How Are Medical Bills Paid After A Massachusetts Car Accident?
Many people that are involved in a car accident in Massachusetts find themselves with medical bills. Whether it be for ambulance transport, a hospital visit, physical therapy treatment, chiropractic, or orthopedic treatment, these medical bills can add up quickly. So how are these medical bills paid after a Massachusetts car accident? The answer is found at M.G.L c. 90, s.34 M.
Which Car Insurance Company Pays The Bills?
Massachusetts is a no-fault car insurance state. What that means is that even if you are at-fault for causing an accident, you can still have your medical bills paid. Regardless of who was at fault, the car insurance company for the vehicle you were in at the time of the crash will pay your medical bills from the accident. These bills must be reasonable and related to the car accident.
How Does PIP Work?
If you have private health insurance, the vehicle you were in when the accident happened will pay the first $2000 in your medical bills. Any bills above that amount will be submitted to your health insurance company for payment. Any bills not paid by health insurance will be resubmitted back to the car insurance company for payment. This system of payment for car accident bills is called Personal Injury Protection, or PIP for short.
PIP also pays for lost wages following a car accident. You can get 75% of your total lost wages paid by PIP. PIP will pay up to a maximum amount of $8000 in total for medical bills and lost wages combined. All $8000 can be applied to medical bills, lost wages, or a combination of the two.
Before anything is paid in PIP however, a PIP application must first be submitted to the car insurance company. Your car accident attorney can assist you in completing and filing this form with the car insurance company.