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Have you been in a crash, leaving you with expensive bills? If so, you may be wondering who pays medical bills for an accident. In New York, your auto insurer will likely cover the cost of treatment. However, there are instances when other parties may also pay for your medical expenses following a motor vehicle accident. In this article, we at Finz & Finz, P.C., will explore them in detail.
Medical Bills and No-Fault Insurance Policy in New York
If you’ve recently been in a traffic collision in the Empire State, you’re probably asking yourself, “Who Pays for My Medical Bills After a Car Accident in New York?” The answer starts with understanding how the state’s auto insurance system handles victims of car accidents.
Most states use the at-fault car insurance system. When someone causes a wreck in an at-fault state, their liability insurance is responsible for compensating victims. The person they’ve injured would seek compensation for medical bills and other expenses by filing a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
The process is different in a no-fault state like New York. New Yorkers must buy policies containing Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance before they can register their cars. Your PIP insurer is responsible for paying your medical bills up to your policy limits. After a wreck, you would file your initial claim with your insurer, regardless of who caused the accident.
Does Health Insurance Cover Car Accident Injuries?
Your health insurance may cover car wreck injuries up to policy limits. Health insurance typically kicks in after you’ve exhausted PIP coverage. Be aware that your health insurer may seek compensation for claims it paid if you file a lawsuit later.
New York’s Serious Injury Threshold
The answer to “Who pays for injuries in a car accident in New York?” isn’t as simple as “your own insurance company.” New York law permits you to seek compensation by filing a third-party claim or lawsuit against the party who caused the wreck if you sustained economic losses of over $50,000 and/or if your injuries qualify as serious. Under New York law, serious injuries include:
- Dismemberment or significant disfigurement
- Fractures
- Fetus loss
- Permanent loss of use of a body organ, member, or bodily system
- Permanent limitation of the use of a body organ or member
- Significant limitation in your ability to use or rely on a body function or system
- A “medically determined” serious injury or impairment that, for at least 90 days in the 180 days immediately following the wreck, prevents you from performing all of the acts that would constitute your normal daily activities
Consult a New York City car accident lawyer immediately if you suspect you have suffered an injury that meets any of these criteria.
Contact Our New York City Car Accident Lawyers to Learn More
A New York car accident attorney with Finz & Finz, P.C., can help you with everything from filing a car accident claim with your insurance provider to proving a negligent driver caused the wreck, which may be necessary to file a third-party claim or lawsuit. Get started today by contacting us online for a free case review.
