t have health insurance or feel you could receive greater compensation without insurance interference, you have the option to pay for your medical bills out of pocket. You might have to obtain a loan to do this or could use your savings account. After your settlement, you can pay off the loan or put the money back into your savings, and hopefully have some left over to cover emotional costs and lost wages. Make sure to speak with a personal injury lawyer to see if this is an option when you have insurance coverage so you’re not left footing the bill on your own.

Contacting an Attorney for Direction

You may not know where to turn after a personal injury. You may not know what to do about the medical bills you’ve got piling up. It’s important they get paid, and an attorney can direct you in how to do that before your case is settled. Contact an attorney today so you can get pointed in the right direction and have legal representation when you need it most.