Another driver failed to stop at an intersection or a red light and slammed into you. They are clearly the one at fault, but you are the one who feels worried about what the crash will mean for your future.
You may not have health insurance, or maybe you have a medical policy that has a huge deductible or high percentage of coinsurance that you have to pay for your care. Despite feeling tenderness in your abdomen or throbbing in your head, you might decide to head home or to work after the wreck instead of going for a medical evaluation.
Rather than worrying about the costs of getting a medical exam, you should worry about what it will cost you to not see a physician.
Insurance will usually cover medical treatment after a crash
The liability insurance system in Texas will help protect you by requiring that the other driver’s policy pays for your medical care. You may have your own personal injury protection that you can make a claim against as well. Usually, medical care received because of a car crash won’t be paid for by health insurance but rather by car insurance, meaning there aren’t co-pays or deductibles for the claimant to cover.
The mandatory insurance requirements in Texas mean that the other driver should have at least $30,000 worth of medical liability coverage to reimburse you for your losses. If two or more people got hurt in the crash, there should be at least $60,000 worth of bodily injury liability coverage to cover your lost wages and medical expenses.
Delaying medical care could make your right to compensation harder to enforce
Many injuries, ranging from stable fractures to internal bleeding, won’t be obvious right after a wreck. It could be a few hours or even several days before you notice concerning symptoms.
Unfortunately, the longer you wait to get a diagnosis, the easier it will be for the other driver’s insurance company or attorney to claim the crash didn’t cause those injuries. They might also be able to make a secondary claim that your delay in seeking care contributed to the severity of your losses. Their claims could affect your insurance payout or even your rights in civil court. Delayed treatment could make it harder for you to get medical coverage for your care and lost wages.
The sooner you seek a medical evaluation and receive a diagnosis, the clearer the connection between the wreck and your injuries will be. Recognizing how important it is to receive timely medical treatment after a car crash can protect your health and your rights to compensation after the wreck.