Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Illinois
In August of 2010 I was involved in a motorcycle accident.
The insurer of the other party agreed to accept responsibility for any expenses, medical, etc.
I suffered a fractured tibia.
On October 6,2010, I was released by the Orthopedist.
I received a bill from the hospital (emergency room visit), the ambulance company, and the Orthopedic clinic.
I forwarded these bills to the other driver's insurance company, who informed me they had issued checks to cover these. These bills were paid in December 2010.
Now, almost a year later (September 2011), I get a bill from a "Radiologist" who claims they participated in the X-rays at the Orthopedic clinic. They say they billed my medical insurer in March and April of 2011. My medical insurance will not pay since another insurer had accepted responsibility.
Since I didn't know about the bill I obviously couldn't send it to the insurer who had accepted responsibility.
Can I still be held liable for a bill I should never have had to pay to begin with?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Hi. I am sorry to hear about the motorcycle accident that you were involved in. I am an Illinois personal injury attorney that handles motorcycle accident claims.
In addition to payment of all medical bills incurred from treatment for the injuries you suffered from the accident, you are entitled to reasonable compensation for pain and suffering, as well as payment for expected future medical costs, and any on-going, permanent disability. I am not sure from your posting whether or not you have already signed a release preventing you from pursuing any additional compensation from the insurer of the negligent driver. If not, you should forward the bill to the insurer of the negligent driver and demand payment.
Injured claimants who retain attorneys to represent them, on average, recover at least two times the amount of an unrepresented claimant. Additional detail would be needed to provide an estimate of the proper amount of compensation you are entitled to, based on the type of injury that you received. However, certain injuries, particularly if there is any permanent impairment, can be worth a substantial amount in compensation. If you do not properly present your claim to the insurance company, you can lose your right to recover a proper amount of compensation. Furthermore, the police report generated from the accident should be carefully reviewed, as the circumstances of the accident can themselves entitle you to additional recovery.
I hope this helps, at least to some extent. For convenience, I can be reached at [email protected]. Website- www.harvathmissouriillinoislawyers.com.
NOTE: This answer is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. The use of this site does not create an attorney-client relationship or privilege between the user and the attorney responding.
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