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Being involved in any type of accident could prove to be a shock to some. You may not what to do or how to act. However, there are important things you must do and consider, following a bike collision. For example, it may be in your best interest to speak with a bicycle accident attorney from Kogan & DiSalvo about insurance considerations following a Boynton Beach bicycle accident. A well-versed lawyer is fully capable of walking you through the legal matters of an injury case.
How Does Reimbursement for Medical Expenses Work?
When thinking about insurance considerations following a Boynton Beach bicycle accident, a person should consider reimbursement for expenses. Most policies require that the insurance company is reimbursed for any medical expenses they paid for that the other driver is liable for. The individual that caused the accident is liable for a person’s injuries and medical expenses that their health insurer paid for. The person is obligated to pay the health insurer back because, otherwise, it would be double recovery.
Depending on the health insurance plan, the health insurer may reduce the amount of their lien by as much as 40 or 50 percent, or more. Some health insurance plans, depending on whether state or federal laws control them, may not reduce their lien at all. Medicare reduces their lien by a pro rata share of attorney’s fees and costs. So, if the injured bicyclist is paying a one-third fee, Medicare reduces their lien by one-third, which is most helpful in resolving cases.
Insurance Companies Asking for Extra Payment
The insurance company does not ask for extra payment. They seek reimbursement from the at-fault party, the third party that is paying their insured. As part of the case, a person seeks damages from the driver of the car that hit them on their bicycle as part of the person’s medical expenses. If the person alleges $100,000 in medical expenses; the at-fault driver’s insurance company pays those medical expenses. The person really did not pay them; their health insurance did. It is not the person’s money; it belongs to their health insurer.
Negative Impact on Insurance Rates
Bicycle accidents should not negatively affect a person’s insurance rates. There are two different kinds of insurance considerations following a Boynton Beach bicycle accident related to this situation.
The person’s health insurance should not be affected. However, depending on the severity of the injuries, their recovery from the injuries, how they received their health insurance, and whether they are under a privacy policy or other type of policy, having a pre-existing condition from that point forward might affect their ability to get coverage at the best rate possible.
If the bicyclist owns a car, the fact that the bicyclist was hit by a car does not have any impact on the bicyclist’s own car insurance. There are no factors that influence a person’s insurance rate when they are riding their bicycle and are involved in an accident.
First Things to Do After a Bike Accident?
There is nothing a person needs to do regarding their health insurance following a bicycle accident. The health insurance sends out a form at some point, asking whether the treatment the bicyclist received is related to an accident. As with any request for information from the insurance company, the person must be completely truthful and never try to deny an accident. If a person receives medical treatment as a result of a bicycle accident and their insurer asks if the medical treatment is due to an accident, the person should provide the most accurate and truthful information possible.
Benefits of a Boynton Beach Bicycle Accident Attorney
Health insurance companies do not want to reduce their lien; they want to recover 100 percent of what they paid out for medical care and treatment. This is where a board-certified personal injury lawyer from Kogan & DiSalvo comes into play.
They can negotiate the best possible settlement resolution for the case for the injured bicycle rider. The lawyer can work to get the health insurance company to accept the least amount of money possible through various means to maximize what the injured party receives. Speak with a Bicycle accident attorney about insurance considerations following a Boynton Beach bicycle accident today.
