What if I Can’t Afford to Pay My Medical Bills After a Car Accident in South Carolina?
You may feel confident that you will eventually receive compensation for your South Carolina auto accident claim. But negotiations can take time, and you may need urgent medical treatment in the meantime. What if you don’t have the necessary funds to pay for your treatment? What if you lack insurance coverage? These are perfectly legitimate questions, and you can raise them with your auto accident lawyer.
Step One: Consider Your Existing Insurance
If you have existing insurance, it’s best to rely on that until you receive compensation via your auto accident claim. Although it might seem daunting to rely so heavily on your insurance, you can inform your health care providers of your pending auto accident claim. When you receive compensation, you can use that to pay any outstanding bills you might have. Your compensation should “cancel out” any costs or penalties you might have incurred after relying on your insurance.
Step Two: Consider a Medical Lien
If you don’t have insurance or your copays are too high, there is no need to give up hope. A medical lien could provide you with access to medical care. As long as your doctors are aware of your outstanding auto accident claim, they should be able to provide treatment with the understanding that you’ll eventually pay your bills.
When you receive your compensation, your lawyer will take a percentage of the money as legal fees. There should be more than enough left over to cover your medical bills, and your lawyer can even help you negotiate positive outcomes for these medical debts. It is important to pay back these sums, as this debt can seriously affect your life in many ways.
Should I Settle My Claim to Pay My Bills Faster?
You may feel immense pressure to settle your claim in order to pay your medical bills as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, this is exactly what the insurance companies want you to do. Their business model revolves around forcing desperate people to accept lowball settlements because they cannot afford to pay their medical bills.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Before you accept a lowball settlement offer, speak with a lawyer. These legal professionals can help you assess all of your various options. You could be eligible to receive much, much more than you realize. Your case could go to trial, and while this might be time-consuming, it can lead to extremely high levels of compensation.
Can a South Carolina Auto Accident Lawyer Help Me Cover My Bills?
A South Carolina auto accident lawyer may be able to help you access the treatment you need, even if you’re not sure whether you can afford it. Lawyers often work closely with doctors to ensure adequate treatment for their clients. Your health is important, and money shouldn’t get in the way. Contact Mickelsen & Dalton, LLC to learn more about your options.
Sources:
sclawreview.org/article/collecting-medical-debt-through-south-carolinas-setoff-debt-collection-program-how-it-works-and-why-it-doesnt/
scstatehouse.gov/sess116_2005-2006/bills/3729.htm
