Who Is Responsible For Paying My Medical Bills After A Serious Injury?

Injuries can lead to significant setbacks for victims and their family members. If a person sustains an injury caused by the careless or negligent actions of another individual or business, then the victim should be able to recover compensation for their losses. However, securing this compensation can take time. Who is responsible for paying an injury victim’s medical bills while they await an eventual settlement or jury verdict? Here, we want to talk about who pays medical bills after a personal injury, both immediately following an injury as well as over the long term.

Immediately Following an Injury

Immediately after an injury occurs, most victims will have to receive some sort of emergency medical care and then ongoing care so they can make a full recovery. However, doctors and other medical professionals do not work for free. The bills will start to come in very soon after an injury occurs.

If a victim knows that they will have an insurance settlement coming in or that they will have to pursue a personal injury lawsuit, this does not help them pay for their current bills. Injury victims may have to rely on their personal health insurance if they have it, or they may have to pay out-of-pocket. However, this can become very expensive.

An injury victim and their attorney may be able to work with the medical professionals treating their injuries and arrange for them to provide care with the understanding that they will be paid when an eventual settlement or jury verdict amount comes in. The medical providers may place a lien against the individual in these cases, in which case they will also be named as recipients on the part of the final settlement or verdict amount.

If a victim’s personal health insurance paid for any of the medical bills, the insurance carrier may be entitled to repayment out of the settlement through a process called subrogation.

After a Settlement or Jury Verdict

The eventual goal of a personal injury claim or civil personal injury lawsuit is to have the at-fault party cover these expenses. Medical bills are typically at the center of personal injury claims and lawsuits. The vast majority of personal injury cases are resolved through settlements with insurance carriers, but there are times when the insurance carriers refuse to offer a fair settlement or when they deny a claim.

It may be necessary for a victim to file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court in order to pursue compensation from the at-fault party. Most claims that are filed in civil court are still resolved before a full jury trial.

Contact an Attorney for Help

If you or somebody you care about has been injured due to the careless or negligent actions of another individual or business in Denver or throughout Colorado, you can count on the team at Fuicelli & Lee to help you through this. Our attorneys have extensive experience handling complex injury claims, and we will be able to help ensure that you are properly cared for by trusted medical professionals. We will work to obtain maximum compensation on your behalf. You can contact us for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or by calling 303-355-7202.