Recovering Auto Accident Medical Expenses
Recovering Medical Expenses that Result from an Auto Accident
It is not uncommon for Past, Present and Future Medical Expenses to make up a very large portion of an auto accident victim’s injury claim. An experienced auto accident attorney is vital to collect all of these losses. This page will go into some detail regarding medical expenses.
Past Medical Expenses: At the time of auto accident personal injury settlement negotiations, you will likely (but not always) have outstanding medical expenses. Medical expenses paid by your own auto insurance company under the personal injury protection (“PIP”) auto accident coverage does not amount to “out of pocket” medicals, because you do not have to pay your insurance company back for PIP provided. On the other hand, your private health insurer and other entities that paid for treatment frequently do have a right to be reimbursed under statutory rights of subrogation.
This is another example of when having an experienced Tampa Bay area automobile accident injury attorney can come be of utmost importance. At my office, we do all of our computations on a running spreadsheet that we call a “Medical Matrix.” It tells us each medical provider, how much has been paid, who paid it, how much of a lien there is, how much the client and his/her auto insurer paid, and any outstanding balance. By keeping this record, we assure ourselves that we are not overlooking an expense that the client will have to pay from the settlement proceeds.
Present and Future Medical Expenses: When a case is settled or resolved by jury verdict, you get “one bite at the apple.” Therefore, it is essential to recovery sufficient money to pay not only for your past damages, but future damages as well (there is no “re-opening” an automobile accident case later). If your doctor has rendered an opinion that you will require future care, than this becomes part of your claim. An experienced personal injury attorney will make certain that all of these things are factored into negotiations with the insurance company.
If you or a loved one has been injured, you should call me for a FREE CONSULTATION so that I can discuss the specific facts of your case with you, as well as all types of damages that you may be entitled to recover.
