Following a car accident in Fort Lauderdale, you will be facing some new challenges, challenges that will affect your ability to work and heal. This guide is meant to address the costs associated with your medical care, both physical and emotional.
Your medical costs, and by extension, your settlement value, will be influenced by the severity of your injuries and the time it takes you to recover. Those two factors should be viewed as separate sliding scales. For instance, you may suffer from whiplash after the auto accident, often seen as a minor injury, but the injury could be a chronic pain that takes you years to fully recover from.
If you have questions regarding your medical costs, a Fort Lauderdale car accident attorney can review your case and consult with medical experts. They can provide you answers in this and guidance through the insurance claims process. Continue reading to learn more about the medical costs of your Fort Lauderdale car accident and the means to restore your financial stability.
The Injuries You Suffer Will Affect Your Medical Costs
Car accidents are traumatic, and not only to our bodies but also to our minds and emotions. We may secure and encase ourselves in the protective shell that is our car, but we are still shaken, bruised, and injured to some degree when two heavy machines collide.
As the victim of a car accident, you may suffer from any of these common car accident injuries:
- Whiplash
- Concussions
- Broken bones
- Internal bleeding
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Lacerations
- Contusions (bruises)
- Rib fractures
- Knee trauma
- Soft tissue injuries
- Psychological injuries, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mental anguish
Each of these injuries, and even those not listed here, comes with a fiduciary value for the medical care to treat them. Even with insurance coverage, you will have medical debt in the form of copays, coinsurance, and deductibles, depending on your insurance policy coverage.
A personal injury attorney in Fort Lauderdale can review your insurance policies, explain what you owe in medical costs, and help you seek a fair settlement from the insurance company to reimburse you for those financial losses.
Medical Care You May Receive Following Your Fort Lauderdale Car Accident
The medical care you receive following a car accident in Fort Lauderdale could be broken down into three categories:
Emergency Medical Expenses
These are medical expenses you would incur immediately following the accident. We advise that anyone in a car accident see a doctor immediately after the accident. Regardless of how you feel, you may be unaware of certain internal injuries you have. Also, seeing a doctor as soon as possible creates a connection between your injuries and the accident that the insurance companies will be unable to refute. Your immediate medical expenses could include:
- Emergency services
- Diagnostic testing
- Hospital stays
- Initial treatments and surgeries
Continuing Medical Expenses
Again, depending upon the nature and severity of your injuries, you may require further healthcare than just an emergency room visit. Your injuries may require more time to heal. These expenses may include:
- Follow-up visits
- Physical therapy
- Long-term medication
- Additional surgeries
Future and Log-Term Medical Costs
In the event that your injuries take substantially longer to heal, or you are left with an ailment or disability that will never heal, you could have additional medical costs, such as:
- Costs for anticipated medical treatments
- Long-term care for permanent disabilities
- Rehabilitation accommodations, such as wheelchairs and home modifications
Wrongful Death Cases May Also Result in Medical Expenses
In the unfortunate case that you have lost a loved one in a Fort Lauderdale car accident, first, please accept our condolences. You should be aware, though, that you may be left with medical expenses related to their care prior to their passing. Our wrongful death lawyer in Fort Lauderdale can explain your options for financial compensation in your family’s case.
Your Solution to Medical Expenses: Filling a Personal Injury Claim
To restore your financial standing, you can file an auto accident claim in Florida with your car insurance company. All car drivers must carry personal injury protection (PIP) and property damage liability (PDL) policies in the following minimum amounts:
- $10,000 in PIP
- $10,000 in PDL
Under Florida Statutes § 627.736, your PIP policy will cover 80% of your medical costs, which means you could still be left with medical debt. However, under certain circumstances, you can pursue compensation through an auto accident lawsuit against the at-fault party if your injuries meet a serious injury threshold. Those thresholds are defined under Florida Statutes § 627.737. They include:
- Loss of a bodily function
- Permanent injury
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Death
Through a personal injury lawsuit, you may be able to recover all of your medical expenses and more. Our personal injury lawyers can help.
Call the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato About the Medical Expenses in Your Fort Lauderdale Car Accident
The Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato provides car accident victims a free case consultation. Our car accident lawyers also provide our services on contingency, so you pay nothing unless we recover fair compensation for you.
Contact us today to learn more about the medical expenses in your case and the means to restore your finances through a lawsuit or accident claim. Call (954) 633-8270.
