Recent motorcycle accident - med bills

[JennyP410]

One more thing...

I've been thinking about subscribing to a website that offers (supposedly) everything you need to settle without a lawyer, as well as numerous articles, etc, and they say they will create an item for you for free if there is something you need that isn't on the site. Looks like they guide you through the process and have example demand letters among other forms. It says it is created and ran by lawyers, doctors, and former insurance adjusters.

A six month subscription is $99.95.

 

[ecmst12]

So I'm hoping that when we sign away our rights to sue in the settlement, that we are agreeing not to sue his mother, and that he will be fair game.

The release will be worded to bar you from suing the mother AND the son over the accident, I promise you.

I think you do, at the very least, have a chance of being offered the policy limits without a lawyer. But I also agree that if they offer you more then $33k but less then $50k you should still take it, since you'll get to keep all of it (after the medical bills are paid that is).

That site sounds like a waste of money. You can find example demand letters online for free, or you could make up your own. I doubt there's anything there worth paying for.

 

[JennyP410]

Thanks! Ya'll have been really helpful!

Jen

 

[JennyP410]

I sent my package of info to the adjustor, and it shows that it was signed for on October 25th. It included all relevant med records, bills, imaging reports, demand letter, etc.

How long should I expect to wait for a response from them?

 

[ecmst12]

30 days is usually considered reasonable. Check with them after the holiday if you haven't heard by then.

 

[JennyP410]

I went ahead and called - the suspense was killing me. She confirmed that she had received it and that the medical bills had to be input into their system.

She also gave me the impression that I had to be finished with treatment in order to settle. I was referred to a neurologist, who I see this week, due to a nagging minor balance problem.

I'd prefer to go ahead and settle for the policy limit, but I guess that the longer I am under treatment, the better chance of getting that amount of money in the settlement. Would that be reasonable to assume?

 

[ecmst12]

If they're willing to offer the limits now, I don't see any reason for you to wait; it's not like you can get more money once the limits are paid. Normally it's best to wait until treatment is completed, but that's only because the more treatment you have, the more your case will be worth.

Actually, most insurance companies would prefer to settle sooner when possible, so tell her you'll settle now if she offers the limits, that might help you along.

 

[JennyP410]

Thanks. I think I'll try that. My appointment with the neurologist is Wednesday, so I'll wait until after the holiday and give her a call back.

 

[JennyP410]

The insurance adjustor indicated to me that I must be completely finished with treatment for them to settle my claim. I called back today, and she is out for the next week, but the person that I spoke with told me the same thing.

Is this just BS to keep stringing me along? I included an estimated amount in my demand package for the future expenses, and I am pretty much finished. The amount that I included has turned out to be pretty accurate.

The neurologist essentially said that I should continue to improve over the coming months and that it is just after effects from my head being jarred around. He didn't think anything major was wrong.

I have another appt with the orthopedist Dec 10th, but he told me that he would normally have finished up with me by now. However, "they" like for him to keep seeing me while I am working with the insurance adjustor. I took "they" to mean the big medical corp that he works for.

This accident was five months ago, and I am REALLY ready to get on with my life and get these medical bills paid.

 

[moburkes]

You can't estimate your future medical expenses. It just doesn't work that way. Yes, they will hold off paying until you are done, or the policy limits are exhausted.

 

[JennyP410]

The last report from the doctor stated that I am many months from MMI. So it sounds like these follow up visits could take until well into next year.

So I am really frustrated because I am having to pay these bills out of pocket. My health insurance company refused to pay a penny because the accident was someone else's fault. I probably owe 6-8 different entities and the largest one will not accept a "token" payment. They required me to finance it and will turn it over to collections if I don't pay the minimum that they have set.

Obviously I am at my wits end and this isn't what I wanted to hear.

 

[JennyP410]

Doctor released me last week, but said in his report that I am "many months from MMI".

I gathered all med bills, etc. and faxed to the insurance adjuster. I had already sent a demand package at the end of October, so this was just a final update to that info.

She said she had to put the bills into her system when I was finished with treatment. Now that she has that information, how long should I expect the process to take?

She left me a message Monday checking in on my progress, which is when I sent all of the new info. I've called her six times this week just to confirm that she received the info, but she isn't returning my calls. Her voice mail message has said each day that she's in the office.