If you were hurt in a car crash, slip and fall or other type of incident caused by another person’s negligence, you may be eligible for compensation for your damages.

However, any compensation you are awarded will not be paid out until the end of the claim. You may need to pay your medical expenses while your claim is being processed and your attorney is negotiating for fair compensation.  The attorneys at Goldberg & Finnegan, LLC can help you coordinate the various sources of payment available to you in order to maximize your recovery.

Below, learn more about some of the options for paying medical expenses while your attorney pursues compensation.

Health Insurance

If you have health insurance, you may be able to use it to pay for medical treatment. This will help prevent medical bills from going to collection, which can damage your credit and lead to a lot of stress and anxiety because of calls from bill collectors.

The insurance company may be entitled to reimbursement for its costs if you receive compensation from your injury claim. This is called subrogation.

If you hire an experienced personal injury lawyer, he or she can negotiate with the insurance company on the amount that must be reimbursed.

PIP Insurance

Another option for paying for your accident-related medical expenses is through your car insurance personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. PIP coverage pays for medical bills and lost income from an accident, no matter who was at fault.

Most PIP policies provide $2,500 in coverage, but some may provide up to $10,000 in coverage.  In Maryland, it is possible to coordinate your PIP coverage and your available health insurance coverage to maximize your recovery.

You can make a PIP claim even if you later decide to make a claim against the at-fault party.

You will not be required to pay your insurance company back with any funds you receive from a settlement of an injury claim.  Further, your insurance company cannot raise your rates during your policy period for making a PIP claim where you are not at fault in causing the accident.

Maryland’s Collateral Source Rule

Maryland’s collateral source rule allows injury victims to collect compensation from an injury claim even if they used insurance to cover those expenses. The at-fault party is prohibited from telling the jury your expenses have already been paid. You are also still allowed to claim the full value of your expenses in your injury claim.

For example, if you filed an insurance claim for $10,000 and the health insurance company has an agreement with the hospital to pay $8,000, you can still request $10,000 in compensation in a personal injury claim or lawsuit. You will probably still be required to reimburse your health insurance company for the amounts it paid.

The at-fault party will not be responsible for paying your medical bills on an ongoing basis. If your lawyer recovers a settlement, it will be for current and future expenses. The settlement will also likely release the at-fault party from further liability related to this accident.

That is why it is so important to allow a licensed attorney to review your claim so he or she can determine the full extent of your damages. The insurance company will likely offer a quick settlement to save itself money, but this will likely be for far less than your claim is worth.

Contact Goldberg Finnegan for Assistance with an Injury Claim

If you were injured in an accident caused by negligence, contact our experienced Silver Spring personal injury lawyers for a free consultation.

We have a proven track record of obtaining compensation for injury victims. The consultation with our attorneys is free of charge and comes with no obligation to take legal action. We do not get paid unless you receive compensation at the end of the legal process.