Being involved in a car accident of any magnitude can certainly be a lot to deal with emotionally and physically. Whether you’re insured (car and health) or not, the likelihood of there being out of pocket expenses is high. There’s the deductible from your car insurance to complete necessary repairs, the hike in your insurance coverage as a result of the accident, the medical expenses not covered by your health insurance provider, and compensating for income lost while you’re recovering.
You could end up paying hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for an accident easily. Being proactive and learning ways to deal with these unexpected expenses can greatly improve your financial circumstances as you work to get better and return to life as usual.
Learn What Your Car Insurance Covers
The first order of business is to assess what is covered under your car insurance and what is not. Most states now require that individuals secure liability insurance coverage. This only covers the medical expenses of other drivers, their passengers, and the passengers in your vehicle. Including property liability damage will cover repairing and/or replacing property of the other driver. However, none of this insurance protects you directly.
Full cover insurance options such as auto collision repair will cover the cost of repairing your vehicle, while policies such as PIP will cover medical expenses in the event that the accident was not your fault. Review your car insurance policy in its entirety to determine what expenses may be covered such as auto glass replacement. While you will still have to pay your agreed upon deductible, full coverage options can keep you from having to foot an expensive bill.
Review Your Health Insurance Policy
Health insurance can cover some of your medical expenses in the event of a car accident. However, it is important to keep in mind that they only cover costs once all other avenues have been exhausted. For example, if you’ve paid your car insurance deductible and the PIP insurance did not cover all of your expenses, your health insurance will kick in. Be that as it may, your health insurance provider will only pay for services that are already covered in your policy. So assess what medical attention you might need.
Whether it’s going to a physical therapist or seeing another specialist, you want to make sure that these services are covered. Keep in mind however, that copays are still your responsibility.
Talk with Your Employer
If you’re going to be out of work for some time it is ideal to consult with your employer. There are policies in place to protect your job while you’re out. This might include going out on disability or Family Medical Leave. Assess which policies make the best sense for your personal circumstances and ensure that you’ve completed all necessary paperwork to qualify. Remember, disability and other forms of extended time out of the office will not pay your full salary. Find out ahead of time how much you will be receiving while out on leave so that you can begin budgeting accordingly.
Hire a Car Accident Attorney
If your out of pocket expenses are extenuating or your medical injuries will require an extended time out of office and the care of medical professionals for some time, you may consider consulting with a car accident attorney, such as those found at NewlinLaw. Most Car injury lawyers Brisbane offer free consultations so that you can get a better understanding of your rights as a victim. An experienced car accident lawyer can help you in filing a claim in court to be compensated for the above described expenses as well as for financial setbacks such as continued medical visits, extensive time out of work, and pain and suffering. Getting back on track after being involved in a car or truck accident can certainly take some time. However, if you take the time to focus on handling the financial side of things, you will find that healing physically and emotionally is a lot easier. Learn what’s covered, speak with your employer, and if necessary, hire a trucking accident lawyer to help take care of the things that you can’t, while you focus on dealing with the things that you can.
