If you’ve been injured in an Erie car crash, one of the first questions you’ll want an answer to is, “Who will pay my Erie car accident medical bills?” The answer depends on your insurance and your status in the accident. If you’ve been injured in an Erie car accident, you’re no doubt wondering, “Who’s going to pay my Pennsylvania car accident medical bills?” This article presents a summary of Pennsylvania law which defines who is responsible for paying medical bills from a Pennsylvania car crash and the priority in which they are responsible. You may have other questions about your Erie car accident, like “What Should I Do After My Erie Car Accident?”; “How Do I Deal with My Insurance Company After a Pennsylvania Car Accident?”; “How Do I Deal with the Other Guy’s Insurance Company After an Erie Car Crash?”; and “What Do I Do If the Other Guy’s Insurance Company Wants a Recorded Statement About My Erie Car Accident?” We answer these questions in our website and offer more information in our free book: “The Ultimate Guide to Pennsylvania Car Accident Cases: A Roadmap to Justice.” If you were seriously injured, we are also available to discuss your Pennsylvania car accident case with you for free. For a free consultation with an experienced Erie car accident lawyer, call today at 814-273-2010. We’ll be pleased to do our best to help you. 1. If You’re a Named Insured on a Pennsylvania Auto Insurance Policy In Pennsylvania, all auto insurance companies are required to provide medical benefits of at least $5,000 as part of every Pennsylvania auto insurance policy. If you’re hurt in an Erie car crash and you are a named insured on a car insurance policy, then your insurance company will pay your medical bills regardless of who is at fault in the accident. In other words: even if you’re at fault, your insurance company will pay. Even if the other driver was at fault, your insurance will pay. Your insurance company will pay your medical bills up to the limits of your policy. 2. If You’re an Insured (But Not a Named Insured) on a Pennsylvania Auto Insurance Policy Even though you’re not named on a Pennsylvania car insurance policy’s declaration sheet as a “Named Insured,” you may nevertheless qualify as “an insured.” For example, if you live with a relative who is a named insured, then you likely qualify as an insured under your relative’s policy. If you’re injured in an Erie car accident and you qualify as “an insured” on a Pennsylvania car insurance policy, then the insurance company who issued the car insurance policy will pay your medical bills and, just like a Named Insured, it does not matter who is at fault in the Erie car accident. 3. If You’re Not an Insured on a Pennsylvania Auto Insurance Policy If you’re hurt in a northwest Pennsylvania car accident and you’re neither a “Named Insured” nor “an insured” on a Pennsylvania auto policy, then you are entitled to medical coverage from the vehicle you were occupying at the time of the Erie car collision. Again, this coverage will pay your medical bills without regard to fault. 4. If You Were a Pedestrian Involved in a Pennsylvania Car Accident If you were involved in an Erie pedestrian accident and you don’t otherwise qualify for auto insurance benefits, then you are entitled to medical coverage from any vehicle involved in your Erie car accident. 5. If Your Car Accident Medical Bills Exceed Your Policy Limits If you were injured in an Erie car accident and your medical bills exceed your insurance policy limits, then your health insurance should pay the remainder. If you don’t have health insurance and the accident wasn’t your fault, then you will be entitled to recover these medical costs from the at-fault driver, but this recovery won’t happen right away (it will happen months or years later as a result of settlement or after a trial) and, in the meantime, you’ll be responsible for paying your bills. This is a summary only of the law pertaining to how medical bills are paid following an Erie car accident. This summary applies to most instances but not all. For legal advice from an experienced Erie car crash lawyer, call for a free consultation at 814-273-2010 or fill out our online consult form. Who Will Pay My Medical Bills After a Pennsylvania Car Accident?
