Atlanta Bicycle Accident Health Insurance
Following a bicycle accident, the first thing a person should do is get medical treatment and present their health insurance card to the treating physician. The patient should make sure that the hospital follows any procedures their health insurance may require, such as authorization before admission to the hospital. Navigating the rules and billing process of Atlanta bicycle accidents health insurance can be complicated. That is why you should consider working with one of our dependable bicycle accident attorneys who has experience with understanding how the treatment bills should be paid in a civil injury case.
The Importance of Having Health Insurance
It is important to have health insurance available in the aftermath of a bicycle accident in Atlanta because that insurance should pay for a large portion of the medical bills. The benefit of having health insurance is that that person should be able to get treated quickly, and at a discounted price over someone who does not have insurance. Their insurance will help pay for their medical bills and any specialists that they might need as a result of the injuries sustained.
What if a Patient Does Not Have Health Insurance?
If a person is injured in a bicycle accident and they do not have health insurance, they should still go to the doctor, as their health is the most important consideration after being injured. However, if they are unable to pay for their treatment, a lawyer might be able to help connect them with a doctor who could treat them and rely on a potential damages award to recover those bills later on.
Can Other Insurance Limit Recovery After a Bike Accident?
Health insurance or paid sick leave from their place of employment should not limit someone’s recovery for injuries sustained in a bicycle accident. If one does have health insurance, the insurance company can usually pay less for the treatment than someone who does not have it. Georgia has the Collateral Source Rule that prohibits a jury from discounting recovery simply because that patient has health insurance or paid sick leave.
Reimbursement of Medical Expenses
When insurance companies ask their insureds to reimburse them for medical expenses, they typically ask for the whole amount. There are some health insurance plans governed by a federal law that requires reimbursement for the full amount paid by the insurance company, but a large portion of the insurance plans are governed under Georgia’s “Made Whole” law. This rule says that unless the person injured in a bicycle accident has made a full recovery from all of the applicable injuries, there would be no reimbursement. If reimbursement is required, it would usually be for the full amount paid by that insurance company, which would be less than the total amount billed by the doctor.
Rising Insurance Rates
It is not a guarantee that getting into a bicycle accident in Atlanta will raise the rates of someone’s health insurance. If a motor vehicle strikes a bicyclist, the car insurance will usually cover the cost of the accident up to its policy limits. If an individual is riding their bicycle, they are not going to be covered by their liability motor vehicle policy. Instead, they might be covered by their underinsured motorist policy. In that instance there is the potential, if they make a claim on their policy, that it could increase their insurance rates.
How an Attorney Could Help Deal with Insurance
A lawyer could help negotiate with the health insurance company based on the type of policy it is, and determine if reimbursement may be necessary at the end of the case. On common problem occurs when medical providers want to be paid the full amount of their bill, which sometimes leads them refusing to bill someone’s health insurance even though the patient is entitled to use it. A lawyer could make sure the health providers actually bill the insurance company.
We have a strong history of dealing with numerous serious injuries and working with liability and health insurance in order to secure an excellent recovery for the plaintiff.
Learn About Atlanta Bicycle Accident Health Insurance
Your first concern after getting into an accident should be recovering from your injuries, not worrying about if you can pay for the treatment. You should let one of our lawyers handle the details of your health insurance in an Atlanta bicycle accident. Call us now to learn how you might be able to seek financial relief by initiating a lawsuit.
