Rollover accidents are some of the most frightening and deadly types of car accidents. Anyone inside a car that rolls over on a highway would be extremely lucky to avoid serious injuries. Just about any part of the body could suffer severe crushing injuries. Spinal damage and traumatic brain injuries are common injuries and these require very extensive and expensive medical treatment.
Car accident medical bills may eventually be paid by an at-fault driver through a personal injury claim, but you may still need to claim an initial payment from your own insurance provider if you have car accident medical insurance. This is compulsory anyway in the 12 so-called no-fault states.
Who Pays for Medical Treatment?
It is almost inevitable that anyone in your car, including you, is likely to be injured after a rollover accident. You will almost certainly have to pay significant medical bills. These could amount to tens of thousands of dollars or more after an average rollover accident.
If you have personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, compulsory in some states, or optional MedPay, this may cover the cost of less serious injuries and will certainly be welcome, even if you are considering pursuing a personal injury claim. For expensive damages that are over and above any insurance cover you have, you may need to seek compensation from the driver who caused the accent if you were not to blame yourself.
Rollover accidents may be caused by you trying to take a bend or corner at excessive speeds, or it was due to a fault in your car, or it could have been the result of any number of poor decisions by other road users. A successful personal injury claim depends on having proof that someone else was to blame.
States That Have No Fault Insurance
Of the 50 U.S. states, a minority, 12, have no-fault insurance rules for car drivers. In these states, to drive a car legally, you must have purchased a minimum amount of PIP insurance. You have the option of purchasing a higher level of cover over the minimum or additional insurance such as MedPay.
As long as the full cost of medical expenses after a rollover car accident and lost wages does not exceed your PIP cover, you are not permitted to sue another driver, even if they were at fault. Considering that most rollover accidents result in serious injuries and considerable damage to your car, you would almost certainly decide to pursue a personal injury claim assuming that you can obtain proof that another driver was to blame for your accident and injuries.
States That Do Not Have No Fault Insurance
38 states have typical tort rules that allow you to pursue compensation through the courts if necessary if you have been injured by another party. If your rollover accident and injuries was caused by another road user and you think that you can obtain proof of this, then you should certainly contact a personal injury attorney to discuss making a personal injury claim against the other driver.
Even if you do this, it could take months for a settlement, typically made by the at-fault driver’s insurer. You may still be faced with initial car accident medical bills. Although not compulsory, many drivers in a state that does not require no-fault insurance may still opt to purchase PIP or MedPay insurance. MedPay is typically cheaper than PIP and can be tailored to suit personal preferences. However it is only for medical bills and not compensation for lost wages which PIP does.
Get a Free Case Evaluation Today
