Do you know how you would deal with an unexpected medical expense? In Hollywood and South Florida, an emergency hospital stay can cost you tens of thousands of dollars or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. A serious, permanent injury such as a back injury or head injury can cost $100,000 of medical expenses alone in the first year. Subsequent years can cost even more. And these costs do not take into consideration the at-home care, medications, outpatient care, and all the other care that you may need if you have suffered a severe injury.
Unexpected medical expenses are one of the leading causes of personal bankruptcy in Hollywood, South Florida and across the country. This is because even with medical insurance, car insurance, and other forms of coverage many people are unprepared for the sheer cost of medical care and other expenses resulting from a serious injury. Unless you are independently wealthy, you may not be able to come up with the tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars needed to replace lost income and pay for all the expenses of a serious medical condition. This situation can be even more dire if you do not have medical coverage or if you have inadequate coverage.
To avoid this type of situation and to avoid facing bankruptcy or foreclosure because you have been injured, there are several things you can do:
1) Get the best coverage you can.
Even though car insurance and health insurance alone may not cover the many complicated costs of a serious injury, insurance companies can help you, especially if you have a more minor injury. Always get the best coverage you can afford. Get underinsured and underinsured motorist coverage on your car insurance policy, for example, and speak with your employer for the maximum medical insurance benefits you can enjoy. If you are ever in a car accident or suffer a serious injury, you are more likely to get help from your insurer if you have a higher-end policy.
2) Take the basic steps needed to avoid injury.
Get defensive driving lessons and drive carefully. Stay alert to what is going on around you and try not to multitask. While many of us cannot avoid all injuries, it is possible to avoid many injuries simply by using common sense and taking basic precautions.
3) Talk to a personal injury attorney if you have been injured.
If you are injured through no fault of your own, one of the first calls you should make is to a personal injury attorney. A personal injury attorney can assess your situation, can offer advice, and can help you protect your interests. If you have a legal claim against the liable party, a personal injury attorney can pursue your case for you, seeking compensation on your behalf. Many personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you will not have to pay legal costs upfront until and unless the personal injury attorney is able to recover money for you. In many cases, the cost of seeking legal advice is minimal or even free in some cases, so get legal advice if you have been injured.
4) Protect yourself if you have been injured.
If you have suffered an injury, take the basic precautions to protect yourself. Take photos of your injuries and keep track of your symptoms, costs, and the receipts that prove your injury has cost you money. The more information and facts you have, the more you can help your attorney produce a strong case on your behalf.
Would you like help because you have been injured through no fault of your own? The attorneys at Flaxman Law Group are standing by to arrange a free, no obligation case review for you. Your free case consultation is a chance for you to ask questions and to find out the facts about your legal options.