Personal Injury Lawyer
When you have sustained injuries in an accident or an act of negligence on the part of another, the medical bills come rolling in quickly. In a very short time, it can feel like an avalanche of debt piling up. What do you do when you don’t have the money to pay all the invoices from doctors, hospitals and medical equipment (also known as Durable Medical Equipment or DME)? Can you just wait to pay later when you have a settlement? The short answer is “No”. The obligation is yours to ensure payment. However, there are ways to handle this so that you can continue with medical care and save your credit score.
Be Organized
Take the time to organize any invoices you receive. Organize into paid and unpaid so that you can easily tell what your remaining obligation is. You may receive a bill for the full amount even if you have insurance, as it may take some time for the claims to be paid. Leave those in the unpaid stack until they are paid. Once the insurance does pay the claim, match the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to the invoice and make sure to follow up on any discrepancies.
Make Payment Arrangements
Even those with insurance will likely still have a remaining obligation. Whether it’s a deductible, copay or a non-covered charge, you may end up a significant bill. Do NOT wait for a settlement. Be proactive to arrange for payment with the doctor’s office or hospital in order to avoid going into collections. Once you are in a debt-collection scenario, there may already be negative reporting to the credit bureaus and your chance for a possible reduction of the remaining amount owed goes down. If you have a very low income, you may be required to show proof of income in order to have an agreement for small payments.
Ask for a Discount
Whether you are self-pay (no insurance coverage) or you have significant remaining debt after the insurance claims, it never hurts to ask if you can get a discount. Sometimes you can get a significant reduction just by asking for it. Remember the old adage about attracting more flies with honey? Being nice can sometimes pay off in a big way.
Get an Attorney
Perhaps you weren’t sure if you needed legal help to be reimbursed from another party, but now you are getting so many bills you can’t keep up. Maybe you have injuries that prevent you from working, leaving you unable to pay the remainder of the debt. You may simply be unable to spare another dollar from your already tight budget. If any of these sound like you, look for an experienced personal injury lawyer. Many times they can arrange payment through their office until you receive your settlement.
Read Also
– MEDICAL MALPRACTICE REFORM: PROS, CONS, AND ALTERNATIVES
– DUTY OF CARE
– APARTMENT COMPLEX’S DUTY TO PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE
– WHY THE AVERAGE SETTLEMENT VALUE DOESN’T HELP YOUR CASE
– WHAT TO DO IF A TRUCK CLIPS YOU AND RUNS
– INJURED BY A DRUNK DRIVER (DUI)
– HOW TO GET A FAIR SETTLEMENT IN YOUR PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM
