If you’ve suffered injuries in an auto accident due to another’s fault, your medical bills are recoverable.
A California personal injury claim includes medical expenses, such as doctor visits, hospital bills, and surgery costs.
An auto accident can result in severe injuries with drastic consequences for you and your family members’ daily lives.
Contact a personal injury attorney to pursue compensation for your losses and get on the road to recovery.
California Is a Fault-Based Auto Accident State
In a fault-based auto accident state like California, each insurance company covers the costs of damages caused by their insured. These include medical bills and property damage.
The degree of fault of each party determines settlement terms. Therefore, in California, the person who negligently causes an accident or injury pays all necessary and reasonable medical expenses.
When in an accident in California, it’s important to get the other party’s information, including their driver license and insurance company name and policy number. You should also take pictures of the scene if you are able to do so. Go to the hospital and be checked even if you don’t feel any signs of injury.
With some insurance companies, obtaining prompt medical care is essential to a successful claim for damages covered by the policy. Some auto insurance companies may claim that your failure to seek medical attention after an accident is a basis to deny your claim.
If you suffer injuries, contact the insurance company once you begin any treatment for your injuries.
If you don’t know who is at fault, your attorney can help you investigate. If fault is not apparent at the scene of the accident, police may assign fault at a later date.
Your attorney can review the police report and other evidence from the accident scene to help you determine whether you have a negligence claim against the other party.
Does the At-Fault Party Have to Pay Your Medical Bills in California?
Depending on who is determined to be at fault, your medical expenses may be paid by:
- The at-fault party;
- A responsible company; or
- The at-fault party’s insurance company.
In a fault state like California, you do not submit a claim for accident injuries through your own car insurance.
Instead, you need to file a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company. Therefore, the person at-fault will be the one paying the damages in a personal injury claim.
However, receiving settlement proceeds can often take a substantial amount of time.
Unfortunately, this means that any medical bills you incur are your responsibility. Although you will receive damages to cover medical costs, settlement of a personal injury lawsuit is not immediate.
Therefore, until you receive settlement funds, any medical bills are your responsibility. If your personal medical insurance company pays for any of these bills, they may be entitled to a portion of any settlement you reach with the other driver’s insurance company.
Contact a California Car Accident Lawyer Today
Contact a California car accident lawyer at Wells Call. Since 1984, our firm has recovered over half a billion dollars for our clients.
We care about each of our clients and work diligently to receive the best possible settlement. Our firm has law offices in Fairfield, Vacaville, Vallejo, Napa, Richmond, and Woodland.
We are committed to helping members of the community where we also reside. We provide our clients with the time and attention to listen to their needs and answer any questions.
We offer a free consultation to discuss your case. We don’t collect unless you collect.
If you’ve suffered injuries in an auto accident, don’t hesitate and contact us today!