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Getting Treatment after an Accident

Posted on Apr 8, 2016 by The Advocates

No matter what kind of accident you’ve been in, if you are hurt you need to seek treatment. Unfortunately, paying for that treatment can be a nightmare. Depending on your situation there may be several different options available to help pay for your treatment, but navigating who should pay can be difficult….

Who Should Pay First?

  1. L&I

This only applies to people who have been in a work-related motor vehicle collision, slip and fall, or similar accident. If you were working at the time of injury you will need to report it to L&I in order for them to pay for your medical treatment. L&I in Washington State has no pre-set limit on what it will pay, but as time wears on during medical treatment, L&I will likely want to close the claim as soon as possible.

NOTE: Even if you were in a motor vehicle collision in a work vehicle that has PIP on the auto policy, L&I must be the first insurance to pay for your medical treatment.

  1. PIP / Med-Pay

If you have PIP coverage on your insurance policy, it will cover your medical expenses when you’re in a motor vehicle collision. It will also cover you if you were a cyclist or a pedestrian that was hit by a car. Med-Pay is often found on commercial policies but can also be on personal auto policies. If you slipped and fell in a business location, check the business’s policy for Med-Pay to cover your medical treatment.

  1. Health Insurance

If you’ve exhausted your search for L&I, PIP, or Med-Pay and still have not found a way to pay for your medical treatment, then it is time to use your personal health insurance.

What Do I Give the Medical Provider to Obtain Treatment?

Insurance What to Give Medical Provider
L&I Inform medical provider the injury was work related. You will then fill out a form that is sent to L&I to open a claim. You can also file a claim online at www.filefast.lni.wa.gov to get a claim number that you can give to subsequent medical providers.
PIP / Med-Pay A policy or claim number*
Health Insurance Your health insurance card

*If you have yet to report the injury to the insurance company you will not have a claim number. If you need immediate treatment after a personal injury you might have to use your own health insurance until PIP or Med-Pay has been established and can reimburse your health insurance.

What if I Have None of the Above?

You might be thinking a loan would help, but loans after a personal injury are generally discouraged. Many medical providers have simple payback plans that are more easily managed than outstanding loans. If you simply must get a loan to pay it off, do a lot of research and find a loan with low interest rates.

If you have no L&I, PIP, Med-Pay, or health insurance, an experienced attorney can help with putting your medical bills on hold until a settlement is reached. Once you’ve agreed to a settlement the attorney can pay your medical bills from the total settlement amount.

If you’ve suffered from a personal injury, don’t hesitate to call us. We’re here to discuss paying for your medical treatment 24/7!

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Call (206)-452-4200, fill out forms below, or chat with us for a free consultation today.

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