Every trip in a passenger vehicle comes with a degree of injury risk. While the vast majority of trips are uneventful, the potential for a crash is always there. Most Pennsylvania drivers make safety their top priority and do their best to stay as safe as possible while on public roads.
Unfortunately, there are others who drive after drinking or text while at the wheel. People end up seriously hurt in collisions that are the fault of someone else. Those involved in serious car wrecks may have injuries and may also lack health insurance coverage.
How do people pay for medical costs generated by a Pennsylvania car crash?
Liability insurance can pay
Someone’s health insurance status is often a non-issue after a car wreck. Health insurance typically does not cover treatment in cases where there is clearly an outside party liable for an incident. A basic medical insurance policy doesn’t pay for work injuries or car crash injuries because there are other types of insurance that should apply in those situations. Every driver in Pennsylvania has an obligation to carry liability insurance coverage which could cover the losses other people suffer if they cause a wreck.
The basic requirements include at least $15,000 in bodily injury liability coverage that can increase to $30,000 per crash if multiple people end up hurt. That coverage can pay for someone’s medical treatment and might even help replace their lost wages. However, $15,000 of insurance may not go as far as people expect after a collision. A few days in the hospital or a surgery could consume all of that.
What happens when insurance isn’t enough?
Many drivers in Pennsylvania don’t have enough coverage to protect themselves from liability. They could then face personal financial responsibility for the injury-related losses of others. If someone else caused a crash by doing something negligent or breaking traffic laws, the people injured in the crash could file a personal injury lawsuit. The courts can theoretically award a plaintiff compensation for current and future medical expenses, lost wages and other costs directly associated with injuries incurred in a wreck.
People who understand their options for compensation after a serious car crash can use insurance claims or legal action to hold the right party accountable. Pursuing compensation for injury expenses is an appropriate response to a collision caused by another driver.