How are my medical bills going to get paid after a crash?

A Missouri car crash may not just disrupt your day, it could change your life. The injuries that you suffer could put you in the hospital or even force you to change careers. Someone with multiple broken bones, a brain injury or a spinal cord injury may feel worried about how they will pay their medical bills, especially if they will be out of work or if they don’t have their own health insurance coverage.

You weren’t at fault for the crash, but you can tell it will have a big impact on your life. How will you pay for the injuries suffered in a crash caused by another driver?

You can make a claim against their insurance coverage

Every driver in Missouri has to carry liability insurance coverage. The other driver should typically have at least $25,000 worth of medical coverage to pay your costs if they are at fault for the accident. If a collision leaves two or more people hurt, the available coverage doubles to $50,000.

These amounts might not be enough money to pay for your medical bills. For example, if a person is injured in an auto accident and spends two-weeks in the hospital or has surgery followed by physical therapy might find that their medical bills far exceed the at-fault driver’s insurance policy limits. What can you do if the other driver’s insurance coverage leaves you with unpaid expenses?

You have coverage that helps you pay those bills

Missouri requires more insurance than several other states because it mandates uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. These rules apply to residents of the state of Missouri. A non-resident driver must maintain insurance coverage that conforms to their state’s requirements.

Uninsured motorist coverage pays for damages arising from bodily injury to you and your resident family members when another driver is legally responsible for the auto accident and does not have bodily injury liability coverage. According to a 2017 study conducted by the Insurance Research Council, as many as 1 in 8 drivers are uninsured so it is important to carry this type of coverage on your policy.

Underinsured motorist coverage applies when you’re in an accident and the at-fault driver’s liability limits are too low to cover the medical expenses of a party who was injured in the accident like in the example listed above. Underinsured motorist coverage pays for damages arising from bodily injury to you and your resident family members when another driver is legally responsible for the auto accident and does not have enough liability coverage to cover your bodily injury loss.

You may be able to take them to court

Missouri law does allow those hurt by others through negligence or misconduct to file civil lawsuits to recover their losses. If you have thousands of dollars in missed income or medical bills that insurance won’t cover, taking the other driver to court could help you cover those expenses.

Understanding what happens after a crash caused by a driver who doesn’t have enough insurance and help you avoid lasting financial losses from a collision.