There are three (3) common situations that motorists encounter where Medpay Coverage can be extremely helpful. Two of these situations can apply to your personal injury claim, while one applies if you were at fault for causing the accident.
Situation 1: Medical Payments When YOU Cause the Accident
Medical payments coverage will apply to cover your medical bills even if you were at-fault for causing the accident.
While no one wants to anticipate the situation where the cause an accident, having $10,000 in medical payments coverage will provide you with peace of mind that you can afford the ambulance ride to the ER to make sure you are okay.
Situation 2: You Have Medical Bills Due that Need to be Paid Before Your Case Settles
People who have been injured in car accidents often receive a bill from the ambulance company or emergency room within 30 days after their visit. While these bills can sometimes be placed on lien or hold until your case settles, sometimes the medical provider will send the bill to collections if payment is not received within a certain period of time.
In these situations, clients are often under extreme financial stress which leads them to want to settle the case quickly for less than it is worth in order to pay their medical bills. Medical Payments coverage can alleviate this stress by paying the medical bills while your case is litigated, so nothing is sent to collections.
Situation 3: You Supplement Your Settlement Recovery with Your Medical Payments Check
If your insurance company provides you with medical payments coverage and pays for some of your medical bills, they will request reimbursement for what they have paid of you receive a settlement from the at-fault driver.
Under California law, this reimbursement request must be reduced by the percentage of your attorney’s fees. Additionally, a skilled personal injury lawyer may be able to get your insurance company to waive reimbursement for the entire amount of medical payment benefits they paid under California’s Made Whole Rule.