WHO PAYS MY MEDICAL BILLS?

In the state of Kansas, if you are injured in an automobile accident, the first place any medical bills should be submitted would be to your own auto insurance company under a part of your policy called Personal Injury Protection or (PIP).  If you do not own a vehicle, the PIP insurance on the vehicle in which you were riding should pay your medical bills.  In the state of Missouri, you can choose to purchase either PIP or Medical Pay.  PIP coverage also offers coverage for other losses such as lost wages while Medical Pay generally pays for medical bills.

WHAT ARE PIP BENEFITS?

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits may be available to you when you are injured in an accident.  If you are eligible for PIP benefits you may be entitled to:

• MEDICAL COVERAGE: Most insurance policies have at least $4,500 in medical coverage that can go toward the payment of your medical providers.
• ESSENTIAL SERVICES: $25/day for the replacement of household services performed for you by a friend or loved one, or where you have paid someone else to perform because you are unable to do so (i.e. laundry, cooking, vacuuming).
• LOST WAGES: Most policies provide wage loss coverage of up to 85% of your regular weekly wage rate, or a maximum monthly amount.

How long will it take to settle my case?

Settling a case depends on the circumstances surrounding the case. At a minimum, it will take 2-3 months after your treatment is complete to settle your case. The majority of cases settle before filing a lawsuit.  However, you and your attorney may need to discuss the pros and cons of filing a lawsuit.

What would be a fair amount for my case?

There are no hard and fast rules for evaluating personal injury claims. This is where our years of experience come into play. Factors that need to be considered in every case include:

• Are your injuries permanent or temporary? Are they documented?
• Did you have any pre-existing injuries?
• Medical bills, who paid them, and were they reasonable and necessary.
• Wage loss in the past.
• What percentage of fault will the injured person have?
• How much insurance coverage does the negligent person have?
• Will there be future medical expenses? How much, what kind and will there be future loss of earnings?