Dealing with Expenses: Tips for Lowering Your Medical Bills After a Truck Accident
Accidents involving commercial trucks can be life-altering. After being struck by one of these monstrous vehicles, victims often suffer serious injuries – and possibly even death.
If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a truck accident, concerns over medical bills and other expenses may ensue. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, the type and severity of damages you may face will be unique to your situation. A skilled attorney can accurately assess the value of your case and help you navigate the legal path towards recovering compensation.
Have you or a loved one been injured in a truck accident? If so, seek the help of the dedicated Houston truck accident attorneys at Lapeze & Johns at (713) 766-0075 right now for a FREE case review.
Will I Have to Pay My Medical Bills Alone?
In the event of a truck accident, there are many variables at play. Negligence will be used as a determinant to understand who is liable for your injuries. If a truck driver, or some related third party, is liable for your accident and damages, there is a good chance you may be eligible to file a legal claim against those who harmed you.
As it can be difficult to navigate a claim against a truck company and their insurer, seeking the help of an experienced truck accident lawyer can help to ease the complexity of the legal process.
A Brief Overview of Comparative Fault Law
Comparative fault law means that individuals involved in an accident can still hold another party liable so long as they are less than 50 percent responsible for the accident. However, the amount of compensation that the victim may be able to recover is reduced by the percent of fault they held in the accident.
For example, if a court determines a victim to be 15 percent liable for an accident accumulating $30,000 in damages, then the victim’s award would be reduced by $4,500 of the total amount. Thus, the victim who held 15 percent accountability in their accident would recover $25,500 in damages.
Texas is a ‘comparative fault’ state.
What Types of Damages Can I Seek?
Victims of truck accidents should consider pursuing compensation for the following applicable damages:
- Medical costs
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Long-term medical care
- Emotional anguish
- Mental distress
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disability
- Wrongful death
Depending on the severity of your collision, the types of injuries you face, and the time it takes to recover, compensation can vary.
However, it’s understandable that victims of severe truck accidents have serious concerns about their financial well being as medical bills and other financial issues can quickly begin to accumulate. Thankfully, there are a few means by which to limit the toll medical bills have on you.
Alleviating Medical Expenses After a Truck Accident
Our concerned team advises victims to take the following steps to best handle medical expenses suffered in a truck accident:
- Use your health insurance. If you suffer an injury, contact your insurance company immediately. Since Texas is an at-fault state, you will be reimbursed for treatment that should have been paid by the liable party.
- File a claim against the liable party. An attorney can help find evidence of negligence to hold an at-fault party accountable and financially responsible for medical bills.
- Seek contingency-based billing. Some doctors operate on a contingency basis, delaying payment until a legal claim or lawsuit has been settled.
- Ask an attorney. A hefty medical bill in the mail can be startling. If you are confused about the amount, or do not know what to do next, consult an experienced lawyer for more information and guidance.
- Fact check market price. Examine your medical bills and compare the costs with average market prices of said treatments. You can cut costs by identifying outliers in your medical billing.
- File a complaint. The following state regulators handle cases of unfair billing:
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- Texas Medical Board (complaints on a physician)
- Texas Department of State Health Services (complaints on medical establishments)
- Texas Department of Insurance (complaints on insurance companies)
Other resources that can be of aid to individuals who do not have health insurance and are not being compensated include Texas Medicaid and Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the Social Security Office for respective parties.
If you or a loved one are facing serious injuries as the result of a truck accident, seek the hardworking Houston truck accident lawyers of Lapeze & Johns at (713) 766-0075 for a FREE initial consultation.
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