If you’ve been injured in an accident in McAllen, Brownsville, Edinburg, or anywhere else
in the Rio Grande Valley, one of your biggest concerns might be how to pay for your medical bills. Even a minor accident can cause painful injuries that leave you needing
weeks of work. A more severe accident can result in long-term or permanent injuries, and
you might be out of work for months, years, or the rest of your life. That’s on top of the
mounting bills you might rack up for doctor’s appointments, surgeries, prescription meds,
physical therapy, and more.
So what are your options for paying for medical treatment after an accident?
Dr. Louis Patino, a personal injury lawyer in McAllen and founder of the Patino Law Firm,
explains how to pay for medical bills after an accident.
1. Health insurance
If you have health insurance, it may cover some or all of your medical expenses after an
accident. If your accident was someone else’s fault and you’re entitled to claim your
treatment costs from the person or party responsible, speak to your insurance provider.
They may be able to authorize payment quickly and then recover the cost from the other
party’s insurer.
2. Car insurance
A standard car insurance policy will pay for medical expenses of up to $30,000 per
person and $60,000 per accident (if more than one person is hurt), but drivers may take
out additional coverage.
By default, Texas auto insurance policies include an optional type of insurance called
Personal Injury Protection (PIP). You can only opt out of this in writing when taking out
your policy, so if you can’t remember rejecting it, you probably have PIP.
PIP can be valuable, as it covers your medical bills and 80% of your lost wages.
Companies must provide minimum coverage of $2,500, but you can usually obtain higher
limits for additional protection.
3. Workers’ compensation
If you are hurt at work, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation. This type of
insurance is optional for Texas businesses, but many purchase it, as it covers medical
bills and a portion of lost wages when employees are injured on the job. If you’re injured
at work, you should report your accident to your employer and check if they have this
insurance.
4. Personal injury claim
If your accident was wholly or largely caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be
able to file a personal injury claim. A successful claim can yield significant compensation,
but you need a strong case and evidence to prove who is at fault. A personal injury
lawyer can tell you if you have a claim and how much you might receive. For any
immediate medical bills you need to pay, an attorney can issue a letter of protection to
delay payment until you receive your settlement.
Contact Dr. Patino at https://www.patinolawoffice.com/, call 855-LAW-NINJA, or visit 1802 N 10th St, McAllen, TX 78501.
