Many people worry that they cannot afford to pay for their medical bills after a serious accident. Depending on the type and extent of the injury recovery could require a multitude of doctor and hospital visits, multiple surgeries, medication, months of physical therapy and rehab, and more. It can be difficult to understand the complex legal process of filing a claim and receiving a settlement offer for your injury, but working with a Geneva, Illinois personal injury lawyer can help ease your worries. Read on to discover how you can pay for your medical bills from the compensation you receive in your personal injury settlement.
What Is a Personal Injury Settlement?
If you were injured due to another person’s negligence or reckless behavior you can file a lawsuit or claim against the negligent party to receive compensation for your damages. A personal injury settlement is an agreement between you, the injured party, and the negligent party or their insurance company. The settlement will include a monetary amount that the other party and their insurance offer you in exchange for your agreement to not pursue further legal action such as filing a lawsuit. The settlement should take into consideration all financial expenses that you incurred due to the injury as well as future expenses. It can cover:
- Medical expenses like surgery, doctor visits, prescriptions, physical therapy, and more
- Lost wages due to absence from work because of the injury
- Property damage to your vehicle or another piece of personal property that was impacted
- Pain and suffering/emotional damages
Do Medical Bills Get Paid From the Settlement?
Sometimes insurance companies will offer an adequate settlement in a month and you can be done with the whole ordeal. Usually, however, the negotiation process is drawn out over several months and occasionally even more than a year. But if it can take that long, what happens when you start getting medical bills but you haven’t received your settlement compensation yet?
If you can afford to pay out of pocket for your medical expenses while you wait for your settlement then you can simply reimburse yourself from the compensation you receive. However, if you are dependent on your settlement to afford your bills you have some options.
- Submit all of your bills to your health insurance provider. They will usually cover at least a portion of your expenses which can help your overall cost greatly decrease.
- Speak with your medical providers to explain the situation. In many cases, they will work with you to create a payment plan that you can later pay off with the money from your settlement.
- Ask about a medical lien with your doctor or hospital. A lien is a legal claim that a healthcare provider can file against the potential compensation that a person will receive from a settlement. This allows you to receive the medical treatment you require without worrying about payment upfront. Once you are awarded your settlement the money you owe will be deducted to pay back the amount in full.
