Navigating Medical Bills While Recovering from a Motorcycle Accident

When someone else was to blame for your motorcycle accident injuries, you may be entitled to financial compensation to cover all the damages that you have suffered, including your medical expenses. However, it can take many months or even years to get all the money you deserve. In the meantime, you may be left to pay for your portion of immense medical bills, putting you in a difficult financial situation. There are ways to navigate this situation during the legal process and before you receive a motorcycle accident settlement. A motorcycle accident lawyer from Desai Law can help guide you through this difficult situation.

We do not simply focus on financial support for the future, but also on how you get the total treatment you need during the process. There are many options for managing medical bills when someone else should ultimately cover them. Turn to Desai Law for full support from the start to finish of the process.

You May Be Facing Financial Difficulties from Medical Bills

Even with health insurance coverage, you can face a crushing financial burden due to medical bills. You will still be responsible for your portion of the medical expenses. You may need to meet your deductible or pay your own cost share through copayments. Even if your health insurance company covers most of your care, you might still have to pay a significant amount out of your own pocket. These expenses might arise when you cannot work because of your injuries, meaning you have no money coming into your account.

It will take some time for liability to be figured out after the motorcycle accident and for a settlement to be reached. Accordingly, you may need to figure out how to pay your medical expenses for an extended period of time. While you may eventually get this money back, once you receive a settlement, it does not help you foot the bills you need to pay today.

MedPay Could Cover Some of Your Medical Bills

The first place you might turn to pay medical bills for your motorcycle accident is your MedPay coverage. MedPay is an optional coverage that comes with car and motorcycle insurance policies. You must pay extra for MedPay coverage as part of your policy, as it is not mandatory. Since MedPay helps you in situations exactly like this, hopefully, you purchased the coverage when you paid for motorcycle insurance.

MedPay can cover your medical bills in the interim while waiting for a potential motorcycle accident settlement. MedPay will pay for your expenses before your health insurance coverage kicks in to pay your bills. However, you may not have a lot of MedPay coverage. The typical MedPay coverage ranges up to $10,000 (although it may be possible to pay for more MedPay coverage). In other words, your MedPay coverage can be exhausted after a day in the hospital, leaving you to look elsewhere for other ways to cover your medical bills.

Your Health Insurance Can Pay Medical Costs

Once your MedPay coverage is exhausted, you can turn to your health insurance coverage to pay for your medical bills. You will be responsible for your portion of the bills, as stated in your policy documents. Your health insurance company cannot refuse to pay for your bills on the grounds that you were riding a motorcycle at the time you were hurt. They must cover you in accordance with the policy for which you pay premiums.

You may still need to buy extra time to cover your cost share, since you will receive bills from your treatment providers. Otherwise, you may be subject to collection efforts that can destroy your credit and potentially push you to bankruptcy. You may need to negotiate with your healthcare providers to buy additional time to pay your bills. Some may allow you to wait to pay them until you receive your motorcycle accident money. Your healthcare provider may place a lien on your settlement, so they can be paid back before you receive any money. Here, a motorcycle accident attorney can be invaluable. They can speak to your healthcare providers on your behalf in the hopes of getting additional time to pay or working out an arrangement to make your life easier while waiting for your money.

Providers and Insurance Companies May Have Liens on Your Settlement

Remember that anyone who has already paid money for your medical care has the right to be paid back when you receive your motorcycle accident settlement. For example, your health insurance company will have a potential lien on your settlement before you can be paid anything yourself. They can take part of your compensation since the responsible party is the one who has the obligation to pay your medical bills.

This fact is something that you need to remember when you are negotiating a motorcycle accident settlement. If you reach an agreement that pays you too little, much of the money you get can be earmarked for your medical care. Then, you will be left with little to pay for your own expenses and damages.

Further, you also need to have an idea of your future medical costs at the time that you negotiate a motorcycle accident settlement. You only get one chance to settle a motorcycle accident case, so you need to get every dollar that is coming to you now. Otherwise, you can be in a difficult financial situation because you signed your legal rights away for less than the amount that you deserve.

Contact a Morgantown Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, you need immediate legal representation. An experienced motorcycle accident lawyer at Desai Law can take on the insurance company and anyone else trying to stand in the way of receiving full financial compensation for your injuries. You can schedule a free initial consultation with a motorcycle accident attorney by messaging us through our website or calling us today at (304) 974-1974.