Who Pays The Doctor In A Car Crash?
If I was involved in a car crash or I had a car accident, who pays the doctor?
That's a good question. That's the question of this guy who I spoke with a couple of days ago wanted to know and then he just told me yesterday, he wanted to hire me so I sent him the paperwork to sign and we'll see if he signs up.
I think it's a common question because there's a lot of people out there who don't have health insurance. Or they have health insurance and they're like "if he caused the car crash, why should my health insurance have to pay?" So it's actually a pretty complicated topic.
Three Criteria To Consider In Finding The Right Doctor
Sometimes people have a workers comp case in their background. The way it works in workers comp is the company is supposed to pay the doctor as the doctor gives you the treatment under workers comp. Whereas in a car crash case that doesn't happen. All the payments are at the end of the case when a settlement is reached. So the doctors don't get paid as they treat. Because that's the case, you need to find a doctor that meets three criteria.
Want To Know Your Injury Case Value? Calculate What Your Case Is Worth For Free...
A Legit Doctor With Good Reputation
The first criteria is, they have to be a legit doctor with a good reputation. With all apologies, if it's some neighborhood medical provider who everyone walks in their door, gets nine months of back rubs and neck rubs and they do the same thing to everybody. And they're known as the car accident place to go for back rubs and neck rubs, that might not be the best doctor.
Just like you don't want to have a lawyer who has a bad reputation for being lazy or not pushing the cases forward aggressively or settling for anything they throw at him. You don't want a doctor who has a reputation of treating people and treating everyone giving them the same, treatment cookie cutter whether they need it or not. You need a doctor with a good reputation and who isn't afraid to refer you out to specialists if you need one.
A Doctor Who's On Your Side
The second criteria is, are they going to be on your side? Or are you treating with a doctor who's sort of a capitalist? If he just wants the money, doesn't really care about you, if he has to go to court or give a deposition, he doesn't want to do it. Tough luck on your case. Or once he decides you're good enough, he wants to discharge you even though you're still having problems.
You need a doctor who trusts in you, believes in you and is going to help you. If you have a doctor who has a bad attitude, that bad attitude comes through and they're more than willing to say the wrong thing at a deposition. I will tell you from experience, if you have a doctor who doesn't want to be there, who is mad, they don't do a good job at their deposition. They're more than willing to go down the primrose path led by the hand by the defense attorney to say things that will hurt your case.
A Doctor With Flexible Payment
The third criteria is, a doctor who's flexible on payment. So if it's workers comp they get paid while the case is pending, but in a car crash they don't. There's something called a lien. A lien is, there's a law for doctors and medical providers. It's the health care services lien act in Illinois but other states have a lien law too. Basically the way it works is, if they treat someone, if they give someone medical care, then they have the right to get paid something out of the settlement at the end of the case.
The details don't matter. I'm usually able to work out great deals with doctors based on the lien act, so it's nothing for you to worry about. My point is, ask for a doctor who is willing to treat on a lien. Now if you have health insurance, it's the doctor's choice.
The Doctor's Choice
The doctor can choose to just bill your health insurance. And then we may have to pay for your health insurance some of your settlement back since they paid medical bills related to somebody else's negligence. That's actually in your health insurance paperwork, it's part of the health insurance contract you sign with your health insurance company that they get paid back under that circumstance.
I cut great deals with companies under those circumstances too. It's really not anything you usually have to worry about too much. So even though you don't get doctor bills paid automatically and as the bills are rendered, it's usually not that big a deal. Because of the lien act and if you choose the right doctor to treat you. A doctor who's reasonable and compassionate and awesome at what they do. They'll just bill your health insurance or they'll bill under the lien act and it won't be an issue.
I hope that information helps you I hope you and your family are healthy and well.
