Who Pays the Medical Bills After a Boston Car Accident?
When a car accident takes place, the injured victim can be left wondering what to do next. As they’re in the hospital waiting to be treated, they’re speculating how they are going to possibly cover all these medical expenses, even if they have insurance.
After an accident like this one, it’s natural to not know the answers to all the questions right away. One of the first things that you should be aware of is who will be responsible for the medical bills caused by a car crash. An experienced Boston car accident attorney can help you along the way.
How often do car accidents happen in MA?
All across Massachusetts, there are bound to be several car crashes observed. With so many urban cities, downtown areas, and universities, it’s no wonder that there were over 120,000 reported crashes in 2022 alone. Of these, 416 fatalities were involved. In 2017, the top three counties with the most car crashes were Middlesex, Norfolk, and Suffolk. These accidents are no surprise considering that all three counties have at least over 700,000 residents.
These accidents are expensive. Of all car crashes reported in 2017, the ones resulting in fatalities involved over $14,480,000 in costs, even though they only accounted for 0.2% of all car crashes in Massachusetts that year. A fatality entails heavy vehicle expenses and countless medical bills that could reach millions, depending on how severe the accident was. As common as they may be in these counties, car accidents occur throughout MA much too often, even in rural parts. Contacting an attorney before moving on to the next steps after an accident is one of the most important things an injured victim can do.
Is Massachusetts a no-fault or fault state?
States can be either no-fault or at-fault, or sometimes both. A state that is at-fault means that the driver who is responsible for causing the accident is the one that must pay for the injured party’s damages. A no-fault state is one in which an injured party must file a claim with their own insurance company for the costs caused by the accident. It does not matter who was at fault in these states. These states require that all drivers carry at least their stated limit of the minimum amount possible of personal injury protection, or PIP, which is $8,000.
Massachusetts is a no-fault state. Like with the 11 other states that are also no-fault, there are both advantages and disadvantages to this concept. Drivers ride around with more peace of mind since they know their medical expenses will be covered by their insurance company (for the most part) after an accident. The downside to this is that there will always be a monthly premium to pay – which could be expensive. The time in which the injured party receives their payout is normally much faster. Although the personal injury part is no-fault, any property damage is still fault-based. If another party damages your vehicle, then they are responsible for covering those costs.
As mentioned, as MA is a no-fault state, the one responsible for covering the injured victim’s medical bills is their health insurance company. They should be able to quickly pay for some or all their medical expenses, without considering the person at fault. Your bills should be covered up to the limit of your coverage. However, if the medical expenses are higher than those of the limits, the injured victim will typically be responsible for the difference. Another option would be to reach out to the responsible driver’s insurance company for any liability coverage they may have. A seasoned attorney will be able to assist you in fighting for them to cover the medical bills left unpaid. Many health insurances offer the option of Med Pay, which is optional and comes at an extra premium but may be helpful in some cases. Med Pay kicks in after the PIP has been exhausted and can help cover more medical bills.
How much can car accident medical bills be?
Car accidents can leave victims with costly injuries that will have them worrying if their insurance company will even cover everything. Numerous types of injuries can come from these incidents, such as bone fractures, road rashes, bruising, lacerations, brain injuries, paralysis, and more. All types of treatment for these injuries can range so greatly that there is truly no average number to provide for this. Important things to consider are a trip in the ambulance from the scene to the hospital, how much an Emergency Room visit costs, the price for every nurse and specialist that attends to your different types of wounds, the medications and interventions involved, and much more. Considering all of this, it’s important to keep in mind that a simple car crash opens the individual up to a world of potential injuries and pain. Car accidents are unpredictable, and even something as simple as a “fender-bender” could end up in a traumatic brain injury that can easily rack up thousands of dollars in medical expenses.
Car accidents can be tragic and leave a victim feeling confused and overwhelmed. Suddenly, there are countless medical bills on your hands on top of other expenses. Don’t let insurance companies and the responsible party pressure you into thinking you have to pay for everything. Contact the experienced Boston car accident attorneys today at Breakstone, White, & Gluck. No matter the situation, we will work to ensure that your rights are protected, and you are justly compensated for your losses. Call our office or complete our contact form for a free, no-obligation consultation.