Medical Expenses in a Fresno Personal Injury Case
Under California’s personal injury laws, you are entitled to recover damages when you are injured in an accident caused by another person. When you are injured in an accident, whether it is a motor vehicle accident, fall, bicycle crash, or pedestrian accident, you suffer a variety of different types of damages. In addition to the physical and emotional damages you sustain from the accident, you also incur financial damages. Those financial damages are compensable under California’s personal injury laws as long as the expenses are directly related to the accident and your injuries.
One of the main components of a personal injury claim is the victim’s past and future medical expenses. Medical bills can result in thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial damages. These economic damages can be a significant portion of the recovery in a personal injury case. Therefore, it is very important that you understand how medical expenses are treated in a claim. It is equally important that you hire an experienced Fresno personal injury attorney to help you recover full compensation for your past and future medical expenses.
Past Medical Expenses
You are entitled to be compensated for all past medical expenses incurred because of the accident. Examples of medical expenses include emergency room fees, doctor’s bills, testing, surgeries, physical therapy, medications, medical equipment, and rehabilitative care. Any medical expenses you incur before the settlement of your claim are considered “past” medical expenses.
Your attorney may need to address the “necessity” of the medical treatment if the insurance company attempts to argue that the treatment was not “reasonably necessary.” California law requires that the victim prove the treatments were necessary given the nature of the injury. The at-fault party is only responsible for expenses that are directly related to the accident in question.
Future Medical Expenses
In some cases, you may be entitled to compensation for “reasonably necessary” future medical expenses. Future medical expenses typically apply in cases where permanent disability requires ongoing medical and or personal care.
Future medical expenses can be difficult to calculate in a personal injury case. Unlike past medical expenses, there are no invoices or statements we can use to calculate the exact amount of your future medical expenses. Therefore, we employ experts who use the information provided by your medical providers to estimate what the cost will be for your future medical and or person care. Determining future medical bills can be a complicated matter because it is difficult to estimate what the cost of medical care may be 5, 10, or 15 years in the future.
Have You Been Injured in An Accident?
If you have been injured, you need to take steps now to protect your right to recover compensation for your past and future medical expenses. We want to maximize the amount you receive to help you obtain the medical care you need to recover and return to your normal day-to-day life.
Call the Fresno personal injury attorneys of Torem & Associates at (888) 500-5000for a free consultation. You may also use our online contact form to schedule a free case evaluation. Our Fresno personal injury attorneys represent clients throughout the Central California Valley area. It does not cost you anything to get out advice, so please take advantage of our services to protect your rights if you have been injured in an accident.
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