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Did you Know that If you’re in an Accident, Your Insurance Company Might be Responsible to Pay You?

Recovering from an injury can be a daunting task that puts strain on not only your body, but has the capability of putting mental strain on you as well.  While you are recovering, you will still worry about paying your monthly bills such as mortgage or rent, utilities, car notes and more, while you may or may not even be able to work due to your injury. If your injury was a cause of a car accident or work accident, are you probably feeling both physical and emotional pain.  In addition to the recovery, you may feel the wrath of your injury for years following it due to the rising cost of medical bills. As a New Orleans personal injury lawyer, I have seen many different scenarios on which the injured have paid their medical bills at varying levels of stress. One option to help you after an accident may be collecting money from your own medical insurance company if you get injured in an accident. 

Medical Bills and Accidents

It is important to understand how medical bills and accidents work. It is extremely complicated and that is why hiring a personal injury traffic lawyer is the right action almost every time. To understand your health insurance, please note that the way insurance companies work is that they are contracted with hospitals and doctor’s offices (also including examination businesses such as imaging centers) to pay a certain percentage of each type of charge. It is also possible that they are contracted to pay a fixed charge too – depending on the type of expense it is. To get a better understanding of how medical bills are paid in a personal injury suit in Louisiana, you can visit my blog post here from a few months ago.

Supplemental Health Insurance as a Benefit

Aflac is very well known for its commercials with its spokesperson – the duck. Remember the commercial with the famous former professional baseball player, Yogi Berra, who says “Well, if you get hurt and miss work, it won’t hurt to miss work. And they give you cash, which is just as good as money.”? (Aflac, 2009) Well, although it may take some people a few minutes to think about, it is actually true.

How Does Aflac Work?

Aflac (and other insurance companies), as a supplemental medical insurance company, will send you a set amount of money that can cover expenses your primary health insurance will not. This includes paying you for missed days of work so you don’t have to worry about taking the time to recover from your accident both physically and mentally. The company pays you directly and you may use the money for your current needs, regardless of what they are. The amount of money you receive will be determined by the seriousness of your accident and the type of treatment that you will need.

Check out this Video. There are many different supplemental health insurance companies and Aflac is one of the largest. Your primary health provider may also offer a supplemental benefit, so make sure you check with them first to see what kinds of rates they offer. Different types of supplemental medical insurance includes and covers: cancer, critical illness, disability, hospital stays, life insurance and vision or dental. There is one thing to note, if you choose to make a claim with your own insurance company: your insurance rates will go up! It is very similar to an auto accident – you are now seen as a higher risk than before and therefore your rates will go up. Please make a note of this.

Should I carry Uninsured or Under-Insured Motorist’s Cover?

Yes!  Underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) is very similar and helps when the driver at fault does not have enough insurance to cover the damages to your truck and other money lost.

Having uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage as a part of your auto insurance policy is a great way to protecting yourself while out on the road. Louisiana’s Uninsured Motorist Law states that any auto liability policy purchased automatically includes uninsured motorist coverage, even if the policy does not specifically include it in the language. If you choose not to include uninsured motorist coverage in your policy, you must sign something stating that you reject uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage or choose coverage below the statutory minimum required.  For more inforation, read my blog on Uninsured and Underinsured Insurance Coverage.

Will My Personal Injury Lawyer Help?

If you are in a car accident, or experience a work-related injury, then you should consider speaking with a local personal injury attorney in order to help you mitigate financial damages and help your case against any damages to another person or property. Additionally, your personal injury lawyer understands the complex nature of the law in regard to accidents, injury and your future, thereby offering you the best chance you have at recovering both physically and financially. If you have recently been in a car accident, on-the-job accident, or have any questions regarding who is paying for your medical bills, please feel free to give me a call toll-free at (866) 459-4478 or (504) 264-9492 or contact me through e-mail. I am available for a free consultation and want to ensure that your rights are protected during this trying time.

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