If you’ve sustained injuries in a car accident, you’ll feel not only the physical pain of your injuries but also the financial pain of your medical bills. Therefore, after a collision, it’s imperative that you seek compensation to cover your accident-related expenses.
But who will pay for your medical bills? A personal injury attorney can provide personalized advice and guidance to help you answer that question.
Car Accident Injuries Can Result in Serious Expenses
Car accidents can be detrimental to your physical health. Depending on the type and severity of the collision, you can face serious, sometimes even life-threatening, injuries. Some common car crash injuries include:
- Burns
- Broken bones
- Head and neck injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Internal bleeding and trauma
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Loss of limb injuries
Full recovery from accident-related injuries is possible, but the more severe your injuries, the higher your chance of suffering long-term consequences to your health and quality of life. If your injuries leave you facing permanent disabilities, you’ll need more extensive medical care that will result in additional financial burdens.
It’s no secret that medical care is expensive. For this reason, when you suffer car crash injuries, you can expect to face serious expenses. Pursuing compensation for your harm is critical, as injuries resulting from car wrecks can put you in an extreme financial bind.
What Types of Medical Expenses Arise from Car Accident Injuries?
Your medical expenses are a direct reflection of the type of medical care you need to treat your car wreck injuries. You may need not only emergency medical treatment but also follow-up care for some time after your accident.
Some of the medical bills you could incur include:
- Ambulance transportation
- Emergency room visit
- Hospital stays
- Surgery
- Medications
- Therapy and rehabilitation
- Medical equipment
- In-home care
It can quickly become overwhelming once you start receiving medical bills. This is one of the reasons it’s important to seek legal guidance from a personal injury attorney as soon as possible after your accident. The sooner you start working on your collision claim, the sooner your attorney can begin working on your behalf.
Determining Who Pays for Medical Bills After a Car Accident
While the question of who pays for your medical bills after a car accident might seem to have an obvious answer, sometimes it doesn’t. Depending on the details of your accident, it may take some time and an investigation to figure out who may be financially liable for your accident-related harm.
Your auto accident lawyer will answer the following questions and review the details of your case to better understand who will pay for your medical bills.
Is Ohio a Fault or No-Fault State?
First and foremost, you must determine whether your state is a fault state or a no-fault state.
When a state operates under no-fault rules, it means the finger does not need to be pointed at anyone for you to receive compensation for your accident-related losses. However, this does not mean no one is to blame for a car crash.
In a no-fault state, you usually seek compensation from your own insurance company. Then, if the other party is found to be at fault for the collision, your insurer can pursue reimbursement for the money they paid out to you.
Ohio is a fault state. This means if the other party is responsible for causing your accident, you could file a third-party insurance claim against their insurance for compensation.
Your car accident lawyer can aim to seek compensation based on Ohio’s fault system.
Who Caused Your Accident?
Determining which party is to blame for the accident is one of the most critical pieces of a collision claim.
First, it’s important to figure out the cause of your accident. Was it driver negligence, like speeding, distracted driving, or driving under the influence? Was it a product defect, like brake failure or malfunctioning car parts? Was it dangerous road construction or a defective roadway? Your car accident lawyer will answer these crucial questions first.
Once you understand the what, you can move on to the who. Some of the parties that could be held financially liable for a car accident include:
- Drivers, including car, truck, or bus drivers
- Parties responsible for vehicle maintenance
- Car or car parts designers, manufacturers, and distributors
- The city or local governmental entity
Deciphering who is at fault for your car crash is necessary; you need to know who to pursue compensation from, whether it be through insurance or a personal injury lawsuit.
Does the Responsible Party Have Insurance?
Once you know which party is responsible for your collision, you must figure out how you’ll pursue compensation from them. If they have car insurance, you’ll likely start by filing a car insurance claim.
If the responsible party does not have insurance, you’ll need to consider alternative routes. In a majority of cases, you’ll go straight to filing a personal injury lawsuit.
It’s worth noting that even if the other party has insurance, their policy may not be enough to cover all of your medical expenses and other related losses. Therefore, you may still need to file a personal injury claim to pursue additional monetary recovery.
A car accident lawyer is best equipped to determine how best to proceed with a car insurance claim and additional methods if necessary.
After Sustaining Injuries in a Car Wreck, Consult with an Experienced Car Accident Attorney
Aside from seeking justice for the responsible party’s wrongdoing, the primary objective of filing a collision claim is to obtain compensation to cover your medical bills and other losses. This can be challenging, especially when dealing with insurance companies.
Fortunately, a personal injury lawyer has the skills and tools necessary to fight for your right to just financial recovery.
The legal team at Slater & Zurz has over three decades of experience helping injured clients obtain the compensation they deserve after a collision. We give you the compassion and kindness you need during a tough time while also providing the highest quality legal representation.
Contact Slater & Zurz today to arrange your complimentary consultation with a car accident attorney.
