Does health insurance cover motorcycle accident injuries? As a motorcycle accident victim, you can file a claim for your medical injuries through your health insurance provider.
However, whether or not the health insurance company will cover your motorcycle accident injuries is dependent on who is at fault in the case and what steps are possible to recover those losses. A Hartford motorcycle accident lawyer will be able to guide you through the process for compensation.
Paying for Medical Injuries After a Motorcycle Accident
Motorcycle accident victims often feel extremely overwhelmed in the days, weeks, and months after their accidents. They may feel uncertain about how to pay for medical treatments, particularly while awaiting a payout from their car insurance provider.
Because of this, many put their accident expenses on their health insurance just for simplicity’s sake. In many situations, it is best to focus first on your healing and recovery, documenting your losses along the way.
When the medical providers seek compensation for what you owe, let your attorney help you inform them of the accident and losses you have and the cause.
This will then lead to several steps moving forward, including your health insurance company paying your debts or your medical providers waiting for your claim to settle.
Health Insurance May Cover Motorcycle Accident Injuries
In general, health insurance does cover many motorcycle accident injuries. However, everyone’s health insurance coverage is different, and the exact policy determines the level of coverage an accident victim can benefit from.
Typical health insurance plans may cover the following expenses after a motorcycle crash:
- Medical examinations
- X-rays
- Prescription medications
- Hospital stays
- Rehabilitative therapy
Health insurance does have coverage limits, so victims can only cover expenses up to those limits. Accident victims considering health insurance for motorcycle accident injuries should consult their insurance company to understand their specific coverage and policy details. Be sure you understand the Connecticut motorcycle accident laws.
The Other Driver’s Responsibility
In situations where you are hurt in a motorcycle accident caused by another person, you have the right to seek a claim against that party for any financial losses you have.
At this point, your health insurance company may have covered some of the medical costs for you, or your medical providers may be waiting for payment.
Once you document the fault and prove the other party is negligent, you will submit all of the costs associated with your motorcycle accident injuries to the at-fault party’s insurance company, they will verify that information, and they will pay for the losses they agree to cover. There may be some negotiations that are a component of this process.
Once they issue a payment to you, a portion of those funds will be paid directly to the medical providers or others who hold liens on your settlement.
This includes any health insurance company that sought recovery for damages they have already paid as your insurance provider. This can be challenging to navigate, which is why working with a Connecticut personal injury lawyer is so critical.
The Other Driver Does Not Have Insurance
There are some situations where you may be involved in a motorcycle accident with a driver who does not maintain liability insurance, meaning you cannot seek a claim against them for your losses.
If you have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, you can use that policy to help you cover some or all of your medical losses.
You will still need to document all of your losses and negotiate with the insurance company for any claims you make. However, as long as they agree to pay the losses, your uninsured motorcyclist damages will cover your injuries and costs up to the value of the policy you have. It does not provide unlimited protection.
In these situations, you may still have the legal right and desire to seek legal action against the at-fault party, such as pursuing a hit-and-run driver once you find out who they are.
You can do that, and recover additional damages owed to you, and your insurance company may also seek legal action against that party to cover costs they have paid on your behalf.
Health Insurance Does Not Cover Everything
If you use your health insurance for your motorcycle accident injuries, you will not be able to claim more than healthcare–related expenses. That is, your health insurance only covers costs for your motorcycle injuries related to your physical and mental health needs.
It does not cover:
- Damage to your bike or the cost to replace your motorcycle
- Pain and suffering you endured as a result of the accident
- Lost wages and earning capacity that you did not receive due to your injuries
- Health insurance does not cover wrongful death claims for family members, which, under the Connecticut law system (Chapter 925), you may be entitled to if you are a close family member
- Any costs not deemed to be related to medically necessary care or otherwise covered on your health insurance plan.
In these cases, you will need to seek a lawsuit against the at-fault party to recover those damages, and that again makes the process more complex.
However, it is important to understand these limitations, especially when dealing with serious injuries that will take a long time to heal. Learn more in our FAQs section about motorcycle accident injuries and health insurance.
A Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Help You
In situations where your health insurance covers motorcycle accident injuries, you may still have to refund them the cost they pay out if you can prove someone else is at fault.
Work with a local motorcycle accident lawyer who can help you navigate this complicated case. Call The Law Offices of James A. Welcome in Connecticut to schedule a free consultation today.