Responsibility for car accident medical bills can fall on numerous parties. The driver responsible for causing the accident, either party’s insurance company or even a third party can be held liable for an injured party’s medical expenses. Below is an explanation of who can be liable for medical bills and the circumstances in which they are commonly found liable.
The Other Party’s Insurance Company
If it is clear that fault for the auto accident rests entirely on the other party’s shoulders, his insurance company can be held responsible for paying the other party’s medical bills. This is most common in when the claimed medical bills are not very large and there is no indication that the injured party, a third party or any other insurance company could be identified as needing to pay for all or part of the bills.
The Responsible Party
If the responsible party is uninsured or did not carry insurance coverage high enough to pay for all of the injured party’s bills, it is quite possible that he will be found responsible for paying those expenses. Courts seek to place an injured party in the position he or she was in prior to being injured in the accident. Therefore, it is irrelevant to them that the responsible party has no funds available for use to compensate the other party.
The Injured Party’s Insurance Company
Quite possibly responsibility for paying the injured party’s medical bills will fall to his medical or auto insurance company, or even both. This is the case when the party requires immediate care and utilizes either or both insurance policies to assist him with the cost of his treatment or when the other party is uninsured. In this situation, the insurance company would then sue the party responsible for causing the accident or his insurance company for reimbursement for the expenses.
The Injured Party
A party injured in an auto accident that does not have insurance or who is unable to show a causal connection between accident and injury may need to pay his own medical bills. This is most common when the party never files a claim for reimbursement or his claim is denied.
A Third Party
If what caused the accident was the behavior or activities of a third party, that party may be responsible for paying medical bills. An example of this is when a property owner does not maintain the driving surfaces on his land and two cars collide. Even though the property owner was not involved directly in the crash, his failure to maintain the roadways was a factor in the accident; therefore, he may be held liable for the injuries and medical bills stemming from the accident.
Getting Legal Help
If you have been involved in a car accident and are unsure who is responsible for paying medical bills, seek legal advice. A lawyer will review the laws and the facts of the accident and discuss with you the parties that could potentially be found to have some responsibility for the injured party’s medical bills.
