When you’re in a bicycle accident, you may wonder where you’re going to find the compensation to pay all those medical bills. Bicycle accident injuries range from minor bumps and bruises to serious brain injuries and broken bones. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you could rack up some serious medical bills. As you look at your options, you might consider suing the responsible party, using your personal health insurance or paying the costs out of pocket. Fortunately, there are a variety of other options as well. Car insurance is one of those.
The Responsible Party’s Auto Insurance
If you were hit by a driver on the road, you are probably entitled to compensation from the driver’s auto insurance coverage. You’ll need proof the accident was truly the driver’s fault, that it caused your injuries and that you have damages related to those injuries. Proof could come in the form of surveillance videos, witness statements, doctor statements and medical bills. You could also include a document from your employer stating your inability to work, or a document from your spouse indicating your inability to participate in the regular activities you used to participate in.
With all of these things as evidence, you can file a claim with the liable individual’s auto insurance company. There’s a chance an insurance adjuster will call you to try and figure out what happened in hopes of offering less than you deserve, but you should get your lawyer in touch with him or her instead. You are never obligated to speak with the insurance adjuster.
Your Own Auto Insurance
If you are properly insured, there’s a chance you could reach into your personal auto insurance coverage for help in getting your medical bills paid. If the responsible driver is uninsured, there’s typically something called “uninsured or underinsured motorist” coverage. This is a portion of your own auto insurance policy that takes care of expenses caused by someone without insurance. It could also cover costs if you are involved in a hit-and-run.
If you were responsible for the bicycle accident, you may be able to pull from something called “Med-Pay.” This covers a portion of medical costs sustained when you’re the at-fault party in your bicycle accident.
Having a Lawyer Get Involved
Regardless of fault for your bicycle accident, it may help to have a lawyer get involved in seeking compensation. Contact a bicycle accident lawyer in St. Paul, MN, like from Johnston Martineau, LLP, today to get that started.