Steven A. Bagen | April 11, 2024 | Car Accidents
Car accidents can cause serious injuries requiring extensive and costly treatment. With the costs of healthcare in the United States, one of an injury victim’s main concerns is naturally who will pay for medical bills.
Who pays medical bills in a car accident case depends on several factors. If someone else is to blame for the crash, their auto insurance often covers a victim’s medical expenses. If another driver does not have insurance, a victim’s uninsured motorist coverage might cover bills, or other supplemental coverage might be helpful.
You do not have to determine who pays for medical bills after your crash. A car accident lawyer will consider all relevant information and determine who owes you compensation for accident-related damages. They will take all necessary steps to ensure your medical bills are properly covered.
It Is Important That Somebody Pays for Your Accident-Related Medical Bills
Your attorney will inevitably have to determine who should pay for medical bills after your car accident. However, the question of who should pay for your medical bills is not as important as the fact that someone pays for your medical bills.
There is a significant chance that one or more insurance companies will be responsible for your medical bills. However, there is also a chance that your attorney will directly sue:
- A negligent motorist: Dangerous driver behaviors like speeding are a factor in many car accidents. If a motorist caused your accident, you may sue them for the cost of medical care and your other accident-related damages.
- A motor vehicle manufacturer: When manufacturers produce defective vehicles, they endanger motorists and passengers. Accidents inevitably result from defective vehicles, and victims of those accidents can sue the manufacturer for medical bills and other harm.
- A municipality: You may sue a municipality that created dangerous driving conditions. Unsafe work zones, flawed roads, and defective traffic signals are among the hazards a municipality may be responsible for. There can be short deadlines for suing municipalities, so do not wait to hire your car accident lawyer.
- An employer whose employee caused your car accident: If a motorist causes a car accident while on the job, their employer may possess (or share) financial responsibility for the victim’s damages.
Diagnosing liability for a car accident is not always easy. Allow an attorney to use their training, understanding of liability, and analytical skills to determine who owes you compensation. Your lawyer will also identify the most effective way to seek compensation for your accident-related damages.
Types of Medical Bills You Should Receive Compensation for After a Car Accident
Auto accidents are associated with many different types of injuries, including:
- Whiplash
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Amputation injuries
- Severe cuts
- Injuries affecting vital organs
Whatever injuries you have suffered, you must receive thorough medical treatment. You must receive a clear diagnosis for your injuries and a treatment plan to ensure you heal as soon as possible. Some of the medical items and services your lawyer may seek compensation for are:
- Emergency services: If you need ambulance transport, emergency department care, or any other emergency services after the car accident, your attorney will include related medical bills in your case.
- Diagnostic services: You may need a thorough physical exam, X-rays, CT scans, and other imaging services to diagnose accident-related injuries. You may need to see one or more specialists to receive an accurate diagnosis for all injuries and symptoms.
- Hospital services: Receiving care in a hospital can be extremely costly. If you stay one or more nights in the hospital, your bills may be exorbitant. Your attorney will track any bills for hospital services and demand that liable parties cover those costs.
- Rehabilitation services: If you require any type of rehabilitation because of accident-related injuries, your attorney will include the rehab costs in your case.
- Medical equipment: If you need a wheelchair or any other medical equipment due to accident-related injuries, your attorney will seek fair compensation from liable parties.
The more severe your injuries are, the more expensive your accident-related medical bills are likely to be. Allow a car accident lawyer to value your medical costs and demand that liable parties pay for your medical bills.
Other Damages Your Car Accident Lawyer Will Include in Your Case
Medical costs may be just one of many damages you suffer because of your car accident. Auto collisions and related injuries can also cause:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Other Pain and Suffering
One study suggests that almost half of traffic accident victims exhibit at least one symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Those who have PTSD or any other type of pain and suffering must receive fair compensation for:
- Emotional anguish
- Psychological distress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Lost quality of life
- Physical pain
- Any other symptoms that qualify as pain and suffering
Your car accident lawyer may arrange for you to see a mental health professional who can diagnose your pain and suffering. That mental health expert may also recommend a treatment course and estimate the cost of your mental health services.
The Cost of Mental Health Services
Your attorney will determine the exact financial value of any therapy, medications, or other mental health services you receive after your car accident.
Professional Damages
Car accidents often cause victims to suffer professional harm, which may include:
- Lost income (which can affect both salaried employees and those who earn income by the hour or by the project)
- Diminished earning power
- Inability to earn bonuses and promotions because you are not working (or are working in a limited capacity)
If you are disabled or suffer a long-term injury, you may lose your job, lose employer-provided benefits, and suffer other severe professional damages. Your attorney will work to secure compensation that reflects the nature of your professional damages.
Vehicle Repairs and Other Property Costs
Your lawyer will value the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle and any other property damaged during the car accident.
How Much Money Do I Deserve for Car Accident-Related Damages?
Your lawyer will answer this question for you. Before your attorney can determine how much compensation you deserve, they must:
- Work with your doctors to learn the details of your injuries
- Determine if any of your injuries will be disabling
- Value your property-related expenses (including vehicle repairs)
- Determine who has financial liability for your accident-related damages (and determine if you share any liability or not)
Several factors can directly affect the value of your damages. The severity of your injuries, the nature of your pain and suffering, and the extent of your property damage are a few variables that your lawyer will consider.
Reasons to Hire a Lawyer After Your Car Accident
Every car accident victim must ask themselves whether they should hire an attorney. If you ask yourself this question, you may decide to work with a lawyer because:
You Are Not Able to Take On Your Case
Even if you had the desire to handle your own car accident claim or lawsuit, you may be unable to do so effectively because:
- Your physical injuries prevent you from handling the many responsibilities of a claim or lawsuit
- You have various types of pain and suffering that make you sensitive to stress and other triggers that may arise during your case
- You have cognitive issues that make it difficult to complete complex tasks
If you try to lead a claim or lawsuit despite such limitations, you may risk worsening your injuries or pain and suffering.
You Want to Spend Your Time Recovering
Many car accident victims want to find normalcy as soon as possible. Recovering from injuries and returning to good health may be the first step in overcoming the effects of the accident.
If you let a car accident lawyer handle your case, you can focus wholeheartedly on rest, treatment, and other steps in the recovery process.
You Aren’t Sure How to Complete a Car Accident Case
Your legal inexperience is another reason to hire a lawyer to spearhead your claim or lawsuit. You may not be well-versed in:
- Creating a strategy for obtaining compensation after a car accident
- Valuing the cost of damages from a car accident
- Filing paperwork and handling the other day-to-day responsibilities of a claim or lawsuit
- Negotiating financial settlements
- Handling lawsuits or jury trials
If you don’t hire a lawyer, you may face great difficulty learning where to start. You may have to spend substantial time and energy simply deciphering how to handle your case—even then, a lawyer is better suited to present a winning case.
You Want a Law Firm’s Financial Backing
Car accident victims usually feel a lot of financial stress. Between medical bills, vehicle repairs, and an inability to work, your financial hardship may be at a maximum. You should not have to take on further financial strain by handling your own case.
Car accident lawyers usually offer contingency fees, which mean:
- You, as the car accident victim, don’t pay the law firm any upfront fees or costs
- The law firm will pay for all case-related fees
- The law firm may hire experts for your case at no additional cost to you
- You can afford to hire a car accident lawyer despite any financial hardship you may face
Law firms have financial resources that they use to ease their clients’ stress. Your attorney will not just cover the cost of your case. They will also demand the entire financial recovery you deserve so you don’t pay for the cost of the accident.
You Value What a Lawyer Offers
Attorneys have many valuable qualities, including their:
- Legal training
- Experience handling car accident claims and lawsuits
- Network of experts (who may contribute to your case)
- Ability to guide you through an uncertain situation
The value of your car accident lawyer’s experience may be beyond measure. Your attorney can handle every duty without breaking a sweat because they know the many requirements that claims and lawsuits impose.
Duties that you might find overwhelming may be routine to an experienced car accident lawyer.
How Your Car Accident Lawyer Will Pursue Your Financial Recovery
Let a multi-faceted, client-focused legal team handle the daily obligations of your case. Be with loved ones and focus on your health while your attorney and their support staff handle the following and more.
Investigate the Car Accident (and Gather Evidence)
Your lawyer will secure any evidence that serves as a piece of the puzzle that is your case. Such evidence may include:
- The police report detailing the car accident
- Eyewitness accounts (your lawyer may obtain existing testimony and re-interview witnesses as necessary)
- Expert testimony about who caused the car accident
- Video of the collision
- Photographs of the accident scene
Your lawyer may even have an expert reconstruct the accident, especially if there is no clear, available video footage of the accident.
Detail Your Damages (and Calculate a Case Value)
Your lawyer must tell the story of how the car accident has harmed you and may supplement your case using:
- Medical bills
- Images of injuries (including both photographs and medical images)
- Medical records (including any specific diagnoses of injuries)
- Medical experts’ testimony about your symptoms, treatment needs, and medical costs
- Invoices for property-related expenses (including vehicle repairs)
- Mental health experts’ diagnoses of your pain and suffering
If any other documentation shows the nature of your damages, your lawyer will incorporate it in your case.
Lead Settlement Negotiations (Demanding That Liable Parties Pay Fairly)
Lawyers often secure large settlements for car accident victims, and your attorney will strive to do the same. Negotiating is one of a lawyer’s most practiced and important skills. Let an attorney negotiate the settlement you deserve.
Weigh the Necessity of Trial (and Take Your Case to Court if Necessary)
When liable parties don’t meet car accident lawyers’ settlement demands, the attorney must weigh the decision to go to court. You will have the final say on whether to file a lawsuit and whether to take a case to court. Your lawyer will provide trustworthy advice you can use to make your decision.
Hire Your Car Accident Lawyer Today
Because there are usually filing deadlines for car accident claims and lawsuits, do not wait to find the right personal injury attorney to lead your case. Consultations are free and come with no obligations to hire a firm, so speak with prospective law firms as soon as possible.