Health insurance is important for both a motorcyclist and an individual operating a private passenger motor vehicle. Health costs can sometimes be extremely high, and health insurance will help an individual be able to afford that care. This is particularly true for motorcyclists, who may have a higher probability of being involved in a more severe accident.
Reach out to our skilled legal team at the A.W. Smith Law Firm to learn about the role of health insurance in a Columbia, MO motorcycle accident case. A diligent motorcycle accident attorney could calculate your losses and help you seek the compensation you need to cover your damages.
In Boone County, the first thing a person should do regarding their health insurance is submit it to the appropriate carrier, whether it be an ambulance district, an emergency department, a physical therapist, or physical rehabilitation professional. They need to make sure that their health insurance is up to date.
A person should not wait for an initial offer from the insurance company before contacting a Columbia lawyer because often an insurance company will offer a settlement to an individual involved in a motor vehicle collision while that person is still in pain, still recovering, still daunted by the medical bills, and still in a vulnerable state. The person should contact an attorney first in order to make sure that their rights are protected.
If a person believes that their insurance company is trying to deny benefits, that is something that they should let their attorney know as soon as possible so that their attorney can address that issue with their insurance company.
In Boone County, if a person who does not have health insurance is injured in a motorcycle accident, they will still receive immediate emergency care through a local emergency department. Health care professionals will make certain that they receive the care that is necessary.
Sometimes rehabilitation costs can be complicated because if a person is not on Medicare or Medicaid, or does not have private health insurance, some rehabilitation physical therapists may refuse care. If the person contacts a personal injury attorney, sometimes they can make arrangements for care on a lien basis.
Sometimes health insurance may not cover extended physical therapy or extended rehabilitation. Even when it does cover those items, a person can sometimes use up all their work leave and all of their sick leave trying to recover. That is when the experience and the training of a personal injury attorney may be able to assist them in developing negotiations and compromises, in dealing with all their healthcare professionals, and it working with their employers to allow the injured person the necessary leave in order to recuperate.
The State of Missouri is a non-subrogation state, which means that a person does not have to reimburse their private health insurance. However, there are certain caveats. First, if the health insurance is through a government-assisted mechanism such as Medicaid or Medicare, or a self-funded plan such as an ERISA plan, those plans are often entitled to certain payback provisions because they are governed by the federal government.
The benefit of working with a personal injury attorney when dealing with a health insurance company is access to their education, training, and experience. Attorneys understand the rights and benefits of a person involved in a motor vehicle collision. They can be a proper advocate for that person.
A person who has been injured often is in shock, in pain, flooded with bills, and concerned with their immediate and long-term ramifications. An attorney can help protect the person’s rights and ensure that they are not pressured into accepting a settlement that is less than what they deserve. A knowledgeable attorney at the A.W. Smith Law Firm could help you understand the role of health insurance in a Columbia motorcycle accident case.
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