Will a Pre-existing Condition Hurt My Car Accident Injury Case

You were severely injured in an accident but you don’t have the funds to see a doctor. How will you recover and get your bills paid?

Don’t worry. You have plenty of options. At Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers, we meet lots of clients who are in this situation and are struggling to pay for proper medical care. We can help you review your options and decide what to do next.

Don’t Wait to Get Good Medical Care – Even if it’s Expensive

First, you should know that there’s no reason to delay getting medical treatment. Seek medical attention as soon as possible and save all paperwork related to your care.

If you delay treatment, your injuries could get worse and put your health in jeopardy. Plus, waiting to get treatment indicates you don’t need it urgently, which could hurt your case later when you make a claim.

Insurance companies look at the timing as a big factor in deciding whether or not to pay your claim. They love to wriggle out of paying by alleging that your injuries could be due to another cause. They’ll even dig through your social media posts to find so-called evidence against you – all to avoid paying your bills.

So we repeat: Don’t wait to see a doctor! Follow the doctor’s aftercare instructions carefully and save all documentation you receive.

Start Your Accident Insurance Claim ASAP

Most or all of the bills for your injuries may be covered by health insurance and/or car insurance. This includes treatment for common car accident injuries like broken bones, lacerations that require surgery, plastic surgery, and traumatic brain injuries.

When in doubt, double-check the extent of your healthcare provider coverage and seek treatment from providers who are approved by your insurance plan. This plays a big role in avoiding a pile of bills they won’t pay later.

Start an accident insurance claim with the help of your lawyer. In fact, you shouldn’t speak to an insurance company representative about what happened until you talk to your Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyer first. They’ll guide you through the process in a way that protects your best interests.

When you collect on an accident insurance claim, your health insurance provider may have a lien on the funds you receive. It’s called a subrogation claim and it gives an insurance company the right to be reimbursed first for the costs of your health care. Good news: It’s usually negotiable with the help of your lawyer.

Another Option: Use PIP/Med-pay for Your Accident

Here in California, you may have some level of coverage from Med-pay/personal injury insurance (PIP). While PIP coverage is required in many states, it’s optional in California.

Here are a few great reasons to have PIP insurance:

  • It helps protect you if you’re hit by an uninsured or underinsured motorist
  • It’s usually applicable if you’re injured by a hit-and-run driver.
  • It provides coverage regardless of fault and pays out faster than third-party insurance.
  • Even if you lose in court, it usually still applies.

If You’re Using Insurance, You Can Still Sue

You can sue after an accident even if insurance is covering part of the cost. However, don’t get too focused on filing a lawsuit. Ideally, you will be able to settle your case in a full and fair way via the insurance claims process.

If you do go the route of a lawsuit, you may have some waiting time while bills pile up. That’s a normal part of the process. The healthcare providers will just have to wait until your pending case is resolved.

A lawsuit may be a good option when:

  • Insurance won’t be enough to cover all of your treatments and/or losses.
  • You lost your job or missed paid working hours.
  • A new disability may reduce your future income.
  • You have non-economic damages, like emotional trauma.
  • The insurance company isn’t dealing with you in good faith.
  • You have proof of the other party’s fault.
  • The insurance money is maxed out AND the person who caused your accident has other assets to cover your damages.

Before You Talk About Your Accident, Read This!

The insurance company may be in a hurry to get you to sign a waiver for your check. Wait! Read this before you sign any papers or make any statements to the insurance company.

Tips for maximizing your claim and getting your bills paid:

  • Document your injuries with photos, but don’t put any info or photos on social media because it could negatively impact your case in the long run.
  • Keep a diary of all your complaints and accident-related problems.
  • Don’t be too eager to settle too fast.
  • Don’t miss doctors’ appointments or have gaps in your treatment times.
  • In your claim, ask for compensation for future damages.
  • Look into other insurance benefits like disability coverage.
  • With the help of your lawyer, request a reduction of medical and other costs.

When you and your attorney handle your bills the right way, you can negotiate your medical costs down and prevent overwhelming debt. If you approach this situation carefully, you could get all of your bills covered and still end up with money in your pocket.

“Breaking three ribs and a collarbone sucks. Luckily, I found Sally to help take a bit of the edge off. I have never sued anyone before, but Sally made it as painless as possible. It took nearly three years and there is a lot that I could say about the process, but suffice it to say that you’re in good hands. If you need a personal injury attorney, choose Sally. She’s there to privately enforce those public laws (i.e. prevent evil corporations from taking advantage of you).” – Dan C.

Experience a serious car accident in California?

Check out our Car Accident Page to learn more about how the process works.

We Handle Your Personal Injury Accident Claim So You Can Focus on Your Life

After an accident, contact the attorneys at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers. We handle many types of personal injury claims from traffic accidents. We believe you should be able to focus on recovering from your accident while we handle the legal details.

We truly care about the people of California. Contact us today for a free online case evaluation.

Accident Client

If you’re someone who is considering an attorney for a personal accident, I highly recommend Sally Morin and her professional staff of attorneys. If you would like to know more details, feel free to contact me via Yelp and I would be happy to share more details. While I use Yelp quite often, I rarely post reviews… unless I’m truly blown away by great service (or angry with horrible service). If there were a sixth star, I would certainly give it to Rebecca and Sally!

We're here to help with your Personal Injury claim

Check out our Personal Injury FAQ Page to learn more about how the process works.

We Handle Your Personal Injury Accident Claim So You Can Focus on Your Life

After an accident, contact the attorneys at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers. We handle many types of traffic injury claims. We believe you should be able to focus on recovering from your accident while we handle the legal details.

We truly care about the people of California. Contact us today for a
free online case evaluation.

KNOW HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AFTER AN ACCIDENT

It is essential to know your rights after a traffic accident so you can protect yourself and the value of your claim.
This guide will help you:

  • 1Know what to do when dealing with insurance claims, police reports and lawyers.
  • 2Avoid making mistakes that undermine the value of your claim
  • 3Put yourself in a position to get the best settlement possible