Understanding Medical Payments Coverage for Aurora Car Accidents
If you have questions about understanding medical payments coverage for Aurora car accidents, do not hesitate to reach out to a professional injury attorney for assistance. A skilled lawyer can offer you guidance regarding how your insurance may or may not cover your expenses, and whether a settlement offer would be of a fair value. Read on to learn more about ways to understand medical payments coverage for Aurora car accidents, as well as how a dedicated injury lawyer could help.
What is Medical Payments Coverage?
Personal injury protection, also known as PIP coverage, used to be applicable in Colorado. However, the state has moved away from that practice and is no longer considered a personal injury protection state. It has now moved to medical payments coverage. Medical payments coverage is a protection offered when an individual buys insurance. The three most common levels of coverage include $5,000, $10,000, and $25,000. Medical payments coverage pays for the first set amount of whatever the policy purchasing is. For example, if an individual had the $5,000 level, it would pay for the first $5,000 in medical bills, regardless of who is at fault for the collision.
Attorneys do not necessarily represent a defendant or the at-fault party, but the at-fault party would be entitled to medical payments coverage if it is selected on their policy. In Colorado, an insurance agent is required to offer the minimum medical payments coverage limit of $5,000. They are not required to offer any more than that, but an insured individual can select the higher limits. It is not very expensive coverage to have on the policy to protect one’s self in the unfortunate event that a collision does occur. To waive the coverage, someone purchasing the policy is required to sign an election that rejects the coverage. Many individuals purchase their insurance online and use an electronic signature, which is also valid.
Impact on a Car Accident Case in Aurora
Medical payments coverage is very significant because, after an accident, an attorney will check to see if medical payments coverage is available. If an insurance adjuster says the plaintiff did not sign up for it, they are required to produce the rejection page showing the signed rejection in writing or whatever means the insured used to sign up for the coverage on their insurance policy. If they cannot produce that rejection page, an individual is entitled to receive that coverage. This can be very helpful in resolving a case because Colorado is a state that allows individuals to claim the full amount of the medical bills that were billed to them.
Some other states only allow individuals to receive what was actually paid on their behalf. This coverage can be a leveraging tool that allows a plaintiff to have at least one $5,000 credit when they start a case. For example, if someone has $10,000 in medical bills and $5,000 in coverage, they are only obligated to pay back the $5,000 that was not covered at that point. However, they still have the ability to claim $10,000 in billed expenses, giving that plaintiff an extra amount of comfort when trying to resolve a case.
The Role of an Experienced Injury Attorney
While understanding medical payments coverage for Aurora car accidents may be a stressful concept after receiving a serious injury, know that you do not have to face it alone. A compassionate injury attorney can help to guide you through the regulations offered to you by Colorado, and look for additional sources of compensation if you did not choose to sign up for medical payments coverage ahead of time. If you wish to learn more about understanding medical payments coverage for Aurora car accidents, do not hesitate to reach out to a skilled lawyer today for your initial consultation.
