medical bills

I just spent a few days in Charleston, South Carolina. As always, I was mystified at all the different ways the hotel charged me for one room. There was of course the room charge (I was expecting that) but there were also daily parking fees, and taxes, taxes, taxes: state and city, a charge generically labeled “tax,” even a separate line-item for something called “tourism tax.” Beyond that, I tipped the bellman each time he touched my luggage, the barista for pouring my morning coffee, and the accommodating concierge who gave my family helpful maps of the city.

So let’s get it out of the way: everything in life costs money. A personal injury lawsuit is no different. It is expensive to bring a lawsuit, and it is extremely expensive to litigate a case through trial. Most times, an injury suit settles before trial, but even then there are costs that will have to be paid out of your negotiated settlement amount. Best to be educated about these costs up front and be prepared for them when your settlement approaches.

“How am I supposed to pay all these medical bills?”

This is usually one of the first questions I get from people injured by a failed medical device. Typically a failed device like a hip or knee causes all kinds of health problems for a person. Often a revision surgery is necessary, and sometimes several surgeries. All this extra medical care is expensive. It also requires large amounts of time to rehabilitate and recover, which causes substantial time away from work. Some of my clients lose their jobs, or are forced to quit because they can no longer do the work. Meanwhile, the bills from surgeons and hospitals continue to pile up.

Medical Providers Expect Payment

First, no matter who is at fault for your failed medical device or harmful drug, the doctors and hospitals who provide you treatment will expect prompt payment of their bills. After surgeries, these bills often come fast and furiously. If you have health insurance you will need to arrange with the physician and/or the hospital ahead of time to file a claim for payment. But even if you have health insurance you will most likely be responsible for payment of a significant portion of the costs of your medical care (through co-pays, deductibles, and/or percentages of the medical bill not covered by health insurance). The surgeon or hospital will expect you to pay these amounts promptly.

So what can you do?

★★★★★

I was involved in a case for the faulty hip replacements. Clay Hodges represented me. I can't say enough about how much he has helped me. Clay was able to win multiple settlements on my behalf with most of them being the maximum amount able to be awarded. Matt J.

Clay, thank you sir for making a disheartening experience at least palatable, you and your staff were honest, caring and understanding through the entire process of my wife’s hip replacements, while monetary settlements never make the pain and suffering end, it sometimes is the only way people can fight back to right a wrong. J. V.

We are absolutely pleased with how Clay Hodges handled my husband’s hip replacement claim. He always kept us informed of the progress. And, his work resulted in a settlement which we are extremely pleased. Thank you, Clay! Carol L. & Norm L.

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