Who Pays an Accident Victim’s Hospital Bills?

 Posted on September 27, 2022 in Personal Injury

If you are injured in an accident, it is critical to obtain medical treatment right away. Even if you do not think you have been injured or those injuries are minor, it is not uncommon for accident victims to have delayed or even silent symptoms. By the time these symptoms present, the victim could be facing a medical crisis or even death.

Unfortunately, many accident victims hesitate to obtain medical treatment because of the exorbitant costs. Having health insurance is no guarantee of avoiding high medical bills because many insurance plans have high deductibles and/or co-pays. In fact, medical treatments are so high that medical bills are responsible for two-thirds of all bankruptcies filed in this country.

It is important for accident victims to realize, however, that under Connecticut and New York law, if your accident was caused by the negligence of another party, that party is legally liable for all the victim’s medical bills.

Hospital Bills

When an accident victim is admitted to the hospital for treatment of their injuries, the cost of that treatment can run into the thousands. According to data gathered by the U.S. government, a three-day hospital costs approximately $30,000. That amount does not include charges for any emergency surgery the victim may need. These treatments can increase hospital bills by tens of thousands of dollars.

There are other fees that many victims find in the extensive list of charges on their hospital bills, including room charges, facility fees, administrative fees, and any other fees that hospitals can add in.

Health Insurance vs. Personal Injury Claim

While a victim’s health insurance may cover some of their medical expenses, the victim can still be left with thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs. Victims should not be responsible for these bills if the accident was caused by another party. A personal injury attorney can file an injury claim or personal injury lawsuit, depending on the circumstances of the accidents.

Most personal injury lawsuits are settled through negotiations. Your attorney can negotiate a settlement that includes past, present, and future medical expenses, as well as any other losses you have suffered as a result of your injuries. If the insurance company refuses to negotiate fairly, your attorney can pursue litigation and a jury can decide how much you are entitled to.

Call a Metro New York Accident Attorney

If you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, do not hesitate in reaching out to Ivey, Barnum & O'Mara, LLC today at 203-661-6000 to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation with one of our skilled Greenwich, CT personal injury lawyers and find out how we can help.

Sources:

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/11/this-is-the-real-reason-most-americans-file-for-bankruptcy.html

https://www.healthcare.gov/why-coverage-is-important/protection-from-high-medical-costs/