Car accidents are a common cause of severe injuries and death in Florida. Something that happens in a split second can have effects that last for years. After an auto accident, you may be left with severe physical, financial, and emotional damage.

Your medical bills will constitute a significant part of the damages. Depending on the severity of the accident and the extent of your injuries, you may incur thousands of dollars in medical expenses.

While you come to terms with the impact of a car accident and nurse your injuries, the thought of how to cover your medical expenses will always be lingering in your mind. Although Florida is a no-fault state, there are times when another party must pay for your medical bills.

Having your medical bills paid will involve filing claims with your insurance company or even filing a personal injury claim to recover compensation for the bills from another person’s insurer. Therefore, seeking legal guidance is critical.

Paying your Medical Expenses after a Car Accident in Florida

The medical expenses you incur after a car accident can affect your finances. Most victims of car accidents in Florida turn to insurance companies to cover their medical expenses. These insurance covers fall into two different categories:

  • Purchased insurance coverage. You or another person can buy insurance coverage to help with medical expenses in case of an accident. With such an insurance policy, you must pay monthly premiums. Some insurance covers are mandatory for motorists in Florida, while others are voluntary.
  • Liability insurance. You do not have to purchase an insurance policy to pay your medical bills after an accident. Most accidents in Florida result from negligence by another motorist or road user. Therefore, it is logical that you will file a lawsuit against the person responsible for the accident. Part of the compensation you could recover from your lawsuit will include medical expenses.

Some of the ways you can have your medical expenses covered after your accident include:

Personal Injury Protection Coverage

Personal injury protection coverage is one of the most effective ways to get your medical bills paid after an accident. Florida is a no-fault state; this means that your auto insurance provider is responsible for paying all or most of your medical expenses after an accident, regardless of where the fault lies.

As a motorist in Florida, you are legally obligated to purchase and carry basic auto insurance. After your accident and injuries, you are required to seek the PIP for payment of your medical bills. Personal injury protection coverage will cover up to 80% of your medical expenses and compensate you for other damages, like lost wages.

As a police officer, you can choose to have a personal insurance policy for yourself or have it cover your entire family. After an accident, a PIP will help you pay for bills like medical prescriptions, diagnostic tests, ambulance fees, and surgical treatments. You must pay the rest if your expenses exceed the amount covered by your insurance.

You will be eligible to have your medical expenses covered by PIP if you seek medical care within two weeks of your crash. Please do this to ensure you have the right to this coverage. The process of claiming payment of your medical expenses by your personal injury coverage includes:

  • Report the collision. While you must prioritize your well-being after an accident by seeking immediate medical attention, you should report the accident quickly. You can do this by contacting your insurance provider. While speaking to the insurance company, you should inform them of your intention to file a claim.
  • Ask for a claim number. When your intentions for filing a claim are known to the insurer, you can request to be provided with a claim number. You can contact the claim office and speak with the insurance adjuster handling your case at this number. You can ask the insurance adjuster to provide a PIP application form and a physician's report.
  • Complete the application. In your PIP application form, you must provide additional details about the accident. Additionally, you can ask your attending physician to complete the physician report. This indicates the extent and type of injuries you suffered. From the physician report, the insurance company will ascertain the treatments you underwent and the amount used for treatment.
  • Authorize direct billing to the PIP. After submitting the claim form and your physician's report, you can provide your healthcare provider with the name and number of the insurance adjuster and authorize the medical expenses to be billed directly to the PIP.

Contrary to popular belief, PIP insurance is not similar to MedPay. With personal injury protection coverage, your medical bills can be paid regardless of the number of accidents you get into. This is because the system will reset each time the claim is settled.

Health Insurance

Health insurance policies are designed to protect families from the financial burden related to medical expenses. Health insurance coverage will help you pay for doctor visits, prescription medications, diagnostic testing, and continued treatment. The amount of coverage you receive from your health insurance will depend on your policy.

If you are injured in an auto accident in Florida, you should allow your health insurance to cover your medical expenses. Most health insurance policies have language that entitles you to a claim after an accident. A health insurance policy is one that you must pay monthly to receive payment when medical expenses arise.

However, you can only use your medical insurance coverage for an accident in Florida once you have exhausted your personal injury protection coverage. Therefore, PIP will cover your bills up to the allowed limit, after which you can explore your medical insurance.

In this case, you can follow the proper claim process. Dealing with a health insurance claim after an accident can be a challenging experience. This is because you may be dealing with severe injuries where focusing on your health is critical. Some of the steps you can take when seeking payment for medical expenses arising from an accident include:

  • Review your insurance policy. Different health insurance policies limit what they can cover for a policyholder after an accident. Reviewing your policy will help you understand the coverage expenses and ensure that you adhere to the deadlines for filing the claim.
  • Gather relevant evidence. When presenting a health insurance claim, you must have evidence of the injuries and the amount you spent to treat the injuries. This can be done by documenting all your injuries and treatments.

If you are an accident victim in Florida, you must understand your rights and responsibilities. This includes providing the correct information to insurance companies and receiving benefits when your PIP can no longer pay the expenses.

Medical Payment Coverage

Another available option to pay your medical expenses after a car accident in Florida is through medical payment coverage, commonly known as medical pay. Medical payment coverage is an optional type of insurance coverage designed to help pay for medical expenses related to collisions in the state.

A MedPay insurance policy significantly adds to your personal injury protection coverage in Florida. If you or a loved one suffers severe injuries in a car collision, MedPay helps cover the out-of-pocket expenses that other insurance policies would not cover.

Unlike PIP coverage, MedPay will only cover your medical bills, including hospital stays, surgical procedures, prescription medication, and other procedures. Additionally, your bills for continued follow-ups, dental treatments, and prosthetic devices for injuries resulting from your accident can be covered by MedPay.

Since MedPay is an optional cover, there is no minimum coverage needed. The amount of coverage you will need for such an insurance policy will vary depending on your medical needs. Additionally, the presence of pre-existing conditions that could worsen after a minor accident could dictate the coverage you need to obtain. Other factors that you can consider when obtaining coverage include:

  • Your health insurance covers. If you have general health insurance coverage that could cover accident-related expenses, you will not need MedPay coverage.
  • While MedPay is an affordable addition to your insurance coverage, you must consider your budget before selecting your coverage limits.

Like PIP, medical payment coverage is no-fault coverage, meaning that the benefits will be provided to you regardless of where the fault for your accident lies. This helps you cover your medical expenses quickly without waiting for the court to determine fault for the accident in a lawsuit.

If you had passengers in your vehicle during the collision, your medical Payments Coverage can cover their medical expenses. However, you must understand that the coverage for MedPay is limited, and you cannot rely on it entirely to cover the costs of your medical bills after an accident. Additionally, medical payment coverage is optional, and you will shoulder the burden of paying for the coverage.

Worker’s Compensation

If you suffer a car accident injury while on work duty, you can file a worker's compensation claim to help cover your medical bills. All employers must have worker’s compensation insurance coverage, which helps pay for damages if their employee is injured.

Seeking compensation through a worker’s compensation claim will not prevent you from filing a personal injury claim against the person responsible for your accident and injuries. After your auto accident, your medical bills can be paid through the worker’s compensation scheme when you meet the following criteria:

  • You suffered a car accident while working within the scope of your employment.
  • You were injured while working and not when going or coming out of work during your own time. This means you should have been traveling as part of your job or while operating a company vehicle.

Paying your medical expenses with worker’s compensation can be an uphill journey. This is because some employers will dispute your claim that your injuries occurred while you were on a work assignment. You can avoid a denial by hiring and retaining a competent personal injury attorney to guide you through the claim. Your lawyer will ensure that you file your claim within the acceptable deadlines and submit relevant evidence for your claim.

Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit

While some car accidents result from unavoidable circumstances like poor weather conditions, negligence from road users is a significant cause of collisions in Florida. If you are injured in an accident caused by driver error or negligence, you can file a personal injury lawsuit against the person responsible.

When your injuries from an auto accident are severe, you may have a pile of medical bills even after the PIP and health insurance have covered their limits. Fortunately, filing a lawsuit can allow you to recover different forms of compensation, including payment of your medical bills. Filing a personal injury lawsuit against the person liable for your accident may be a complicated process that requires expert legal guidance.

The steps to filing your claim include:

  • Seek medical attention after the accident.
  • Gather relevant evidence, including photographs and videos of the accident scene. The police report from your collision and your medical report may also be critical evidence in your claim.
  • File a lawsuit in court.
  • Recover compensation.

Find a Competent Personal Injury Attorney Near Me

Suffering an injury in a car accident can be a painful and traumatizing experience. The accident may not only leave you with emotional trauma but also severe physical injuries. Seeking medical care is a critical step when you are involved in an accident. For this reason, your medical bills will accumulate when emergency responders arrive at the accident scene.

Understanding the proper channels to pay these expenses is critical. All motorists in Florida are obligated to carry minimum insurance coverage. Florida, being a no-fault state, may be required to claim payment of medical expenses from your insurer. At the same time, you figure out the cause of the accident and claim compensation from the insurance of the person who caused your accident.

The process of recovering compensation after an accident can be daunting. At Jacksonville Personal Injury Attorney, we offer expert legal insight for all our clients seeking compensation after an accident in Jacksonville, FL. Call us at 904-800-7557 today to discuss your case details.