Health Insurance in St. Louis County Motorcycle Accidents
Health insurance often plays a crucial role in the aftermath of a motorcycle crash, as the injured party seeks physical and emotional recovery. Reliable insurance coverage can help offset the medical expenses an injured party may incur, but an individual without health insurance may be overwhelmed by the costs.
If you are suffering from the effects of a St. Louis County motorcycle accident, a skilled lawyer could help you address any issues involving your health insurance or lack thereof. A legal professional could ensure that your medical bills are handled efficiently and even help you receive financial compensation to offset your recovery costs through a settlement with an insurance company.
Dealing with Health Insurance After an Accident
The first thing an injured party should do after their motorcycle crash is to obtain copies of their health insurance policy and provide them to their lawyer. A lawyer could use this information to determine whether their health insurance plan falls under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and if they are therefore entitled to reimbursement from the personal injury settlement.
A skilled attorney in the area could also reach out to their health insurance company to obtain copies of the insurance policy and any other information they may need. An injured party should not sign any documents until they have had their lawyer review them in advance.
If a person does not have health insurance and is injured in a motorcycle accident in St. Louis County, there are still available options to avoid paying an unreasonable amount. Instead of attempting to pay their medical bills right away, they could wait to submit them. The unpaid medical bills increase the value of their personal injury case. The medical providers would then place a lien on their case, meaning they will not be paid until the case has resolved either through trial or settlement. An attorney could provide valuable information to anyone facing this health insurance issue in the aftermath of their motorcycle accident and help them reach a favorable outcome.
Benefits of Health Insurance in Motorcycle Crash Cases
Although there are several benefits to not submitting their medical bills to health insurance after a motorcycle crash, it can also be helpful for an injured party to have their health insurance pay their medical bills. This could give an accident victim peace of mind knowing that they do not have any outstanding medical bills while their case is pending, and they can avoid interactions with debt collectors. Having health insurance can also give a person injured in a motorcycle crash access to treatments that may not be otherwise available.
Health Insurance Settlements
In some motorcycle accident cases, when the plaintiff submits their medical bills to their health insurance for payment, the insurance companies will reach out to the plaintiff and the auto insurance companies to seek reimbursement for the medical bills they paid on the plaintiff’s behalf.
However, not all health insurance plans are legally entitled to reimbursement for payments they have made. ERISA plans are the key exceptions. These policies are federally protected and legally entitled to reimbursement for any paid medical bills. Many lawyers refer to these types of plans as super lien, meaning they take precedent over most other liens.
Health insurance companies tend to accept a fraction of what they actually paid to the health care providers, so it can be critical for an injured party to have a local lawyer at their side to negotiate the lien on their behalf and ensure that they receive compensation.
A St. Louis County Motorcycle Accident Attorney Could Address Your Health Insurance Issues
Handling health insurance issues after a motorcycle accident is a complex process, and it can be even more overwhelming to negotiate with an insurance company completely on your own. An injured person should seek legal representation as soon as possible after their crash, so that they can learn how to avoid the most common mistakes.
Having a skilled lawyer advocating for your rights in your St. Louis County motorcycle accident case could help you navigate the complicated legal proceedings surrounding health insurance and allow you to get the most money out of your settlement. Call today to schedule a consultation and get started on your claim.