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Do I Still Have a Personal Injury Claim if the Insurance Company Paid My Bills?

Lake County Personal Injury Lawyers Answer Questions About Claims and Insurance Payments

One of the questions we are often asked by potential clients is whether or not they have a personal injury case if their insurance company has paid their medical bills. The answer is yes, as long as they did not sign a release of liability. A release absolves the responsible party from any obligation to pay you for damages incurred due to the accident. An insurance company may ask you to sign such a release before making any payments to you.

After you are in an accident, you may receive money from your insurance, or from the insurance company of the negligent driver. This typically happens because your insurance includes “med pay,” meaning you have medical payment insurance coverage. If your insurance company offers this, then they will pay the medical bills that you have acquired due to an accident that is covered by their policies. Once your health insurance has covered their portion, it is best to take advantage of your med pay coverage for bills you would have to pay out of your own pocket.

As an example, if you are involved in an accident and your health insurance pays for 80% of the cost of your time in the emergency room, this will leave you to pay 20% of the bill out of your own pocket. However, even if the entire cost of your visit is covered by medical pay coverage, other bills that you need coverage for in the future may result in a personal cost to you. This is because the coverage through medical pay is always limited, and the amount of this limit varies based on your insurance policy. Typical coverage is $5,000.00.

Contact Our Lake County Personal Injury Law Firm

If you are interested in continuing the conversation about whether or not you still have a personal injury case, even though an insurance company has paid your medical bills, contact the lawyers at Salvi & Maher, LLP for a free, no-obligation consultation at 847-662-3303. We have offices in Libertyville, Waukegan, Chicago, and Richmond, IL, and serve clients in Lake, DuPage, and Will County.

What is My Illinois Personal Injury Case Worth?

Lake County Personal Injury Lawyers Explain How Verdicts and Settlements are Determined

Have you been injured in an accident? Are you wondering if you have a personal injury case and what it might be worth? The answer to that question depends on your case.

The factors that contribute to what your case may be worth can take months, or even years, to fully determine. For example, we will need to know the extent of your injury, how you were injured, your diagnosis and prognosis, and if your injury is permanent. We take into consideration if this injury will hinder your day-to-day life, as well as your job, and how much medical care you will need to recover. Even if you have a serious injury that results in high medical bills and lost income due to not being able to work, our attorneys have found that a case can have a low success rate due if it is difficult to prove the injuries were caused by the negligence of the defendant.

If this is the case, the defendant’s insurance company will take this into consideration when coming up with an offer for your compensation. If you were at fault for 50% of the accident, or if the insurance company believes that the defendant has a 50% chance of a “not guilty” verdict, you may only be offered 50% of the value of your injury or damages. We also take into account that even with a clear injury and evidence that the defendant is at fault, there may be limited or no insurance coverage. If this is the case, and the defendant does not have insurance and no assets to pursue, you may not be awarded a single dollar.

Most of the time, we find that your personal injury is worth whatever the judge or jury decides it is worth, based on the evidence that is presented at trial. Everyone involved in the case, from the attorneys to the insurance representatives, are all trying to answer the same question, "how will the judge or jury respond to your case?" At Salvi & Maher, LLP, our attorneys put themselves in the shoes of the jury and will compose opening and closing statements, and organize evidence that accurately shows every detail needed to prove your case.

Lake County Personal Injury Law Firm

The lawyers at Salvi & Maher, LLP, offer top-notch advice and recommendations based on our years of experience assisting clients on personal injury cases. We always have your best interests in mind, and we will fight to ensure that the value of your case is maximized. For more information, and for a free consultation with one of our lawyers, contact us today at 847-662-3303. We have offices in Libertyville, Chicago, Waukegan, and Richmond, IL.