Car Accident Injuries: How Can I Get Treatment Without Insurance?
When you have car accident injuries, even if your case seems cut and dried, it can sometimes take months or even years to collect your settlement for compensation. This can be a real problem as your medical bills pile up. Some people even forego vital medical attention altogether because they might not have health insurance, and are afraid they can’t afford it.
First things first: see a doctor if you need to. You won’t be denied medical attention from a public hospital due to lack of insurance if the injury is serious. When it comes to paying the bills, you may have options you don’t realize. Explore what to do to get medical treatment after an accident if you don’t have insurance, and how a personal injury lawyer can help your case for damages.
Options for Treatment
Again, public hospitals can’t deny you treatment, so you should get seen if there’s any chance you might be seriously hurt. There are several options for you to help pay those bills while you seek compensation for your injuries, including med pay coverage from the negligent person, Medicaid if you’re in financial trouble, or even setting up payments with the healthcare provider.
Med Pay Coverage
Some people carry med pay coverage on their auto insurance. This coverage is in place specifically to help pay for medical bills while you pursue settlement against them. Usually, these policies have low limits, around $10,000, but it can help you to cover your bases a bit while you’re settling your case.
Medicaid
Medicaid is not the same as Medicare. The former is a government-sponsored medical assistance program which is administered by the state. It’s not complete health insurance but is there to help people in financial difficulty cover serious injuries. If, for example, you’ve just lost your job and your healthcare with it, you may be able to apply for Medicaid to help pay those mounting bills as you get everything else squared away.
Payment Arrangements
Many healthcare providers are surprisingly understanding about the state of health insurance in our nation. They might well be willing to allow you to defer payments temporarily while you seek a settlement or to make monthly payments against your balance owed. They might, in such cases, require you to sign a personal injury lien stating that they get paid out of your settlement before anyone else, but it can buy you the time you need.
Calling a Personal Injury Lawyer
Of course, the best case scenario when you’ve been hurt is to get the compensation you’re owed. Your best chance at this is to have a solid personal injury lawyer in your corner. An attorney can pursue your case, protect your rights, and may even be able to expedite the settlement. They can also help guide you towards options for keeping your bases covered in the meantime.
The attorneys at Mitch Grissim and Associates have spent decades helping people get justice for the harm they’ve suffered due to others’ irresponsibility. If you’ve suffered an accident and need legal help seeking compensation, give us a call today for a no-cost analysis of your case or complete our online contact form.
