Who pays medical bills after a car accident varies from one collision to the next. In most cases, one or more insurance companies pay for the medical bills of those involved in the collision. If an accident victim decides to sue, then the parties that caused the accident may cover their medical expenses.
For you, the most important concern is that somebody pays for your medical costs. You may not care whether the paying party is an insurance company or the party that caused your accident. So long as your medical bills (and other damages) get paid, you may feel that justice has been fulfilled. Reach out to an experienced Arizona car accident lawyer today!
Parties Who May Pay Your Medical Bills After a Car Accident
Arizona uses a fault-based insurance framework (rather than a no-fault system). This means that, when a motorist causes an accident, they or their insurance company are wholly responsible for the victim’s accident-related losses.
With this in mind, accident victims like you may seek compensation for medical bills from:
An At-Fault Driver’s Insurance Company
Motorists in Arizona are required to purchase insurance coverage of:
- $25,000 for the medical costs of a person they injure or kill in an accident
- $50,000 for the medical costs of two or more people they injure in an accident
If another motorist caused your accident, you will likely seek compensation for medical care through this coverage.
Your Insurance Company
While the at-fault party’s insurance company may be liable for your medical bills, you may seek compensation from your own insurance provider if:
- The motorist who caused your accident was uninsured (uninsured motorists are a serious problem in most states, including Arizona)
- You have uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) coverage and the cost of your medical care is greater than the at-fault motorist’s policy coverage limits
Insurance policies are daunting for most non-attorneys. Even if you can understand the details of various insurance policies, you might not know how those details translate to your case. A lawyer can be a massively valuable resource when seeking compensation for medical bills and other accident-related losses.
The Person Who Caused Your Accident
The majority of car accident victims are able to secure a fair settlement, whether through the claims process or after filing a lawsuit. In these cases, insurance companies are usually the party that pays for the accident victim’s losses (including medical costs).
However, you may choose to sue the party or parties who are directly responsible for causing the accident. While insurance companies generally represent these parties in a lawsuit, the at-fault party may ultimately pay for some or all of your damages.
Parties who can be defendants in car accident lawsuits include:
- Drivers
- Vehicle owners
- Motor vehicle manufacturers
- Municipalities
- Any other party whose negligence contributed to or directly caused the accident
Your attorney will identify all at-fault and liable parties early in your case. As your lawyer negotiates with insurance companies, it will become clear whether you will need to sue one or more liable parties.
A Liable Party That Did Not Directly Cause the Accident
Those who cause accidents are clear candidates to be sued. There are other people and organizations who can also be sued, even if they did not directly cause the accident. Examples of such liable parties include:
- An employer whose employee caused a car accident while working (or while running an errand on the employer’s behalf)
- An establishment that overserves alcohol to a drunk driver who causes an accident
- A medical provider who clears a professional driver (such as a trucker) to drive when they should not
It can be very difficult to determine whose insurance company to seek money from, how much money to seek from each insurer, and when to sue. Allow an experienced car accident lawyer to evaluate all relevant information and propose a tailor-made strategy for you.
The Two Primary Ways to Get Compensation for Medical Bills and Other Accident-Related Damages
Your attorney will formulate a case strategy fit specifically for you, and that strategy may involve:
- Filing at least one insurance claim: Insurance claims should be simpler than they tend to be. Rather than insurance companies taking accountability for their policies (and their policyholders’ negligence), you may find that insurers attempt to shift blame to you, devalue your losses, and reduce their financial burdens.
- Filing a lawsuit: When insurance companies do not act in good faith or other circumstances call for it, car accident victims file lawsuits following car accidents. A lawsuit may be the first step to a settlement, but it could also lead to trial.
The typical car accident victim does not know whether they should file an insurance claim or a lawsuit—and why would they? Car accidents are rare events, and each accident presents different challenges and realities for the victim.
Allow a car accident lawyer to advise you based on their training and years of relevant experience. Whether you pursue an insurance claim or lawsuit, you may be at peace with a capable attorney representing your interests.
Car Accident Survivors Should Focus on Their Health. Let a Lawyer Oversee Your Case.
Convincing someone to pay for your medical bills after a car accident is not as simple as it may sound. In fact, countless car accident victims:
- Assume (incorrectly) that insurance companies always pay the claimant the money they are entitled to
- Fail to realize that insurance companies often use bad-faith tactics (including outright deception) to shirk their financial obligations to claimants
- Accept settlement offers with a far lesser value than they deserve—and only realize later that they’ve been taken advantage of
You shouldn’t have to determine whether insurance companies are handling your case in good faith. For that matter, you shouldn’t have to deal with any aspect of a car accident claim or lawsuit. Allow an attorney to lead your case because:
- Injuries and trauma require attention: The average person does not often experience the kind of physical trauma that occurs during a car accident. You may have multiple injuries—including sensitive ailments like brain injuries—and need to give your recovery the attention it warrants.
- Your damages (and their costs) are likely complex in nature: If you don’t know the exact, accurate value of your losses, you should never sign a settlement agreement. Your attorney will calculate your damages, demand fair compensation, and advise you before you accept any settlement.
- Completing your case will require time (and you may not have much time): If insurance companies always paid claimants fairly, your case might be fairly straightforward. The problem is, insurance companies often fight claimants. This means your lawyer may spend many hours composing a convincing case and demanding fair compensation from insurers.
- Your lawyer will take the most direct path to a resolution: When someone is unfamiliar with the claims process, they may spend a significant amount of time doing research and learning the ropes. Because insurance claims are like second nature to car accident attorneys, yours will take the most efficient route to a resolution.
An accomplished car accident attorney and their law firm will bring many assets and benefits to your case, which includes:
- Financial resources, which allows them to hire experts and compose the strongest case possible—regardless of the cost
- Experience, for which there is no substitute
- A healthy skepticism of insurance companies, which will allow your lawyer to spot any bad-faith tactics as soon as they emerge
- A team of legal professionals, as car accident lawyers often work alongside paralegals, case managers, and other team members
Your lawyer will not charge an upfront fee or hourly rate for these valuable resources. Instead, your lawyer will only receive their fee if you get a settlement or verdict. This is called a contingency fee agreement, and it enables you to hire a car accident lawyer even if you are facing financial difficulty.
Some Bad-Faith Insurance Tactics Your Car Accident Lawyer Will Spare You From
An attorney is protection. If you hire a car accident lawyer, you won’t be vulnerable to the many common bad-faith insurance practices, which include:
- Denying the car accident victim’s claim
- Offering a quick, lowball settlement (that, if the claimant accepts, frees the insurance company from further financial liability)
- Contesting whether the claimant is entitled to compensation for certain losses
- Making settlement negotiations as difficult as possible
When insurance companies deal with accident victims, they often assume the victim can be taken advantage of. When you hire a lawyer, insurance companies know they’re dealing with a more experienced party—this fact alone may reduce the number of bad-faith tactics related to your claim.
Medical Bills Are Just One of Several Damages You May Face After a Car Accident
As your lawyer deals with insurance companies and seeks a fair settlement for you, they will account for all of your accident-related damages. Medical bills are always an important (and often costly) class of damages, but it’s not the only damage accident victims face.
Car accident victims often deal with:
Pain and Suffering (and Mental Health Treatment)
The connection between car accidents and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is well-established. You may not only suffer symptoms of PTSD, but also:
- Immediate and long-term physical pain
- Generalized anxiety and a specific fear of driving or riding in motor vehicles
- Depression
- Scarring and disfigurement, which can affect one’s self-esteem and diminish their quality of life
- Lost physical abilities
- Cognitive problem
- Lost sleep
If you aren’t a lawyer, it can be very difficult to figure out the cost of pain and suffering—or even whether certain types of pain and suffering entitle you to compensation. Your car accident attorney will identify your compensable pain and suffering and all treatment that entitles you to compensation.
Property Expenses (Including Car Repairs)
If a car accident results in an injury, it almost always results in significant damage to the vehicle. Your car accident lawyer will seek compensation to cover vehicle repairs, the replacement cost of a totaled vehicle, temporary transportation costs, and any other financial burdens related to damaged property.
Lost Wages and Other Professional Losses
Injuries often cause car accident victims to take time away from their jobs and careers. These absences—whether relatively brief or long-term—can cause:
- Lost income
- Diminished earning capacity
- Missed opportunities to earn overtime pay, bonuses, and other incentives
- A downturn in one’s career trajectory (being injured can slow professional progress towards promotions and new career opportunities)
When a car accident victim has to leave their job or is permanently disabled, they may also lose benefits like healthcare coverage and paid time off.
The Financial and Non-Financial Cost of Disabilities
Disabling injuries take a heavy economic and non-economic toll on a person (and their loved ones). Damages associated with disabling injuries include:
- Caregiver costs
- Permanent loss of earning power and secondary professional perks (like health insurance)
- Depression, loss of physical abilities, and other types of pain and suffering
- Medical equipment
- Long-term rehabilitation costs
- The cost of updating a home, obtaining a wheelchair-friendly vehicle, and making other disability-related purchases
An attorney will also represent you if you have lost a loved one. Fatal car accidents are devastating, and a lawyer will handle your case so you can prioritize your recovery and time spent with your loved ones.
How Your Car Accident Attorney Will Build, Present, and Resolve Your Case
Your car accident lawyer will be a full-service resource responsible for every detail of your case. Some common responsibilities in car accident cases include:
- Obtaining evidence that proves who caused the car accident
- Establishing who is financially liable for your damages
- Securing all medical records, expert opinions, bills, and other proof of your recoverable damages
- Presenting settlement demands and negotiating on your behalf
- Representing you in any necessary legal proceedings
Attorneys handle these responsibilities almost daily for years on end. This sharpens their negotiation skills, allows them to avoid the delays that come with inexperience, and makes them ideally suited to represent you.
Hire Your Car Accident Lawyer as Soon as Possible—Start with Free Consultation
There are almost always deadlines for filing car accident lawsuits. Insurance companies and local authorities may also require you to report injuries and file insurance claims soon after your accident.
Don’t wait to hire your Arizona personal injury lawyer today.