Bicyclist Hit By a Car – “Who Will Pay My Medical Bills?”

You were riding your bicycle down the street when all of a sudden you were hit by a car. Maybe they were making a left turn across your path. Maybe they ran a stop sign or a red light. Maybe they claim they just didn’t see that you were there, but in any case you were injured and now you require medical treatment. At some point in this process you’ll probably ask yourself: “who’s responsible for paying my medical bills”?

I’m Seattle personal injury attorney Matt Dubin. Join me now as I discuss how you get your medical bills paid when you’re a bicyclist who’s been hit by a car.

When you’re biking and you’ve been hit by a car the primary insurance that would cover your medical bills is the personal injury protection or PIP coverage of the driver who hit you. PIP is a no-fault coverage which means even if the driver or their insurance denies liability or fault for causing the accident their PIP coverage will still pay your medical bills as long as the treatment you receive is reasonable, medically necessary, and causally related to the accident.

Now, if the driver of the car didn’t have PIP coverage but you’ve got your own auto insurance with PIP coverage then your coverage is primary and your own PIP will pay those bills, again, as long as they’re reasonable, medically necessary, and related to the accident. Now, if the driver doesn’t have PIP and you don’t have PIP, the next option would be your health insurance. Sometimes health insurance will require a showing that there’s no other insurance available to pay the accident related bills, but once you’re able to show that, they’re required to pay for your medical treatment as long as it’s covered by your policy, pursuant to the terms of that policy. Of course, there may be deductibles or co-pays you need to pay out of pocket, but at least you’ll have coverage to get your treatment paid.

Now, if there’s no PIP coverage and you don’t have health insurance, the last resort is to find a provider who will treat you on a lien. That means they’ll carry a balance for you, but they retain an interest in the outcome of your case and you guarantee that they’ll be paid when your case is settled or otherwise resolved. Sometimes it’s hard to find a provider who will treat you on a lien, but if you’ve got a good case and you’re represented by an experienced personal injury attorney, usually you can find a provider who’s willing to treat you and carry their balance until the conclusion of your case.

Once again, the options for getting your medical bills paid when you’re a bicyclist who’s been hit by a motor vehicle are the drivers PIP coverage, your own PIP coverage, your health insurance, and finally as a last resort getting treatment on a lien. Of course, if you are a bicyclist who’s been hit by a car it would be a very good idea for you to speak to a personal injury attorney who’s experienced in handling bicycle cases. For more information check out our website or feel free to give us a call we’d love to hear from you.