As a medical provider in Florida, you’re forced to navigate the state’s personal injury laws. When you care for a motorcycle accident victim, the process of recovering your costs isn’t the same as with car accident patients. Insurance coverage varies, and receiving payment may come down to who caused the crash and whether that person has bodily injury liability coverage.
You hope there’s insurance coverage, and the insurer pays your invoices promptly. When that doesn’t seem likely, it’s best to talk with an experienced Florida motorcycle accident lawyer from GED Lawyers. We’re not only personal injury attorneys for accident victims; we also have years of experience helping medical providers recover their costs.
Insurance for Motorcycles in Florida
You know there’s no-fault insurance in Florida. When you care for a car accident patient, you bill their health insurance and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance. But the PIP law in Florida doesn’t extend to motorcyclists.
This can be confusing. The motorcycle rider has PIP insurance if they own a car. The coverage protects them if they’re hurt in a car accident or as a pedestrian or cyclist. But it won’t cover them when injured riding a motorcycle.
Florida doesn’t explicitly require motorcycle riders to carry insurance at all times. Yet riders are financially responsible for any accidents and injuries they cause. Because of this law, it’s best if motorcyclists buy bodily injury and property damage liability policies.
Riders are supposed to protect themselves, as well. According to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), Florida requires motorcyclists to wear a helmet if they don’t carry at least $10,000 worth of medical insurance coverage. Unfortunately, many riders forgo this coverage.
The moral of the story is that riders can be in motorcycle accidents in Boca Raton, Florida without insurance. Even if a motorcyclist has insurance, it probably won’t be PIP coverage. Most insurance companies don’t offer PIP products to riders in Florida, and if they do, the rates are high.
Instead of assuming a patient has PIP insurance, ask if they have Med Pay, which may pay you, the medical provider, directly, or the injured rider. Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage that’s part of the patient’s auto insurance is another option. A UM policy pays outstanding medical bills that the at-fault driver’s bodily injury policy (or lack thereof) doesn’t pay.
Winning Compensation After a Motorcycle Accident in Florida
When a motorcycle rider is hurt in an accident, they may have an at-fault claim. Their ability to receive compensation for the accident and injuries rests on proving someone else caused the collision.
Usually, the rider pursues compensation through a third-party claim against the at-fault driver’s policy. Here, complications can arise. Drivers must carry PIP insurance to pay for their injuries, and property damage liability insurance to pay for the crash victim’s bike repair or replacement. But a negligent driver might not have bodily injury liability coverage to pay for the rider’s injuries.
Florida limits when crash victims, including out-of-state riders, can sue properly insured drivers. The motorcyclist must have a serious and permanent injury to file a personal injury lawsuit against the Florida at-fault driver. If they have the right to sue, they can demand compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.
How Motorcycle Crashes Impact Medical Providers
Recovering payment from a motorcycle accident victim can be complicated. If they have health insurance, it applies to their injuries. If they have a PIP or a Med Pay policy, it may cover some of their medical bills. PIP covers up to 80% of medical bills, and Med
Pay covers all medical costs up to the policy limit. UM coverage is another option.
If the patient has to pursue a third-party claim, the insurer won’t pay you directly. Instead, you’ll need to demand payment from the patient directly or wait for the motorcycle accident injury settlement or verdict. Either way, receiving payment takes longer than after a car accident. You may need to wait years to get paid.
You Decide Whether to Accept These Patients
If you provide emergency medical services, then you don’t turn away people in need. But you may provide medical care for motorcyclists after they’ve been to the ER and received immediate care. Whether you’re a general practitioner, chiropractor, physical therapist, or another type of physician, it’s up to your practice to decide whether to take motorcycle accident patients. You have the right to turn away these patients because of the challenges you may face in recovering payment.
Running Into Trouble With Insurers
You might have hope for timely reimbursement when you learn the motorcyclist or at-fault driver has good insurance. Unfortunately, that’s often not the case. Insurers fight everything because they want to limit their costs. They’re all about profit.
If your medical practice is having trouble getting paid when there’s insurance coverage, let us help. We are highly experienced in helping medical providers get their due payment. We’re used to dealing with major insurers and their legal teams and have successfully handled lawsuits against insurers who wrongly denied accident victims compensation.
Making Sure Your Medical Practice Gets Paid
It’s essential to make your claim against a personal injury settlement official. You can do this by receiving a Letter of Protection (LOP) from your patient’s personal injury lawyer. Through an LOP, you agree to treat the patient and wait for payment through a settlement or court award.
The disadvantage of an LOP is that, traditionally, medical providers don’t send the patient to collections for delinquent payment, though you aren’t barred from doing so. In many situations, the patient doesn’t have the income or savings to pay you immediately. Your best chance may be to wait for the settlement or award. However, an LOP client might not recover compensation if the at-fault driver lacks bodily injury coverage.
Our Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Can Help Doctors Recover Their Payment
After you have treated a patient, their insurance should pay your invoices if they are insured. If you treated an uninsured motorcycle accident patient and have not been paid, our motorcycle accident attorneys can help you. We will:
- Handle communications with insurers on your behalf
- Speak to the patient’s lawyer for you
- Answer any questions you have
- Explain the state’s insurance laws
Working with a motorcycle accident patient who is not insured can put you in a tricky spot. You do not have to try to recover your due payment alone. Our firm has experience working with medical providers and can help you.
Contact GED Lawyers for a Free Case Review
As a medical provider, you are entitled to your payment even if the patient you treated does not carry insurance. Our motorcycle accident attorneys at GED Lawyers can help you recover payment if the motorcycle accident patient you treated does not have insurance.
Our team can support you, and we are available to take your call 24/7. For a free case review, contact GED Lawyers today.
