Dear Accident Lawyer,
I was in a car accident while on a date with my girlfriend for Valentine’s Day. We were on the way home from the movies when we were rear-ended in the left turn lane by a teenage girl. She admitted on the spot to texting and driving and was very apologetic. She said she didn’t see the light had turned red.
She was going fast enough that the force of the impact pushed our vehicle into the first car in stopped in the lane. At the time, we were annoyed that she had ruined our night out. But, both my girlfriend and I were feeling fine. Later that night, however, both of us started to experience bad neck pain. We went to the hospital around midnight and they recommended that we both start going to physical therapy and receive follow-up care.
My girlfriend is only 23 and still on her parent’s health insurance policy. But, I’m 26 and I just got off my parent’s medical insurance this year. I’m afraid the bills will start coming soon. What can I do to make sure it’s all taken care of?
– Drowning in Debt After an Auto Accident
Dear Drowning in Debt,
The good news is you may not have to use your health insurance at all. Assuming you had valid car insurance, you will be covered for the first $10,000 worth of treatment. Unfortunately, this can either be eaten up on one hospital visit, or last you for several months of physical therapy treatment. There is no way to know how much you have been charged unless you request your payment log from the insurance. This is a service we offer free of charge to help you know where you stand with your coverage.
However, my best advice is to push this thought of debt and money out of your head and focus on your health. This is most important. The silver lining here is that you will not have to argue with the insurance over who was at fault. You will simply be arguing over how much money you believe is fair and reasonable to compensate you for your injuries. You and your girlfriend should push each other to keep up with treatment and to not miss any scheduled visits. Report your pain to the physical therapist. Report your pain to your doctor. The more you document your injuries, the more this will benefit your claim.
Importantly, it is always wise to let an experienced injury lawyer handle your case. A local injury attorney will do the insurance communicating for you and let you focus on healing. If you or your girlfriend, or both of you would like to come in and clear up any other questions you may have, please feel free to call one of our local office in Morehead, Mt. Sterling, and Owingsville. We will set up a time for you to come and meet with an attorney for free. Do not wait until it is too late. The sooner you have an experienced attorney on your side, the better.
Best,
