Within minutes after a serious car accident, you could find yourself in an ambulance racing to one of Chicago’s finest hospitals. You arrive at the emergency room, where the medical team checks your injuries and possibly saves your life. Later, you might undergo one or more surgeries to give you a better chance at recovery.
You and your family are understandably grateful to the doctors and nurses who helped you. But then you remember that the care you received costs money. A lot of money, in fact. How will your family pay for your necessary, but expensive, medical bills?
Ways people pay their medical bills after an auto accident
There are five possible options:
- The negligent driver’s insurance, assuming they have auto insurance
- Your auto or health insurance
- Medicaid or Medicare, if you are on one of these public health insurance programs
- If none of the above are available, you might be able to borrow money from relatives or friends
- If all else fails, you can turn to a crowdsourcing website like GoFundMe to ask the social media community for help
The last option has become increasingly popular, but there is no guarantee that you would receive enough donations to cover your medical costs. And few Chicagoans have a close friend or loved one who can afford to lend you tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
That leaves insurance. If the driver who caused your injuries has auto insurance with sufficient coverage, you can pursue a claim on their policy. However, the insurance company may not make a reasonable settlement offer. The insurance adjuster might even claim that they do not owe you anything. A lawsuit might be necessary.
You might also have to sue your own insurance company. Just because you are a customer does not mean they will put your needs above their own desire to maximize profits. You may need legal help to obtain a fair and reasonable level of compensation.