Who Pays the Medical Bills After a Car Accident in Florida?

Anyone who is hurt in a Florida car accident will have plenty to worry about. In addition to wondering how your car will be repaired, you must deal with medical expenses and getting back to work. If your injury is severe, the latter two problems could be weighing heavily on your mind.

if you have auto or health insurance, some of your medical expenses should be paid. However, if you were severely injured, it is unlikely that your insurance coverage will compensate you for all your medical costs and your lost income. In the end, you are legally responsible for any medical expenses you incur. Therefore, speaking with our Ft. Lauderdale personal injury attorneys should be an early consideration if you were hurt because of another’s recklessness.

The Florida car accident attorneys at Newman Injury Law, understand that your insurance is rarely sufficient to cover all your financial needs. However, you still need to pay for your medical care. Contact our office at 954-495-8500 to discuss your options in dealing with mounting medical expenses.

Florida Auto Insurance and Medical Bills Following a Car Accident

Many car accident victims have the wrong impression that the driver who caused an accident is responsible for paying their medical bills. This could be the case. However, Florida is a “no-fault” accident state, so it is not guaranteed.

Under the no-fault rule, your auto insurance will cover any medical expenses you incur, regardless of who caused the accident. There is no requirement to prove that another party was to blame.

In Florida, all motorists are required to carry personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. The minimum coverage mandated by law is $10,000. Additionally, every car owner must maintain $10,000 of liability insurance. Most policies have a deductible and an injured accident victim will have to pay that deductible out-of-pocket before the insurance coverage kicks in. If your injury is severe, our Ft. Lauderdale car accident attorneys could help you with a personal injury claim.

Will PIP Insurance Cover All My Medical Bills From a Florida Car Accident?

The biggest problem with PIP insurance is that it does not cover all your medical costs. First, there is the deductible. Depending on your premiums, you could be required to pay as much as $1,000 or more before your medical bills are covered by your insurance. Once you have paid you deducible, PIP only covers 80% of your reasonable medical costs. Furthermore, this 80% is capped under your insurance policy limits. If you have $10,000 worth of coverage and $25,000 worth of medical expenses, you will have to find another way to pay for the difference.

Florida residents have the option of purchasing additional insurance coverage to handle any outstanding costs that PIP does not cover. Known as Med-pay insurance, this additional coverage will go into effect once your other insurance is exhausted. However, med-pay is limited to only medical costs and is still capped by your insurance policy limits. It is a good idea to have an experienced Miami car accident attorney representing you when dealing with an insurance company.

Personal Health Insurance Coverage and Florida Car Accident Medical Bills

if you have health insurance through your employer or another source, it should go into effect if your PIP coverage is insufficient to cover your medical costs. The terms of your policy will control how your healthcare providers are paid, which ones you could use, and what your deductible or co-pays are. If your injury was severe, these costs could quickly escalate.

Florida Personal Injury Lawsuits to Pay for Medical Bills

if you have suffered a permanent or significant loss of bodily function, disfigurement, or a permanent disability, you are entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover your medical expenses. However, lawsuits take time and you might have to wait months or even years to receive a settlement – if you are successful. While our Hallandale, FL car accident attorneys are available to advocate for your rights when negotiating with an insurance provider or taking your case to court, you still are required to pay your medical bills.

if your PIP coverage is insufficient and your lack health insurance, you might have to pay your medical expenses yourself. Fortunately, some healthcare professionals will agree to provide medical treatment under a signed letter of protection. A letter of protection serves as a contractual agreement between you and your treating physician or hospital. While the specific terms will vary, the basic provisions provide a promise to pay all outstanding costs through an insurance settlement or jury award.

There is an inherent risk for any doctor or hospital to provide care under a letter of protection. However, if you are represented by an experienced and aggressive Florida car accident lawyer, some medical professionals’ fears will be mitigated.

When you sue another driver, you are typically suing their insurance company. Unfortunately, not every driver in Florida is insurance or they are underinsured. You have every right to bring a lawsuit against an uninsured driver. However, collecting from them could be difficult, if not impossible. If you were hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver, talk with our experienced Florida car accident lawyers to determine if pursuing a claim is in your best interests.

Call Our Florida Car Accident Attorney if You Have Questions Regarding Medical Bills and Personal Injury Claims

Drivers in Florida have various levels of insurance coverage to protect them if they are injured in a car accident, from PIP coverage provided by their auto insurance company to employer healthcare plans. However, even in the best-case scenario, an injured accident victim will have to pay various deductibles and co-pays. Our Hollywood car accident lawyers are available to discuss the possibility of filing a personal injury lawsuit to recover any medical costs that are not covered through your insurance. Call Newman Injury Law at 954-495-8500 to talk with one of our experienced lawyers.