Will my medical bills be paid?

Your medical expenses will be part of your claim. In most cases your medical expenses will be paid through your own insurance and your insurance company will be reimbursed when your claim is over. We want to enforce as much insurance coverage for you as possible, because you are personally responsible for your medical bills, and the more your insurance will pay, the less you have to pay out of your pocket. If insurance pays everything, you pay nothing.

Your car insurance policy will provide “personal injury protection” (PIP) benefits. PIP benefits include your medical expenses, regardless of who caused the collision. Most car insurance policies provided for PIP medical benefits up to a total $10,000 and up to one year after the collision. Some people purchase insurance with PIP coverage for higher amounts and for a longer period than one year.

If your medical treatment does not last more than the time covered in your PIP policy (usually a year), and if your expenses don’t exceed the maximum amount (usually $10,000), your medical expenses will be covered. If you have health insurance, it will usually kick in after your PIP benefits have been exhausted. So, if you have $12,000 in medical expenses, but only $10,000 is paid under your PIP coverage, your health insurance policy will usually cover the remaining $2,000.

If your medical care is not all covered under your insurance policy (or policies), your unpaid medical bills will be part of your claim against the person at fault in the collision. Sometimes, your PIP insurer will file a lien on your claim, requiring you to include your PIP benefits as part of your claim. Typically, health insurers are also given liens on injury claims. Doctors are often willing to carry accounts with patients who have injury claims, and to wait for payment until the claim resolves. Your lawyer will be able to sort all this out for you.


Personal Injury Claims