If you have been seriously injured in an auto accident, securing payment from the insurance companies could be crucial to cover your medical expenses and other losses. With today’s high cost of medical care, most people cannot afford to pay these expenses on their own. Even if you have health insurance, relying on your coverage would most likely mean paying a substantial copay or deductible, and your health insurer may be within its rights to deny coverage for accident-related injuries. In short, you need to file an auto insurance claim, and it will be important for you to work with an experienced Denver personal injury lawyer to make sure you receive the full compensation you deserve.
Auto Insurance Covers All accident-related Injuries
When you file an auto insurance claim, you are entitled to coverage for your medical expenses regardless of the nature of your injury. As long as you suffered your injury in the collision (i.e. you are not seeking coverage for an injury you already had), your injury should be covered. This is true for all types of physical injuries as well as all types of psychological harm, including:
- Back and spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Eye, ear and facial injuries
- Lacerations and contusions
- Loss of digits or limbs
- Nerve damage
- Post-traumatic stress
- Soft tissue injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (including concussions)
- Whiplash
- All other accident-related medical conditions
Med Pay vs. Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) Coverage
In a typical auto accident case involving a collision caused by driver negligence, victims will have access to two types of insurance coverage: (i) Med Pay; and, (ii) bodily injury liability (BIL). However, these are very different policies, and maximizing coverage under each policy requires a unique approach to each type of claim:
1. Securing Med Pay Coverage After an Accident
Med Pay is “no-fault” insurance that you purchase to cover your own medical expenses in the event of an accident. In Colorado, Med Pay coverage is automatically added to your policy unless you opt-out, so most drivers have coverage. While Med-Pay provides coverage for medical expenses regardless of fault, the standard policy limit is just $5,000. As a result, most accident victims will need to file BIL claims as well.
Even though Med-Pay provides no-fault coverage and the policy limits are relatively low, many insurance companies still make it difficult for their policyholders to secure coverage. As a result, even if you are only seeking Med Pay coverage (which is unlikely to be the case), you should still consider working with a personal injury lawyer.
2. Seeking Full Compensation Under the At-Fault Driver’s BIL Policy
Bodily injury liability insurance provides fault-based coverage; and, when you file a BIL claim, you are filing a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurer. As a result, BIL claims are more challenging and more complex than Med Pay claims. However, the coverage limits are much higher. For most accident victims, filing a successful BIL claim is critical to making a full financial recovery, and hiring an experienced Denver personal injury lawyer is the first step toward recovering full compensation for their medical expenses and other losses.
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation at Levine Law
Were you seriously injured in an auto accident in the Denver area? To speak with an experienced personal injury attorney about your case for free, call 303-333-8000 or request a free initial consultation at Levine Law online today.
