How to Handle a Car Accident Injury Without Medical Insurance
Hospital Malpractice Lawyer
When someone doesn’t have personal medical insurance, he or she runs the risk of having to pay out of pocket when an injury or illness occurs. If you are one of those individuals and you were recently injured in a car accident, there may be something you can do. Perhaps you’re filing a civil lawsuit against the other driver and are counting on a large settlement, but you’ll still need to pay those medical bills in the meantime. The following are some things you can do.
No-Fault Car Insurance
Not every state is a no-fault state, but if you happen to live in one of the dozen states that is, your own car insurer could help you pay for your medical bills. No-fault insurance also covers lost wages. With this type of coverage, it doesn’t matter who caused the accident. The insurance will cover all or a portion of your medical bills and lost earnings.
Government Health Insurance
If you fall within a certain income bracket, you may qualify for government health insurance such as Medicaid or Medicare. You’ll need to speak with a representative from the Medicaid or Medicare office to determine if you are eligible. If you are, there’s a chance the coverage will be retroactive as well, so any bills related to the injury that you have already paid could be reimbursed.
Med Pay
Some car insurance policies have something called med pay. This is coverage designed to pay for medical bills for anyone injured in an accident that was caused by the individual who carries the insurance. There’s typically a limit, and when the funds run out, you’ll need to find another way to pay your medical bills.
Payment Plans
Speak with your medical providers to see if you can get a payment plan worked out. There are about as many different types of plans as there are providers, so it’s important you speak directly to someone in the office to understand their policies. Perhaps you can get the bills decreased by a certain percentage, or you can make monthly payments without interest for a certain period of time. You won’t know until you ask, and it’s definitely something worth looking into.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer
After being injured in a car accident, you may be worried about paying for your injuries because you don’t have medical insurance. The good news is there are other options. Contact an auto accident lawyer, such as from John K. Zaid & Associates, to learn more about what those are and how you can get started.