One of the first things most accident victims think about is how they’re going to be able to pay their medical bills. Those medical expenses just keep piling up after your personal injury incident. and it’s not at all uncommon for people to start to panic. It really doesn’t matter how they were hurt. Whether it was a bicycle accident, a slip and fall or something else. Victims typically worry that they’ll never be able to catch up.
At The Eberst Law Firm, we have a team of attorneys who believe injury victims already have enough on their plate. They shouldn’t stress out over how their medical expenses will be paid after suffering a personal injury. If you’ve been hurt due to the negligence of someone else, we will fight on your behalf to make sure you get all the compensation you deserve. Money that will pay for your medical bills and more.
The following is a look at some of the factors that will go into determining how much your medical bills will eventually be. If you would like to learn more about how we may be able to help, please contact us online or give us a call at (888) CALL-JON to schedule a free consultation.
Long-Term Medical Costs
Unfortunately, there are many instances where an accident will result in an injury that can lead to decades of suffering and debilitation. Some people are hurt so severely that they will need care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For the rest of their lives. This, of course, will result in astronomically high medical bills.
But those bills will not only include the cost of hospital stays, surgeries and medications. There’s also the chance that a victim may need ongoing physical therapy. Or they might need special accommodations just to get around their home. A skilled attorney will take all of these considerations into account when determining how much money to demand from the insurance company that covers the negligent party.
Factors that Affect the Calculation of Your Medical Expenses
As you might expect, there are many different factors that will play a role in determining how high your medical bills will get.
The first is the cost of medical care that is available in your area. If you have to go to a specialist, that will cost more than if you only had a broken arm. Another factor will be how much your care will cost as the years go by. If you’ve suffered an injury that will affect you for as long as you live, the cost of medical care in general – like everything else – is going to go up. Your attorney will also have to factor in the likelihood of inflation. And how that will factor into what your ultimate expenses will be.
Finally, the severity of your injury, as well as your long-term prognosis, will also be considered. If someone has a severe spinal cord injury that will lead to paralysis, their medical expenses will obviously cost more than someone with a less severe personal injury that’s going to heal completely in a few weeks or months.
Factors that Limit Damages You can be Compensated For
But those are only the factors that will determine your expenses. The amount you eventually receive will depend a great deal on whether or not you were partially to blame for the accident. Florida is a “comparative negligence” state. That basically means your compensation will be reduced depending on the amount of blame you’re assigned.
Let’s consider an example. Say you were assessed 40% of the blame. Your medical bills are $100,000. Because of your comparative negligence, 40% your damages will be reduced by 40%. Instead of being compensated $100,000, you’ll receive $60,000. This is just one of the many reasons you’re going to need an experienced personal injury attorney. So that you can obtain full and fair compensation for your injuries and losses. Your legal representative can investigate your accident. And they’ll uncover the evidence needed to show you weren’t to blame.
Who Will Pay My Medical Expenses After a Personal Injury?
In the meantime, you’re probably wondering how the bills you’re accumulating will be paid as your case moves forward.
Florida is known as a “no fault” state when it comes to insurance. This simply means that an accident injury victim will go through their own auto insurance to pay their bills first. This applies regardless of who is to blame.
Unfortunately, most people have vehicle insurance policies that have a $10,000 limit when it comes to paying medical expenses, as well as lost wages. This is known as PIP (personal injury protection). If you’ve been severely hurt, your bills are going to be much higher.
So, what happens then? Well, some people have auto policies that have an additional feature, known as med pay (medical payments) coverage. This add-on will pay for bills that PIP doesn’t cover. But the most that med pay will cover is typically $25,000. A lot of med pay policies have limits that are much smaller. They may range between $1,000 and $5,000.
What’s the next option? Once your PIP and medpay coverage are exhausted, your health insurance will take over. However, that could come with hefty deductibles. An attorney with The Eberst Law Firm can help your explore your options in detail.
Why Do I Need to Keep This Information in Mind Throughout the Recovery Process?
It’s critically important that you keep in mind that your medical care could very well last for several years. You may get a settlement offer from an insurance company. But that will probably only account for your short-term care. If you accept that offer, you’ll be responsible for any other expenses that you incur. An attorney can help you avoid making this mistake. One that could haunt you for the rest of your life.
Call Eberst Law Firm to Speak with an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
The personal injury attorneys at The Eberst Law Firm will be happy to tell you more about how we can calculate your medical expenses. Both your current and future medical costs, along with other losses you’ve incurred. If you choose us to represent you, we will work tirelessly to make sure you get the compensation you have coming.
If you would like a free review of your case, just use our online contact form or give us a call at (888) CALL-JON.
