Being in a car accident is a traumatic and stressful event all on its own, now add to that, not having health insurance and worrying that you cannot get the treatment needed in order to fully heal. Southside Injury Attorneys have dealt with similar scenarios and want to encourage you that there may be legal options available to help you recover.
Immediate Steps After a Car Accident
Your health should always be your top priority. However, individuals without medical insurance, often avoid medical care due to the fears of high medical costs and the financial impact it can have on them, their family, and credit. Federal law requires hospitals to provide emergency care regardless of insurance status[1]. Delaying treatment can harm both your health and ability to recover, both physically and financially.
Overcoming Financial Bars to Treatment
If another party’s negligence caused the accident, there may be options available to help you get the treatment needed to recover. Possible solutions may include:
- Medical Payment Coverage (MedPay): If you have a full coverage auto insurance policy, you might have added Medical Payment Coverage (MedPay) to your policy. MedPay is designed to cover up to a certain amount of medical expenses in the event of an accident. Unfortunately, hospitals and other treatment providers are aware of this and will seek to file a claim, potentially exhausting MedPay funds and recovering more than they would otherwise be entitled. The exhaustion of MedPay by a provider isn’t always a bad thing, and we at Southside Injury Attorneys know the difference. We may not be able to prevent misuse in every case, but when retained immediately following a collision, we have the best chance of protecting our clients and maximizing the benefits of MedPay.,
- Medical Provider Liens: Some medical providers will treat you without upfront payment, agreeing to be paid from funds recovered at the conclusion of your case. Even with health insurance, the out-of-pocket copays and deductibles can be overwhelming and impact one’s ability to complete their recommended course of treatment. Liens can be a great tool to ensure those injured in an accident receive the care and treatment needed to recover, but just as with MedPay, they can also be misued by providers resulting in financial harm. At Southside Injury Attorneys, we know how to spot an invalid lien, when liens are and are not appropriate, and when hired early enough, we can often help clients avoid these pitfalls altogether.
Why You Need an Attorney After a Car Accident
In normal circumstances, navigating the aftermath of a car accident can be complex; but with the added element of no medical insurance and needing treatment having an experienced attorney can make a world of difference.
- Handle Legal Processes: Requesting necessary documents and information, keeping up with all the paperwork, forms, and important deadlines so clients can focus on their physical recovery.
- Maximize Compensation: Insurance companies aim to minimize payouts. Southside Injury Attorneys fight for their clients attempting to secure maximum compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and lost quality of life.
- Negotiate with Medical Providers: Ensuring that clients not only get the care they need, but are treated fairly during the process.
- Prove Liability: Liability is a requirement for recovery and knowing what evidence is required to prove liability and how to get it is critical.
- Managing Insurance Companies: Insurance adjuster can be aggressive and difficult to deal with. Attorneys take that burden off of clients, allowing them to focus on their recovery.
- Litigate if Necessary: If a fair settlement can’t be reached, or if the circumstances otherwise require, hiring a skilled litigator is critical.
Contact Southside Injury Attorneys
If you or a loved one have been in an accident and the lack of health insurance is affecting your access to necessary medical treatment for the injuries sustained, we may be able to help. Find out more information on our Georgia car accident attorneys page today.
Call us at 866-982-5295 or visit our contact page.
References
[1] CMS. “Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA).” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 10 Sept. 2024, https://www.cms.gov/medicare/regulations-guidance/legislation/emergency-medical-treatment-labor-act. 17 Oct. 2024.
