There are many people in Florida that do not have health insurance or who have limited health insurance information. Many of these people get injured in accident that are not their fault. A common question to the accident attorney and injury lawyer of Drucker Law offices is:
“How can a person see a physician without any health insurance after they have been involved in an accident?”
First of all- in a car accident, generally, personal injury protection or PIP applies. This PIP coverage pays 80 percent of your medical bills without regards to fault and also covers up to $10,000 of combined medical and wage coverage.
In other accidents, if the client has a case against another person or business, like in a slip/ fall or any other injury case, the injured client may be able to see a doctor on a letter of protection basis. A letter of protection (LOP) is a contract between the client and the physician or provider that the medical bills will be paid from the settlement in lieu of payment at the time of service or in lieu of health insurance. Thus, the client is able to treat and the bills will be paid from the settlement or verdict. Commonly, an injury lawyer can refer or recommend their clients to qualified physicians. These physicians will treat the client with regards to this letter of protection. With this being said, the client can receive treatment even though they do not have health insurance.
Of course, a case based on a fact pattern such as the one above is unique and any other case should be judged based on the specific facts of the case. The advice in this blog is intended to be general and should not to be used as specific advice for a case, as the slightest difference in the facts could change the result. Also, this blog is, as the web site name suggests, based on Florida law and the laws of any other state could vary significantly from Florida. It is a good idea to get a consultation regarding an accident case in case this happens to you. Please call a licensed Florida attorney, like the law offices of Gary J. Drucker, to determine if and how Florida law applies to your case
