June 4, 2014

Who pays my Medical Bills after a South Carolina Car Accident?

South Carolina law requires a person who causes a car accident to pay the medical bills of the person the wrongdoer injured. Typical medical bills for an auto accident injury may include emergency room and hospital treatment, the emergency room doctors, a family doctor, perhaps an orthopedist, a chiropractor, or physical therapy. More serious injuries could include treatment by a neurosurgeon or pain management doctor.

However, your medical providers will bill you directly and you or your lawyer will need to submit the bills to the insurance company. The at-fault driver’s insurance company will review your medical expenses and analyze if they believe the expense is “reasonable and necessary.” In other words, medical treatment must be reasonably necessary and related to the injuries a person suffered from in a car accident. Additionally, an insurance company may question the reasonableness of the charges that a medical provider bills you.

The insurance company is not going to pay until your case is resolved through settlement or trial. This means your medical bills remain outstanding and unpaid until you receive the money from the insurance company. For this reason, it makes sense to get your health insurance company involved. There is plenty of information available on this site for dealing with your health insurance company. However, an injured person may have to negotiate with their medical providers or get financial assistance in paying current medical bills. Additionally, an injured person may need financial assistance to even get the medical treatment they need if they do not have medical insurance.

For more information, please:

  • Explore the Answers section.
  • Request my Free Guide, South Carolina Car Accident Claims Guide in Plain English, by clicking here.
  • Call at 888-510-9359 or contact me for a free consultation. There is no obligation.