Posted on Monday, August 26th, 2019 at 11:07 pm
Most individuals, companies, and government entities have some type of liability insurance coverage. Liability insurance coverage protects us if we cause an injury. Two common types of liability insurance policies are car insurance and premises liability insurance. Both policies pay for damages incurred by someone who is injured because of the policy holder’s negligence, carelessness, or other wrongdoing. For instance, if you cause a car crash, the victims file claims against your car insurance coverage. If someone falls at a restaurant, they file a claim against the property owner’s premises liability coverage.
However, insurance companies are not legally obligated to immediately pay all claims filed against policies owned by their insureds. They have the right to investigate claims to determine if the claims are valid. Reasons why an insurance company may deny an injury claim include:
- The type of claim is not covered by the policy
- The policy was canceled or otherwise not in force at the time of the accident
- The policyholder was not at fault for causing the injury
- The claim exceeds the policy limits
- There is a dispute as to fault and liability
- A claim was not timely filed
- There was a delay in medical care that the insurance company alleges prove the injuries did not occur in the accident
- Insufficient information was provided with the claim
- The statute of limitations (deadline) for filing a claim has expired
If an insurance provider denies your injury claim, you should contact a Sacramento personal injury attorney immediately. You may have several options for appealing the denial of claim or pursuing legal action against the party responsible for your injuries.
When Does an Insurance Company Pay My Medical Bills from an Accident?
A liability insurance policy is not a health insurance policy. The insurance provider will not pay your medical bills until the case is settled and closed. At that time, the insurance company does not pay your medical providers directly. The settlement check is issued to you for the agreed-upon amount, and you are responsible for payment of medical expenses related to the accident.
Therefore, many people submit medical bills from accidents to their health insurance company for payment.
Just remember, if your health insurance company pays bills related to an accident, the company likely has a right to reimbursement for the bills it paid when you receive your settlement for the accident. This right of reimbursement is a subrogation claim. Medicaid and Medicare may also assert subrogation claims if either agency paid medical bills related to an accident claim.
Carefully documenting all medical expenses, including out-of-pocket expenses for over-the-counter medications, travel to doctor’s offices or medical appointments, and purchases of medical equipment increase your chance of being reimbursed for these costs. You need proof that you paid the money. Without proof, the insurance company will not include the expense in your settlement.
Contact a Sacramento Personal Injury Attorney for Help
If you are injured in an accident, you might be entitled to substantial compensation from the party responsible for causing your injury. In addition to medical expenses, you might receive compensation for your loss of income, physical pain, permanent disability, emotional distress, and other damages.
Contact our Sacramento personal injury lawyers for a free consultation by calling The Tiemann Law Firm at (916) 999-9000 or by visiting our website.
