Motor vehicle accidents never end with the incident itself. Many have far-reaching effects into the future for some or all the drivers and passengers involved. It is necessary to realize that it should never be assumed that an accident did not cause any physical harm to any participants. Anyone involved in an accident in Pennsylvania is wise to always seek precautionary medical attention thereafter “just in case.” It is also wise to know something about Pennsylvania’s no-fault auto insurance system that regulates the payment of injury claims resulting from motor vehicle accidents.
When a motor vehicle accident occurs, it is almost certain that all the participants will have incurred some type of stress from the accident. However, often it is uncertain the extent to which the participants have been physically injured in a motor vehicle accident. Many times, drivers and passengers alike believe they have escaped an accident unscathed, only to realize they have suffered severe injuries that didn’t manifest until weeks, or even months, after the accident. Of course, still, a large number of people involved in accidents require medical attention immediately following an accident.
Symptoms of a serious injury may not always be immediately visible. Any pain, numbness, or dizziness without any other symptoms may be indications of substantially more serious injuries. People who procrastinate seeking medical care because of their financial state place their health and well-being at an increased risk by avoiding treatment. Of perhaps equal significance is the fact that the longer any accident victim waits after an accident, the more difficult it may be to prove that the injuries were sustained as a result of the motor vehicle accident.
Accident victims are technically responsible for the payment of their own medical bills just as they would be under normal circumstances. The driver at-fault will only be required to pay the medical bills of another driver or passenger pursuant to a judgment in a personal injury lawsuit. Insurance companies settle most accident cases, especially those cases where liability is obvious or clearly established. In these cases, insurance companies settle to avoid the legal costs of a civil personal injury lawsuit.
Pennsylvania uses a “no-fault” system for paying automobile claims, which means that Pennsylvania drivers file claims with their own insurance companies regardless of fault unless injuries are severe. In this case, Pennsylvania drivers may sue the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
Thus, any driver who has health insurance coverage and is injured in an accident may use this health insurance to pay for medical treatment. Any reimbursement requirements related to a driver’s health plan may be resolved when the personal injury case reaches settlement. It is also important to consider whether an auto insurance policy has provisions, summarized on the Declarations Page, that address medical payments and other related issues such as uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. It is a wise course of action for Pennsylvania drivers to add these types of coverage to their policies.
For any drivers and passengers who have no health insurance, they may be awarded compensation for medical expenses and other damages once their personal injury claim is resolved. However, this may take considerable time, even more than a few months, which may be problematic since medical bills must be paid as they are incurred. An experienced personal injury attorney may help solve this problem by achieving settlement of a personal injury claim against an insurance carrier more expeditiously.
The first and foremost priority of the experienced personal injury and medical malpractice attorneys at Powell Law is to effectively and properly litigate a personal injury case. We always strive for our clients to receive a complete and total recovery for their damages. A qualified Powell Law attorney may evaluate the viability of a potential personal injury claim. Contact Powell Law at (570) 961-0777. The consultation is FREE, and you don’t pay unless we win!
