One of the best ways to find an auto accident doctor near you is by looking them up on the internet. However, when you find a doctor near your local area, read their reviews to establish what their patients think about their services. Although this option works, it also has its challenges. For instance, some doctors may not specialize in your injury, while others might not accept your insurance.

Car accident doctors cannot refuse to treat you if you suffer life-threatening injuries. Refusing to treat you for life-threatening injuries violates the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act.

So many factors come into play when looking for an auto accident doctor near you. The first thing you need to realize is that attorneys usually have a wide network of professionals in their contact lists, such as medical professionals, financial experts, accident reconstruction specialists, massage therapists, etc. Therefore hiring an attorney saves you the trouble of vetting doctors one by one when you have serious injuries that require immediate medical attention.

An experienced car accident attorney can help you understand your options.

Public hospitals cannot deny you treatment even in non-emergency situations. But in some cases, healthcare providers look beyond emergencies.

For instance, you might have difficulty finding a provider that accepts your health insurance coverage. But you will not have to worry about that when you have an attorney. This is because an experienced attorney can always find ways to make things work. Speaking of options, you may have health coverage through your car insurance, healthcare programs such as Tricare, or even Medicaid.

Yes, most healthcare providers can provide treatment and have you pay them back later. Here is how this system works.

When you get injured in a car accident and file a claim with your insurance company or the other party, it might take a while to receive your settlement. But you cannot wait that long to seek the medical attention you need after the accident.

Most medical providers can agree to treat you if you do not have enough coverage or any coverage at all. But before that, you will need to sign some form of agreement (medical lien) with the healthcare provider, allowing them to claim part of your settlement to cover the medical expenses.
 
When you hire the right attorney, they will likely have a list of healthcare providers they work with. Then, all they need to do is send them a letter of protection, also known as LOP.

An LOP is a letter sent by a personal injury attorney to a healthcare provider guaranteeing payment for an individual's medical expenses. The payment would come from a future settlement award.

Yes, medical liens are legally binding. When you win the settlement, the medical lien will be attached to it. After deducting the lien, attorney fees, and other expenses, you will only receive your portion of the award.

Yes, it is possible to negotiate a medical lien. Because medical liens are legally binding, you simply cannot refuse to pay. Doing so could land you in trouble with debt collection agencies. Negotiation is usually one of the most effective ways to get around them.

However, it is also important to note that the medical provider is not obliged to. That said, many providers would be willing to negotiate a settlement.

This settlement is usually considered a “bird in hand,” meaning it is better than none. Secondly, healthcare providers typically do not have the time and resources to pursue a medical debt. The most they can do is sell off the debt to a debt collection company for a fraction of the cost. The debt collection agency will then attempt to collect the debt from you.

Rather than go through this time-consuming and stressful process, most medical providers would rather negotiate with your attorney. 

One common problem with signing a medical lien with a healthcare provider is that some charge way higher than the actual value of that particular medical procedure. Although this is illegal in most states, some healthcare providers do not comply. Some may be too greedy, hoping to get a slice of the settlement amount.

Here is how it works.

Insurance companies usually have contracts with healthcare providers regarding the costs of certain medical treatments. For example, if you need to conduct a particular test and have it paid for by your medical insurer, the original cost (such as a TB test) would be around $100.

Bear in mind that this is the cost of the test if you choose to pay out of pocket. But if the insurance has an agreement with the healthcare provider, they will probably set the price at $80. This means that if you pay through your insurance provider, you may need around $20, assuming the insurance provider will settle the remaining $60.

However, when you sign a medical lien, the situation is slightly different. Since a medical lien is an agreement between you, your attorney, and the healthcare provider, your healthcare insurance is not involved. In other words, the initial contract with the insurance provider does not come into play in such a scenario.

As a result, the healthcare provider will want to charge you the original cost of that procedure, in this case, $100 for a TB test. Bear in mind that the $100 fee is just an example and not the actual cost of this test.

Some healthcare providers do this because they want a share of your settlement award. This tactic is known as “balance billing” and is illegal in most states.

Earlier, we mentioned that most healthcare providers would be willing to negotiate their portion of the settlement. While it might seem they do not mind taking a loss and moving on with their lives, this is not always the case. For example, if the healthcare provider does 'balance billing' but then agrees to settle for a lesser amount, usually what you would have paid through your medical insurance, this is not necessarily a loss.

Sadly, your own health insurer could claim part of the settlement if they paid your medical bills. This process is known as subrogation.

Subrogation has always been a debatable topic in different states. For instance, the insurance company could argue that it is unfair for you to pocket the entire settlement if the insurance company paid your medical bills.

Now let's look at it from a different perspective. When you pay your healthcare insurance premium, you expect the insurance company to settle your medical bills. After all, that's the whole point of obtaining insurance. You do not expect insurance companies to file a claim for settling what they should in the first place.

On the other hand, the insurer could claim that the injuries would not have occurred had it not been for the other party's negligence — or you, if you caused the accident. In other words, it is an insurer's way of claiming compensation for your injuries even though they are obligated to compensate you based on the terms of your insurance agreement.

The bottom line is that subrogation is a complex area of insurance law. Even worse is that each case is different; there is no standard way of navigating this issue. You need an experienced car accident attorney to fight for you, ensuring you receive the compensation you need and deserve.

Speaking with an attorney is the best way to protect yourself against these unexpected developments when injured in an accident. So if you are looking for the best car accident attorney to fight for you, Morgan and Morgan is the law firm you need to contact.

Morgan and Morgan does not need any introduction regarding car accident cases. As the largest personal injury law firm in the United States, we have the experience and resources to fight for you.

Dealing with insurance companies is not usually the easiest thing to do. The saddest part is that insurance companies are all the same — whether it is your own insurer or the other party's. And, depending on the nature of the accident, they would want to recover some form of compensation from your settlement.

In addition, the medical provider might inflate their fees to get the most out of your settlement.

When you get injured in an accident, your attorney is the only person you can trust. Other than the attorney, most people or entities always seek ways to benefit from your pain and suffering. Luckily, at Morgan and Morgan, our attorneys understand your pain and are here to protect your interests.

We have dealt with countless insurance companies and healthcare providers for over 30 years. We know the tactics they use to benefit from settlements awarded to injury victims. For this reason, we will not only help you get the medical attention you need but also protect your settlement from greedy people.

The steps you take after a car accident could make or break your claim. Of course, seeking medical attention is one of the most important things after an accident. But, sometimes, the healthcare provider you contact could worsen your pain.

They might come after everything you have suffered for, leaving you with nothing to take home. Remember, your medical bills are not the only thing you should be concerned about after a car accident. You likely have other bills to pay and a life to live. If you do not choose the right healthcare provider, you will likely lose a huge portion of your settlement to them.

That is why we are here to help. We are here to shield you from further pain. Precisely, we are here to protect you from exploitation by people who want to take advantage of some of our lowest moments in your life to benefit themselves. This could be your own insurance company, the other party's, or even worse, a doctor you trusted with your entire life.

Contact us today to learn more.