Who Pays My Medical Bills After a Texas Truck Accident?
June 11, 2021
Even after a truck accident, when victims are suffering from debilitating injuries, sometimes their biggest concern is their accumulation of medical bills. Healing should be a victim’s first priority, but it’s hard to blame them for worrying about their finances. According to a research study by University of Georgia scientists, a financial crisis can cause just as much mental distress as physical pain, even 30 years later. But are Texas truck accident victims even responsible for paying their medical bills if they weren’t at fault for the crash?
Who is Responsible for Medical Bill Payment After a Truck Accident in Texas?
You may have heard that if another party was responsible for causing your truck accident they must pay for your medical bills. However, the medical care you receive after a truck accident is your financial responsibility. Many people opt to pay for their medical treatment with a combination of insurance benefits and out-of-pocket expenditures.
One way to pay your medical bills is to file a claim against your personal injury protection (PIP) policy. In Texas, insurers are required to offer PIP. You may have coverage under a PIP policy unless you expressly declined it. Your PIP will cover your medical bills up to the limits of your plan while the claim against the negligent driver is pending.
If you do not have PIP coverage, your health insurance should pay for many of your medical bills after an accident. However, truck accidents often result in severe injuries that exceed the limits of victims’ policies. If this is the case for you, you will want to file a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance to recoup your losses.
How To Recover Compensation for Medical Bills After a Texas Truck Accident
After a truck accident, you may be contacted by the other driver’s insurance agency. If this happens, you do not have any obligation to speak to them. Should you choose to discuss the matter with a claims adjuster, do not discuss fault or provide any recorded statements until you have secured legal representation for yourself.
A Texas truck accident attorney will work to make sure that you can receive all of the medical treatment you will need to make a full recovery. Your legal team will conduct an independent investigation into your truck accident to establish all of the possible contributing factors in your crash and determine liability.
Once negligence has been proven, your attorney will pursue the negligent party’s insurance carrier for compensation of your medical bills on your behalf. Your truck accident attorney can do this by drafting a letter to request payment from the at-fault party’s insurance for the sum of your medical bills and any other losses you may have incurred, such as mental distress or property damage. Should their insurance company return with a low settlement offer, your lawyer will negotiate for a fairer settlement on your behalf.
If a settlement agreement cannot be reached between your attorney and the at-fault driver’s insurance company, your case may need to be finalized in court. However, most Texas truck accidents are able to be settled out-of-court.
Victims of truck accidents who suffer injuries due to the negligence of another party have rights under Texas state law and may choose to seek legal assistance from a Texas truck accident attorney. An experienced truck accident lawyer can protect those rights.