If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Colorado, you may be facing extensive medical bills and long-term care costs. Even if you’ve secured a settlement for your injuries, those bills don’t always go away quickly.
At Casares Injury Law, we often help clients deal with one of the most common post-settlement issues: figuring out how to handle outstanding medical expenses. The sections below explain who pays for medical bills after a car accident and discusses your options for negotiating a lower sum with medical providers.
Who Pays for Medical Bills After a Car Accident in Colorado?
Colorado follows an at-fault insurance system. This means the driver who causes an accident is responsible for the resulting damages, including your medical costs. However, compensation often comes through a settlement paid by the at-fault driver’s insurance. These damages are not usually paid directly to your doctors.
Until a settlement is reached, you are still responsible for your medical bills. Here’s how medical costs are typically paid:
- Medical Payments (MedPay) –Colorado drivers often carry optional MedPay coverage, which pays for medical expenses after a car accident, regardless of fault.
- Health insurance: If MedPay doesn’t cover all your costs, your health insurance may step in. However, many health insurers will seek reimbursement from your settlement once the case is resolved.
- Provider Liens: In some cases, doctors or hospitals may agree to treat you in exchange for a medical lien on your settlement. These liens must be paid before you can collect the remaining settlement funds.
Bills not covered by these sources may become your personal responsibility unless your attorney can negotiate them down.
Can Medical Bills Be Negotiated After Settlement?
Yes. One of the most valuable services a Castle Rock car accident attorney can provide after a settlement is negotiating down your medical debt. Healthcare providers are often willing to reduce balances, especially when they know payment is coming from a settlement.
Your attorney can negotiate with:
- Hospitals and emergency services
- Physical therapists and specialists (Recovering from spinal cord or brain damage)
- Diagnostic imaging centers (e.g., MRI and X-ray providers)
- Health insurers seeking subrogation (reimbursement from your settlement)
By reducing the total amount owed, your car accident lawyer in Castle Rock can help ensure you walk away from your case with more of your settlement in your pocket.
How A Castle Rock Car Accident Lawyer Can Help With Medical Bills After a Settlement
Getting a settlement after a car accident is a significant step, but it’s often just the beginning of your financial recovery. Many medical providers, hospitals, and insurance carriers may still be seeking payment for services they rendered.
An experience Castle Rock car accident attorney can assist you by:
- Reviewing your settlement terms and identifying remaining obligations
- Contacting hospitals and healthcare providers to negotiate outstanding balances
- Determining if any providers have filed liens on your settlement
- Working to reduce the amount you owe, so you can keep more of your compensation
- Helping you understand your responsibilities under Colorado law
Without proper legal guidance, you could end up handing over a large portion of your settlement to medical providers or insurance companies. Our Castle Rock car accident lawyer can help you navigate this final and often frustrating stage of the process.
Contact Casares Injury Law today to speak with a member of our legal team. We can advise you of your rights and options during a free legal consultation.