Bronx Medical Bills: How to Manage

If you have been injured in a car accident, your medical care is a top priority. Whether you travel to the emergency room in an ambulance or visit your own doctor in the Bronx, serious injuries require attention from medical professionals. Paying for that care, however, can quickly become a major concern – and many accident victims are confused about how to manage the countless medical bills after a collision.

First, you must get the treatment you need – and you must document that treatment. The paper trail of medical reports from any doctors you visit will be invaluable information for any personal injury case. Even if you aren’t certain yet whether you plan to file a lawsuit, you need to keep track of all medical documents for your own benefit.

If you have health insurance, it’s fine to use your insurance when you are seeking care – just understand that if you do receive a settlement later, you may have to pay back your health insurance company for bills they covered. Keep in mind that your health insurance company is different than the auto insurance company (either yours or the other driver’s) and they may wish to be reimbursed for costs if you receive compensation. Also keep in mind that a claim for No-Fault auto insurance benefits must be filed within 30 days of the accident or your medical bills and lost earnings may not be paid.

If you don’t have insurance and you are hesitant to seek care because you can’t pay for it, please remember that an emergency room cannot refuse you treatment because of any lack of insurance. Any bills from the ER will be sent to you later, at which point we can help contact the hospital you visited to advise of your impending legal action – most billing departments would rather wait for payment than issue a collection notice. If you are having trouble finding a specialist to see you without insurance, we may be able to help – often, doctors will work with you on a payment plan if they know you are expecting a settlement and will be able to pay your full bill at a later time.

Do not sign any documents from an auto insurance company that ask you to provide details about your medical bills without first consulting an attorney. You may visit your doctor and receive an initial diagnosis, and then weeks later discover that your injury is much more serious. If you accept payment from the auto insurance company based upon the initial diagnosis, you may not be able to collect any further compensation – and you could be left with much higher medical bills to cover on your own.

Serious Bronx car accidents can produce serious injuries, and dealing with the resulting medical bills can be overwhelming. You can manage the medical bills, however, if you remember to:

1.  Get treatment – no matter what!
2.  Document everything;
3.  Don’t sign anything without speaking to an attorney;
4.  Consult one of our attorneys for a full assessment of your legal options.

When you’ve suffered serious injury as a result of a car accident, you need the Bronx, New York lawyers of Schwartzapfel Partners P.C. at your side. With more than 150 years of combined experience, our attorneys are well-prepared to handle all your legal needs.

Call our Bronx, New York car accident attorneys today at 1-800-966-4999 or use our convenient online contact form for a free case evaluation. You can also reach our office by calling 1-718-537-7070 or click here for a map to our Bronx, New York office, located at 888 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451. At Schwartzapfel Partners P.C.,we will fight for you!