Paying Chiropractor Bills After a Kansas City Car Accident
It's relatively common to have chiropractor bills after a car accident in Kansas City, and there are a number of ways to pay your medical bills after an accident. Sources of payment of chiropractic care your health care insurance, your car insurance policy (if you have PIP or medical payments coverage) and the car insurance policy of the at-fault party.
However, before seeking payment, there are certain steps you need to take to avoid issues regarding payment of chiropractic care after a car crash, which are discussed below. If you still have questions about how to pay chiropractor or other medical bills from a car accident, call our car accident attorney in Kansas City for a free consultation at 816-203-0143.
Delays in Medical Treatment Can Hurt Your Chance of Recovery
One of the best ways to ensure reimbursement for medical treatment, including chiropractic bills, is to seek medical treatment immediately after the car crashWhen you have not sought medical care for weeks or months after a car accident, you give the insurance company a reason to deny coverage. The insurance company is likely to allege that the car wreck did not cause your injuries, so it is not responsible for your chiropractic bills and other damages.
The claims adjuster will allege that if your injuries were related to the car accident, you would have sought medical treatment much sooner after the accident. As a result, to prove that the injuries were related to the car accident, it is wise to seek treatment as soon as possible.
Complete Chiropractic Care Before Settling Your Claim
Also, make sure that you complete all medical treatment before you settle your claim, including chiropractic care. Once you settle the insurance claim, the insurance company is not responsible for reimbursing you for any medical bills after the case is settled.
If you sustained a permanent impairment or disability, you might require ongoing medical treatment or care. A Kansas City car accident lawyer can include future damages in the value of your injury claim. Depending on the severity of your impairment, your lawyer may retain medical experts and economic professionals to estimate the cost of future medical care.
How to Pay for Chiropractic Care After a Car Accident in MO & KS
The insurance company for the at-fault driver does not pay any health care bills, including chiropractor bills, until the claim is complete. Therefore, you may need to find a way to pay your chiropractor or work out an arrangement so that you can receive treatment while your personal injury case is pending.
Some ways that you can deal with chiropractor bills and other medical expenses during a car accident case include:
- Health Insurance Coverage
If you have health insurance coverage, your insurance provider might cover the cost of chiropractic care. It depends on the terms of your health insurance policy. You are responsible for any co-pays or other costs not covered by health insurance.
When your car accident claim settles, your health insurance company is reimbursed for any money it paid related to care for car accident injuries from your settlement proceeds. The health insurance company’s lien on your settlement proceeds is referred to as a subrogation claim.
Your Kansas City car accident lawyer may be able to negotiate a lower payoff amount for the subrogation lien, especially if your settlement proceeds did not cover the full value of your injury claim.
- No-Fault Insurance
If you have no-fault insurance coverage on your automobile insurance policy, you can file a claim with your insurance company for payment of chiropractic bills. An advantage of no-fault insurance coverage is that it pays for your medical bills regardless of who is at fault for the accident. Therefore, you do not need to wait until your car accident case is settled to receive money for a no-fault insurance claim.
In Missouri, no-fault insurance is called Med-Pay or medical payments coverage. Missouri drivers are not required to carry Med-Pay. You would have had to purchase the optional coverage for an additional premium. Check with your insurance agent to see if you have Med-Pay coverage.
In Kansas, no-fault insurance is called PIP or personal injury protection coverage. Kansas drivers are required to carry at least $4,500 in PIP coverage on their car insurance policies. Drivers can purchase higher amounts of PIP insurance, so you could have a higher amount of PIP to cover chiropractic care after a car accident.
- Medical Liens or Contractual Basis
Many chiropractors accept car accident patients on a medical lien or contractual basis. Usually, this means that the chiropractor will wait to get paid back the total of your chiropractic costs from your car accident settlement.
If you do not receive money for a settlement or the settlement does not cover the full cost of the chiropractor, you may still be responsible for the remaining balance owed to the chiropractor.
However, your Kansas City car accident lawyer can help you negotiate with your chiropractor to see if a lesser payment would be acceptable. Depending on the circumstances, the chiropractor may or may not agree to lower the amount owed, but it is often worth trying.
- Medicaid Benefits
If you meet the income requirements and do not have health insurance coverage, you might be eligible for Medicaid. Some car accident victims who are unable to work after a crash may meet the income requirements for Medicaid eligibility.
In Kansas, KanCare is the Medicaid program administered by the state. MO HealthNet is Missouri’s Medicaid program.
Should I Call a Kansas City Car Accident Lawyer for Help?
You can always benefit from talking to a car accident attorney in Kansas City after any traffic accident. Learning about your legal rights and your options for seeking compensation for damages can help increase your chance of recovering maximum compensation for your car accident claim.
The insurance adjuster is not going to tell you whether the amount offered for your claim is fair. It is the adjuster’s job to pay as little as possible to settle your injury claim. You need a trusted legal advocate who has your best interest as the top priority to review the settlement to ensure you are receiving a fair and just amount of money for your claim.
Also, a personal injury lawyer helps you avoid the common mistakes people make that hurt their injury claim. Common mistakes that many people make include, but are not limited to:
- Accepting the first settlement offer.
- Talking to the insurance adjuster before talking to a lawyer.
- Giving formal written or recorded statements without a lawyer.
- Signing medical release forms or other documents without a lawyer’s review.
- Allowing the insurance company to convince them that they do not need to talk with a lawyer.
Do not be bullied into accepting a quick settlement offer. Also, do not let a claims adjuster convince you that talking to an attorney is not wise. We offer a free consultation for car accident claims. You have nothing to lose, but a lot to gain from talking to a car accident lawyer in Kansas City.
Get a Free Case Review With a Kansas City Car Accident Attorney
At the Law Office of Kevin J. McManus, we are passionate about fighting for the rights of accident victims. We represent clients in Missouri and Kansas. Call 816-203-0143 for a free consultation to discuss your car accident case with a lawyer near you.
