Medical Bills from Minnesota Accident — Who Pays?
Who pays the medical bills after you were injured in an accident? Also, what about your lost income from missed time at work? Our Minnesota personal injury lawyers answer these questions every day. We help people get their medical bills paid and recover lost wages after an accident. Here is an overview of how to get medical bills paid after an accident. These are the most common situations seen by our attorneys.
WHO PAYS MEDICAL BILLS AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT
If you are injured in a motor vehicle accident in Minnesota, YOUR automobile insurance company is responsible for paying your initial medical bills. This is true even if you have health insurance coverage. MN No-Fault law requires that your auto insurance pay your medical bills even if the other driver was at fault.
Also, your own auto insurance pays your medical bills even if you are a passenger in someone else’s vehicle. See What are ‘No-Fault’ Benefits? However, what if you are a passenger in someone else’s car and you don’t own your own vehicle? In that situation, the medical bills will be paid by the automobile insurance of a relative you live with. As a last resort, medical bills will be paid by the insurance for the car you were in at the time of the crash.
Unfortunately, the medical insurance from your automobile policy is usually limited to $20,000. This means that if you have a more serious car accident with higher medical bills, you will also need to have access to health insurance. If the other driver is at fault, their insurance will ultimately have to pay these excess medical bills by repaying your health insurance or paying the bills directly. But this doesn’t happen until the final settlement of your case. Car accident injury cases are the cases our lawyers handle most frequently.
MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT MEDICAL BILLS
If your injury occurs while you are on a motorcycle, you may or may not have medical coverage from your motorcycle policy. Unfortunately, No-Fault insurance is not mandatory for motorcycles. Therefore, whether you have medical coverage on your motorcycle depends on whether you purchased it as part of your insurance policy.
If you do not have medical coverage as part of your motorcycle insurance, you can still get your medical bills paid through your own health insurance. Ultimately, the liability insurance of the driver of the car that hit you will pay. Our attorneys represent many people injured in a motorcycle accident every year.
WHO PAYS MEDICAL BILLS AFTER A WORK ACCIDENT
If you are injured while you are on the job, your employer’s workers compensation insurance must pay your medical bills. However, some work injury cases are caused by a third party. (A “third party” is someone not related to your employer). For example, if you are delivering pizza and you are rear ended. Likewise, if you are injured by a defective machine at work. In those cases, you have an additional claim that our lawyers can help you with. Also, your employer’s workers compensation insurance will be repaid out of your future settlement with the third party.
WHO PAYS MEDICAL BILLS AFTER A SLIP AND FALL ACCIDENT OR OTHER ACCIDENT ON SOMEONE’S PROPERTY
If you were injured on someone else’s property, your health insurance will most likely be required to initially pay your medical bills. However, you may still have a compensation claim against the property owner or other responsible party. In those circumstances, your health insurance also has the right to obtain reimbursement from the person or business that caused your injury. The reimbursement will come out of your settlement.
It is also possible that the property owner has “medical payment coverage” through their homeowners insurance or general liability insurance. This may pay a limited amount of your medical bills as well.
If you do not have health insurance, you may be able to qualify for state medical benefits – even if you are employed. For more information, check out the Minnesota Department of Human Services at www.dhs.state.mn.us.
EXPERIENCED INJURY LAWYERS
You may be entitled to other medical benefits. For more information about what medical benefits may be available to you after you have been injured in an accident, call us. An experienced personal injury lawyer will answer your questions. Our lawyers have more than 25 years of experience. We have successfully handled hundreds of accident injury cases throughout Minnesota.
Pam Rochlin or David Rochlin will discuss your case with you and explain your rights, including how to get your medical bills paid from the accident. There is no obligation on your part. Further, we always only charge a percentage of the compensation you receive from the other party’s insurance.
You can discuss how to get your accident medical bills paid with an attorney at our offices in Minneapolis, Edina, Woodbury, and St. Louis Park. A lawyer will also meet you to discuss accident-related medical bills and other issues related to your injury case at your home in St. Paul, Roseville, White Bear Lake, Brooklyn Park, or Maple Grove. Also, Rogers, Elk River, Chanhassen, Chaska, Prior Lake, Apple Valley, Burnsville, and other cities throughout Minnesota.