Who Pays for Medical Bills after a Car Accident in Illinois?
Motor Vehicles Accidents - January 6, 2021
If you or somebody you care about is involved in a vehicle accident caused by the careless or negligent actions of another party, it is crucial that you understand how your medical bills will be paid. The aftermath of a vehicle crash can be a confusing experience, but dealing with your injuries cannot wait.
Here, we want to discuss who is responsible for paying medical bills in the aftermath of the vehicle accident that was not your fault.
Seek medical care immediately
The most important thing that any vehicle accident victim can do is seek medical care as soon as possible. The signs and symptoms of many car accident injuries are not immediately apparent, and they may not appear for hours or days after the crash occurs. A doctor will be able to perform an evaluation and help uncover all possible injuries so victims can begin treatment immediately.
You cannot be concerned about how you will pay for your medical bills when you are suffering or have sustained a life-threatening injury. Go to the hospital or doctor’s office and worry about how the bills will be paid later. Your health is more important than anything else immediately following your crash.
Turn to insurance carriers for compensation
The vast majority of vehicle accidents in Illinois will be resolved through a settlement with insurance carriers. If somebody else causes your crash, their insurance carrier will be responsible for covering your medical expenses and property damages.
In Illinois, drivers are required to carry the following insurance minimums:
- Bodily injury liability coverage: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
- Property damage liability coverage: $20,000
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
Using these numbers, you will have at least $25,000 in medical bill coverage from the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier. If the other driver does not have insurance, your uninsured motorist coverage will cover up to $25,000 of your medical bills.
We often have drivers who visit Illinois asked if this is a “no-fault” accident state. In no-fault states, drivers turn to their own insurance carriers to recover compensation after an accident occurs. Illinois is not a no-fault state.
However, Illinois does follow a modified comparative negligence system. This means that drivers who are partially responsible for the crash can still recover compensation, though the compensation will be reduced based on their percentage of fault. An accident victim cannot recover compensation if they are more than 50% at fault for the incident.
You may need to file a personal injury lawsuit
Should your expenses rise above $25,000, which is not uncommon in a vehicle accident, it may be necessary to file a personal injury lawsuit against the alleged negligent driver. These cases can become incredibly complicated, and you should work with a skilled Chicago car accident lawyer who can help you with every aspect of your claim. An attorney will have the resources necessary to conduct a complete investigation into the case and prove the liability of the other party involved. They will work with financial and medical experts to help properly calculate your total losses in order to negotiate a fair settlement from all parties involved.
Read More:
https://www.horwitzlaw.com/faq/motor-vehicles-accidents/how-are-medical-bills-paid-after-car-accident/
