If you have been injured in a car accident in Wichita Falls (or any where else in Texas), you are probably wondering how to pay for all of your necessary medical treatment. Most people are overwhelmed after an accident and all that comes along with it: the hounding of the insurance companies for you to sign a release or give a recorded statement, the mounting medical bills, the cost to get your vehicle fixed, the lost wages due to not being able to work. You may not know where to turn to obtain compensation and reimbursement for all of these unnecessary expenses that were not your fault in the first place.
If you are in this situation, don’t worry! Our Wichita Falls car accident lawyer helps people just like you every day and has done so for over 25 years. When it comes to your medical expenses, there are a number of options that may be available to you.
Insurance That Could Help Cover Your Medical Bills
Insurance can be confusing, and it can be difficult to determine what insurance coverage you have that will help pay your medical bills while you focus on recovering. With an experienced car accident attorney, you will have the assistance you need to search for, identify, and pursue all options available to you. The following are some insurance sources that could help you with your medical bills:
- Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage: PIP is a no-fault benefit, meaning you can claim your PIP benefits regardless of who was at fault for the accident. Additionally, it means your insurance company cannot raise your rates or penalize you otherwise for filing a claim. This type of insurance coverage can help you pay some of yours and your passengers’ medical bills and loss of income in the event you are in an accident, regardless of who was at fault for the accident. In Texas, PIP is not required. It is optional. However, by default, all Texas auto policies come with the PIP minimum and if you do not want that coverage, you must execute a waiver that declines it. When you reject PIP, you leave yourself unprotected if you’re suddenly in an accident and face mounting medical bills and lost wages.
- Medical Payments (Med Pay) coverage: Med Pay is also a no-faut benefit and it is also optional. However, unlike PIP, Med Pay is not on all auto policies by default. It is an add-on coverage you have to specifically ask for. Your insurance company is not required to offer this coverage and furthermore, it is more limited than PIP.
- Uninsurance/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage: UM coverage is utilized whenever the person who hit you either doesn’t have enough insurance to cover all your medical bills or doesn’t have any insurance at all.
- Liability’s (person who caused the accident) insurance company: When someone else caused the accident, their insurance company is responsible for paying all your medical bills. Unfortunately, though, sometimes these insurance companies will deny their insured’s fault and refuse to pay any of your medical expenses. An experienced attorney can help you file your claim, deal with the insurance companies, and fight for the compensation you deserve.
- Health Insurance: If you have health insurance through your job or through a private health insurance policy, your health insurance company may pay some of your medical bills that were not covered by the insurances listed above.
- Medicaid and Medicare: Like with your own health insurance, you may be able to utilize your Medicaid or Medicare benefits to help pay for any covered medical treatments.
Contact Our Car Accident Lawyer in Wichita Falls
For more information about personal injury claims in Texas, you can download our free book, The Traveler’s Guide to the Universe of Personal Injury.
If you still have questions about how to get your medical bills paid for following your car accident, or any other questions regarding your legal rights and how to maximize your recovery from your injury claim, call us at 940-569-4000 or fill out our contact form to set up a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation.