Someone involved in a Missouri car crash may face multiple significant expenses. Obviously, collisions cause property damage that can be very expensive to repair. Additionally, more significant crashes could also injure the people involved. Unfortunately, not everyone involved in a collision has health insurance coverage to pay for their costs. They may feel very anxious about the expenses that their injuries may generate. Some people even try to go without medical evaluation and treatment after a collision because they believe they cannot afford the care they require.
That approach may lead to a worse overall prognosis for the hurt person while simultaneously absolving the person who caused the crash of responsibility for the incident. How can someone without health insurance get treatment for a car crash injury?
Through medical liens
Healthcare providers generally have an obligation to provide life-saving treatment even for those without the ability to pay. However, they can turn away those who require non-emergency care when they do not have insurance.
Someone injured in a car crash can potentially receive treatment even though they lack health insurance. When arriving at a hospital or other medical facility, they should notify the workers there about the origins of their injuries. When medical records reflect that someone got hurt in a car crash, the healthcare provider may work with the patient because of how state law protects them.
Specifically, hospitals and other medical professionals have the right to pursue a lien against someone’s future compensation. Many hospitals provide treatment for an injured party without health insurance if they know that the injury originated from a car crash. The healthcare provider can go to court to secure a lien against any future recovery that the patient obtains. That lien can apply to both insurance compensation and proceeds obtained through personal injury lawsuits.
Those hurt in a crash may need to call multiple facilities to validate which ones will work on a lien basis. They then need to take the necessary steps to pursue compensation from the party at fault for the crash. They can use the proceeds from an insurance claim or lawsuit to pay back the cost of their care. The pursuit of compensation can also cover other losses, including property damage expenses and lost wages.
People injured in crashes who do not receive care may end up suffering from their injuries for longer and incurring financial losses that the other party should theoretically cover. Understanding how Missouri state law protects those injured in crashes when they don’t have insurance might benefit those worried about paying for their treatment.