If you’re like most of our clients, any treatment you receive at the hospital after your car accident will be covered by your primary health insurance carrier. This early in the case, you have no idea whether the defendant’s insurance is going to cover your medical bills.
Since you can’t go without treatment, and you certainly can’t pay out of pocket, you will need to count on your health insurance carrier to cover your medical treatment. What this means is that when your Albany car accident lawyer settles your case, you’ll have to pay your health insurance company back in full.
Of course, there are cases in which our Georgia accident attorneys can negotiate a lower payoff amount with the insurance carrier. However, there is never a guarantee that this will happen.
We suggest you contact our office as soon as possible so you can schedule your free, initial consultation. This way, one of our Albany car accident lawyers can answer any questions you may have including insurance-related questions.
Your Health Insurance Company Will Ask if Your Injuries Are Related to a Motor Vehicle Accident
When you first arrive at the emergency room after your car accident, you will be asked to fill out a bunch of forms. You’ll also be asked to provide the hospital with your health insurance information. One of the questions on your forms will ask you if your injuries are related to a motor vehicle accident.
You must answer this question truthfully or you will find yourself in trouble later. When the hospital staff finds that your injuries are related to an accident, they will code your case in a certain way. This way, the billing department can follow up on your case and ensure that they are paid once it settles.
Your Albany Car Accident Lawyer Will Have to Pay the Healthcare Providers Out of Your Settlement Proceeds
One of the biggest fears a lot of our clients have is that they’ll never be able to pay back their medical bills. The good news is that your Albany car accident lawyer will keep track of how much is owed and who needs to be paid. This way, when your settlement does come through, they can cut a check for any outstanding medical bills.
Many of our clients are not happy when they learn this. They feel that they should have the right to choose to pay whomever they want. Unfortunately, your Albany car accident lawyer has obligation to make sure that any debts related to your car accident are paid
Your Insurance Carrier Can Even Place a Lien on Your Settlement Proceeds
If your insurance carrier finds out that you are settling your lawsuit, they’re going to expect to be paid. Many insurance carriers have been burned in the past so what they do to protect themselves is file a lien against your lawsuit.
This way, they know that they are protected whether your case settles, or you get a judgment against the defendant. They will be updated throughout the duration of your case and will be notified when your case settles. If your Georgia accident attorney has not already done so, they will have to arrange to make payment to these creditors.
If your attorney gives you whatever settlement proceeds are left after they take their fee, the responsibility to pay back your insurance carrier will be yours. If for some reason, you refuse to pay these bills, you will very likely be sued personally for whatever was owed.
Your Georgia Accident Attorney Can Negotiate a Reduced Payoff with Your Health Insurance Company
When it comes time to settle your case, you will have to pay back a lot of creditors. For example, if you were not able to pay your mechanic back in full, you may owe them an outstanding balance. You probably also owe a good bit in medical bills.
The emergency room visit alone can cost you thousands of dollars. Hopefully, if you’re like many other accident victims, your primary health insurance carrier will cover these bills for you. Of course, they’re going to expect to be reimbursed in full once you settle your case.
Depending on how much is left once you pay your attorney’s fees, you may not have enough to pay these bills in full. Or, if you do, there will be very little left for yourself. If this is the case, your Albany car accident lawyer can try to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company.
More than likely, they will be willing to do this, but they will expect a lion’s share of the outstanding debt to be paid. They will also expect you to pay this amount in a lump sum. If they know that you settled your case, they’re not going to be willing to take small monthly payments on the balance due.
Call and Schedule Your Free, Initial Consultation Today
If you were recently injured in a car accident and aren’t sure how you’re supposed to pay back your healthcare insurance, you’re not alone. Many of our clients have no idea which bills they must pay out of their settlement proceeds. Like it or not, you will be expected to pay back your medical bills in full.
If your primary healthcare insurance carrier paid these bills initially, they will expect to be reimbursed. Ideally, your Georgia accident attorney can convince them to settle for a lesser amount. If they agree to do this, this means that you’ll be able to retain more of your settlement proceeds for yourself. If, however, they refuse to do this, you will have no choice but to pay them back in full.
If you have questions about how to pay off your medical bills or any other expenses related to your car accident, contact our office directly. We offer all new clients a free, initial consultation so you can discuss your case and ask any questions you may have.
Right now, your main focus should be on recovering from your injuries. Let your Albany car accident lawyer handle the legal side of things for you.
