Do Car Accident Cases Cover Medical Expenses
If you have been injured in a car accident, your priority should be getting well. Unfortunately, getting good medical treatment is very expensive, and you may not get the best treatment if you have to rely entirely on your medical insurance. You will have to count on accident insurance to pay your medical expenses. You may need more information to get an insurer to pay for your injuries.
There are two different kinds of liability insurance rules in the United States, fault and no-fault. In a no-fault state, a person’s insurance is supposed to pay for their medical bills and any damage to their car. It does not matter who caused the crash.
In a fault state, the person who caused the accident must pay the bills. The state of Colorado follows a fault rule regarding automobile insurance. Colorado drivers must have $25,000 of coverage for the injury or death of one person and $50,000 for injury or death for each accident that they cause. They must also have $15,000 for property damage. It is a good idea to have personal injury protection insurance in case you cause an accident or the other driver does not have insurance.
If you were injured due to another person’s negligence, liability insurance would pay your medical bills up to the amount for which the at-fault person was covered. In many cases, an insurance company will offer you a smaller settlement than you should get. Hence, it is important to talk to a personal injury attorney before accepting the insurance company’s offer.
Document The Accident and Your Injuries
When you get into an accident, you should pull over to the side of the road to see if anyone has been injured. If they have, or if there is serious property damage, you must call the police and wait for them to arrive. When they get there, never admit to causing the accident, even if you think you did. There may have been factors at play that you are not aware of.
All you have to do is tell the officer what you remember. They will write a detailed report about the accident. Get the names and numbers of any witnesses at the scene and take pictures if you can. Be sure to get the contact information of the other driver.
Never refuse medical treatment at the scene of an accident. If you do, an insurance company may say that you made your injuries worse by not seeking treatment right away. Get any treatment that is recommended to you.
Save Your Bills
Remember to save a copy of every bill you get. If your medical insurance pays for your initial visit, they should still send you a bill. If you seek alternative treatments, save a copy of the bills because your injury attorney may be able to get your insurance company to pay for those treatments as well. Save every receipt for medications, whether they are prescription or non-prescription. Make sure to get your employer to write you a letter stating the number of hours you have missed from work due to your injuries.
When a person is injured, they are often unable to perform chores and take care of their kids. If you have to pay for daycare or house cleaning, save a copy of every bill. If you are unable to drive, be sure to save your rideshare receipts.
Call The Insurance Company
When you call the insurance company, they will ask you general questions about your accident and request you send them any documentation you have. Make sure to send the documentation as soon as possible. An insurance adjuster will call to ask you questions, some of which are designed to trip you up. They may ask to record you, but you are under no legal obligation to let them. Most attorneys will tell you not to let insurance companies record you. If you make a mistake or if the adjuster asks you a leading question, you may be denied coverage.
The insurance adjuster will investigate your case and review your medical bills. They may also review your medical history. They may try to establish that the injuries you are claiming were caused by the accident were pre-existing.
Pain and Suffering
If your injuries leave you permanently disabled or disfigured, you may be able to get money for pain and suffering. Pain and suffering is a legal terms for non-economic damages. It covers such things as loss of quality of life, depression, scarring, PTSD, etc. Pain and suffering awards are capped at $250,000 in the Rocky Mountain State.
When Will I Find Out What Injuries Will be Paid For?
The state of Colorado does not set a specific time limit on insurance claim decisions. They simply say that insurance claims must be settled within a reasonable amount of time. They will contact you and let you know if your claim has been approved or denied. If it has been approved, they will offer you a settlement amount.
Your attorney will examine the same evidence the adjuster looked at and decide if the amount is fair. If it is not, they will call the insurance company and try to get you an amount of money that will cover all of your bills.
If they are unable to negotiate a fair settlement, you may have to sue the party that caused the accident. Your attorney will let you know if they think a lawsuit is winnable or if it is better to take the settlement offer. However, most personal injury cases are settled out of court.
You should hire an attorney with years of experience in Colorado law who has no complaints against them and no problems with the state bar association. Make sure to get references before you hire a lawyer.
Car accidents are one of life’s most difficult experiences. But if you collect evidence and hire a great attorney, you can get the money you need to move forward with your life.
