ekatherine.stamatis@lawrank.com | August 3, 2020 | Personal Injury

Who pays your medical bills after a slip and fall?

Who pays your medical bills after a slip and fall? While slip-and-fall accidents in Pennsylvania happen fairly often and may result in minor injuries such as strains or sprains, some people suffer serious injuries that can cost thousands of dollars in medical expenses.

If you are seriously injured in a slip-and-fall accident because of the negligence of the property owner, you might be overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught of unexpected medical bills because of your injuries.

Figuring out who will be responsible for paying your medical bills after you are injured in a slip-and-fall accident is important.

Here is some information about medical costs that the legal team at DiCindio Law thinks that you should know.

The injured victim’s responsibility for paying medical costs

In a majority of cases, people who are injured in slip-and-fall accidents will be responsible for paying their initial medical expenses. However, there is an exception in cases in which the property owners have medical payments coverage on their premises liability policies.

Insurance policies that include medical payments coverage will cover medical costs that an accident victim suffers on the premises of the property owner up to a specified cap.

Any costs that exceed the cap will be the injured victim’s responsibility.

After a slip-and-fall accident that results in serious injuries, medical bills can quickly pile up. Many people are overwhelmed by the unexpected financial burden caused by testing, emergency department visits, surgeries, and follow-up care.

These high costs can add up quickly, making it important for you to get help from an experienced personal injury attorney at DiCindio Law as soon as possible. A lawyer can help you to navigate the claims process so that you can deal with your medical and treatment costs after your slip-and-fall accident.

The property owner’s responsibility

As previously discussed, businesses may carry medical payments insurance as a part of their general liability insurance policies. Homeowners might also carry this type of coverage as a part of their homeowners’ insurance policies.

Property owners elect this type of coverage to protect them from the risk of accidents on their premises. Regardless of fault, this type of coverage is a type of financial protection for businesses and homeowners.

Property owners and businesses understand that it is difficult to operate and manage premises that are completely safe and free of hazards. This is why some businesses and property owners carry medical payments insurance coverage.

The insurance will pay for the injured victim’s medical bills up to a set amount.

If a property owner offers to pay for your medical costs, you should be cautious, however. A personal injury lawyer might examine what happened to make sure that all of your losses are covered.

Medical insurance and other important considerations

If the property owner asks for you to sign a document that could affect your future ability to file a claim in exchange for paying for your medical bills, do not do it.

You should never sign a waiver with a property owner and accept payment. If you do, you could be barred from seeking additional damages to compensate you for your other losses.

If you are presented with an offer and a document to sign, you should simply tell the property owner or business that you want to talk to your personal injury lawyer before you will agree to anything.

Your attorney can properly value your claim and figure out the types of relief that might be available to you for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

If you have medical insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare, it should pay for a percentage of your initial medical expenses minus any deductibles and copays.

If you use your medical insurance to pay for part of your medical bills, you should be aware that the insurance company will likely want to be repaid for the costs it paid for your care if you negotiate a settlement of your injury claim against the property owner.

If you do not have medical coverage, you will be financially responsible for the other costs of receiving medical care and attention.

Recovering damages in a slip-and-fall accident claim

The amount of money that you might recover in a slip-and-fall accident claim will depend on several factors, including the severity of your injuries, your likelihood of recovery, and whether you contributed to the cause of your accident. 

When you file a personal injury claim for a slip-and-fall accident case, the types of damages that you might recover include the following:

  • Past and future expected medical bills
  • Rehabilitation costs
  • Past lost wages
  • Future reduction of your earning capacity
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional anguish
  • Disability

Medical expenses and wage losses are fairly easy to calculate. However, the noneconomic losses are more difficult to value. Many attorneys and insurance companies take the value of a claimant’s medical expenses and multiply them by a factor from one to five.

A higher factor is used in cases in which the injuries are severe and the likelihood of full recovery is low.

If you accept a property owner’s offer to pay your medical bills in an early settlement offer, you will not be able to seek to recover compensation to pay for your other losses.

An experienced injury lawyer can help you to understand the value of your claim and work to negotiate a fair settlement for you.

Get help from DiCindio Law

Following a slip-and-fall accident in which you were injured, you might find yourself overwhelmed by unmanageable medical bills. Getting help from an experienced injury lawyer at DiCindio Law might allow you to figure out how to pay for your medical costs.

A lawyer may also help you to recover damages that will fairly compensate you for all of your losses. Contact us today to schedule a free evaluation of your case by calling us at (610) 430-3535.

***This blog article is made available by the law firm publisher for educational purposes and to provide general information, not to provide specific legal advice. By reading, you understand that there is no attorney client relationship between you and the publisher. The above listed information does not include the entire crimes code, annotations, amendments or any recent changes that may be relevant. The information provided is for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current legal developments. These materials are not intended, and should not be taken, as legal advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances. Please contact DiCindio Law, LLC for a consultation and to discuss what law is relevant to your case. ***