Medical Bills and Personal Injury Claims: Do You Pay With Your Settlement?

When you file a personal injury claim, you expect to receive payment for money lost due to medical bills. In general, after you receive the settlement, it makes sense to pay your bills with the amount you negotiated. In some cases, you may not have a choice. Here is what you need to know about medical costs and your settlement, whether you have insurance or you do not have insurance.

You Have Don’t Have Medical Insurance

If you do not have medical insurance, then odds are you either paid the bills out of pocket or you might have outstanding bills. The hospital can put a lien on any settlement. Your medical bills are a part of the special damages that you ask for when you go to trial. If it turns out that you win your settlement or you finish negotiations and earn compensation, you need to think about your medical bills. After all, these settlements are often to help those who are faced with financial struggle after suffering a personal injury. If you don’t have medical insurance, you should pay with the settlement.

You Have Medical Insurance

If you have medical insurance, there may be elements of your medical bills that it does not cover. Regardless of how much your insurance covers, if you do have insurance, you still have to consider paying out of your settlement. For the amount of money that your insurance paid the hospital, they can put a lien on your settlement for that money. Remember that your settlement is, in part, to pay your medical bills. A well-negotiated settlement should take into account your medical bills.

Now, if you do not happen to have any liens on your settlement, this does not mean that you should forget about it. It is still smart that you negotiate your bills and payout of the settlement. Your lawyer can even handle this part of the process for you. You do not want to hear from debt collectors later on.

When it comes to personal injury suits, part of your compensation is for your medical bills. Most people suffer great financial loss when it comes to hospital costs. You should always consider using your settlement as a way to pay off the medical bills due to the injury. In some cases, the hospital or insurance will require you to. For more information on what you need to do with your award, consult with a personal injury lawyer in Melbourne, FL today.

Thanks to the Law Offices of Arcadier, Biggie & Wood for their insight into personal injury claims and how to pay for your medical bills.