Who Pays My Medical Bills After a Car Accident?

Many people involved in New Jersey car accidents have no idea who or which insurance company should have to pay for their accident injuries and medical costs.

Unfortunately, many people think that the auto insurance provider of the person at fault in the crash must pay all related medical bills. This is not true in New Jersey.

New Jersey has a ‘no fault’ insurance claim system. This means that the person to blame in the accident is irrelevant in terms of deciding which insurance company must pay for medical costs.

In this state, your auto insurance policy features Personal Injury Protection, also known as PIP. If you are hurt in a car accident, no matter who caused it, your medical costs are covered by the PIP benefit under your own insurance policy. So, the PIP benefit follows the person and not the car. For instance, if you are in a car accident, but were a passenger in your brother’s car, your insurance company’s PIP coverage will pay for your medical costs.

So, what happens if you do not have any auto insurance in the above example? In New Jersey, the injured person must turn to an insured resident relative to provide your PIP benefits.

Many car accident victims are surprised to learn that even if they do not personally own a car, their medical bills need to be paid by the family member’s auto policy. If you do not have a resident relative, then you must use the insurance policy for the ‘host’ vehicle. This would be the owner of the car that you were in when the accident happened.

Clearly, which insurance company must pay can get complicated quickly under New Jersey law. This can lead to serious delays in payments for your medical bills. This is intolerable for most people with serious injuries.

Personal Injury Attorney in New Jersey

It is common for auto insurance companies to try to pass the buck to another insurance company in a car accident claim. It is critical to work with an attorney who knows the games the insurance companies play. People who have serious accident injuries need to have their medical costs paid for in a timely manner.

Attorneys who are experienced with insurance companies in New Jersey can help you to take on car insurance companies to ensure that you get the necessary medical care to recover from your injuries.

Please contact our office immediately for a free consultation (201) 944-9200.