In the aftermath of a car accident, you can be left struggling to figure out a way to move forward. Your physical injuries, while painful and minimizing your ability to live your normal life, aren’t the only losses that you’re going to face. The emotional and financial ramifications of your situation can be overwhelming, too.
Although a personal injury lawsuit may be a great way for you to obtain accountability and recover the compensation that you need to be stable and pay for your medical care, a lot of people worry about how they’re going to make ends meet while their lawsuit is pending. So, what can you do to bridge the gap? Here are some of your options.
Medical lien
Most hospitals and medical providers understand that you may not have the money needed to immediately cover your medical bills. After all, even if you have insurance, your out-of-pocket expenses can be enormous.
That’s why these healthcare providers are usually willing to create a medical lien. This ensures that you’re able to receive medical care in exchange for simply giving the medical provider or the hospital an interest in your personal injury recovery. Essentially, you and the medical provider will enter into an agreement where the provider is directly paid once the lawsuit is resolved and compensation is recovered.
Lawsuit loan
Another option is to take out a lawsuit loan. Here, you essentially use your personal injury claim as collateral with the intent to pay the loan back once your lawsuit is resolved. These loans can help you offset medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses that you’ve incurred. You’ll want to be careful here, though, because these loans can carry interest rates that may be higher than you expect. So, be sure to educate yourself about these loans before pursuing one.
Family and friends
Although a lot of people don’t like this option, you can always turn to your family and friends for help if you need it. Given the amount of money that may be in play, though, everyone may feel more comfortable if there’s some sort of formal agreement in place. You can talk to your attorney about your options in this regard.
Keeping track of your losses
If you utilize any of these options to help pay for your medical expenses and other damages, then you should make sure that you keep track of all the costs that you incur. After all, this is the only way to ensure that you can recover those losses through your personal injury claim. With that in mind, retain all of your medical bills, pay stubs, and receipts from other expenditures that you’ve had to make during your recovery. Also, be sure to follow your doctor’s recommendations for treatment so that you can show that you’ve done your best to mitigate your damages.
Feeling overwhelmed? Consider letting an attorney help
There’s a lot to deal with after you’ve been hurt in a car crash. And all of the matters in front of you can leave you feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and uncertain of the future. But don’t let those concerns scare you into inaction. Instead, let them be motivating factors that drive you to seek the favorable outcome you deserve.
This doesn’t mean that you have to know the ins and outs of your case, of course. That’s what skilled personal injury attorneys are for. So, if you’d like assistance with your case, then now may be the best time for you to reach out for help.