Victims injured in a car accident may suffer a wide variety of injuries, ranging from minor bruises to serious and life changing spinal cord injuries. Oftentimes, car accident victims will need to use insurance to pay for physical or occupational therapy. Car accident victims should be able to fully recover from their accidents. Unfortunately, the costs of going to the doctor may cause many accident victims to place financial concerns before medical care. Accident victims may find that they are focused on the logistics of who owes what and to whom, instead of seeking the medical care that is needed. It is important to understand how your medical bills will be covered and this quick guide will give you information you need so that you can focus on your recovery.
At Fault Drivers Are Responsible for Medical Bills
Georgia is an at fault insurance state. This means that the driver who caused the accident is responsible for paying costs for medical and property damage resulting from the accident. This is different than no fault states where accident victims may use their own insurance coverage to cover expenses related to the accident before seeking compensation from other drivers involved in the accident.
Options for Covering Your Medical Bills
In Georgia, there are a few options for making sure you are compensate by the responsible driver:
- File a Claim with Your Own Insurance. Rather than immediately sorting things out with the other driver, you may file a claim with your own insurance company. Depending on your insurance policy, your insurance company may cover your expenses and then seek compensation from the responsible driver.
- File a Claim with the Other Driver’s Insurance. In many cases it will make sense to file a claim with the responsible driver’s insurance. An attorney can help you to determine whether or not the other driver’s policy will cover many of your expenses.
- File a Personal Injury Lawsuit. You may also file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible driver.
Figuring out the best option will depend on your injuries and the damage to your car. Speaking with an attorney will help you figure out the best course to take to ensure your medical bills are covered. The at-fault driver is responsible for compensating your medical expenses. However, it may take a while for you and the other driver to come to an agreement on compensation for your expenses and you may need to cover some medical expenses yourself. If the driver is uninsured, then under Georgia law, you may use your uninsured motorist insurance to cover your medical expenses (if you have purchased this insurance type).
Contact an Attorney
A car accident can have both a physical and financial impact on your life. Dealing with multiple insurance companies and sorting out the logistics of getting your medical expenses covered can be complicated. If you have been injured in a car accident and you are struggling to figure out payment for your medical costs, then you should contact the car accident attorneys at 1Georgia Injury Lawyers, PLLC. We can help you review the terms of your insurance policy and help you to streamline payment for your recovery. Please contact us today to schedule an initial consultation.