Who Pays for Medical Bills After a Car Accident in North Carolina?

If you or somebody you care about has sustained an injury caused by the negligence of another driver in North Carolina, you will likely be able to recover compensation for your losses. However, recovering this compensation can be challenging. We know how important it is for you to recover money to pay for your incoming medical bills after a crash occurs. Here, we want to discuss who actually pays for medical bills after a car accident in NC.

Immediate Medical Bill Coverage

Any person who sustains an injury after a vehicle accident must seek emergency medical care. There is no compromising on this matter. The health and well-being of a crash victim are of the utmost importance. This could mean taking an ambulance to the hospital or having a person drive the victim to the emergency room for medical treatment.

Even if crash injuries do not seem very severe right away, it is important for those involved to be evaluated by a doctor immediately following the incident. The signs and symptoms of some vehicle accident injuries do not appear right away. However, this does not mean they are not present. Seeking immediate medical care establishes a direct link between the crash and any injuries that occur as a result of the North Carolina car accident.

Yes, the ultimate goal is to have the other driver’s insurance carrier pay for your medical bills, but this will not happen right away. Initial medical expenses are going to be billed directly to the crash victim, and these will have to be paid out-of-pocket or through the victim’s personal insurance carrier. If the other driver was at fault for the crash, these expenses will ultimately be reimbursed by at-fault driver’s insurance carrier.

Paying for All Further Necessary Medical Care

Unfortunately, some vehicle accidents are severe enough to require substantial follow-up care. North Carolina car accident victims should continue all medical treatment until their doctor says they have reached maximum medical improvement, which means the point where any further medical treatment will not likely make a difference in their outcome. This additional medical care can include hospital stays, surgeries, prescription medications, medical devices, and physical therapy.

Follow-up care after a vehicle accident can be costly. If the other driver’s insurance carrier denies the claim, or if they refuse to offer a fair settlement, this can delay the amount of time it takes for payment to come through to cover medical bills.

In some situations, it may be necessary for a crash victim and their legal representative to speak with medical providers and ask them to continue providing care with the understanding that they will be paid out of the eventual insurance settlement or jury verdict. Sometimes, a medical provider will do this, but they may decide to place a medical lien on any eventual settlement or jury verdict.

Paying Back Your Personal Insurance Carrier

In the event a crash victim turns to their personal insurance carrier to pay medical bills while awaiting compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier, then any payments made by the personal carrier will have to be paid back. The personal insurance carrier will typically be entitled to repayment through subrogation, which means they have the right to be repaid for the dollar value they have already paid for the medical care from the final settlement or jury verdict award amount. Contact our Raleigh car accident lawyers today.