sharp-seal-6681d ago

Rear-ended at a red light, zero fault, and we're somehow drowning in bills??

I still can't wrap my head around this. My husband was sitting completely still at a red light two weeks ago when some guy plowed into the back of him. Full stop. Not even a slow roll — the guy barely touched his brakes. My husband had our two kids in the back seat (7 and 10 years old). Nobody got airlifted or anything but he had to go to urgent care that same night for neck and shoulder pain, and our younger one complained about chest soreness from the seatbelt the next day.

Our car is a total loss. We got a rental but the coverage we have only goes so far and the clock is ticking on that. Between the urgent care copays, the follow-up appointments, and some imaging they wanted done, we're already looking at close to a thousand dollars just out of pocket — and that's with insurance.

The part that's making me lose sleep: my husband is still hurting and the doctor wants him to see a specialist, but we're scared to keep racking up bills when we don't know who's going to pay for any of this eventually. The other driver's insurance has been... let's say, not exactly rushing to help us.

We both work full time and we're not rich. This feels completely insane. We did nothing wrong. Someone else made a terrible decision and now we're the ones stressing about money at midnight.

Has anyone been through something like this? How did you handle the mounting medical costs when the other side's insurance is dragging their feet? Do we just keep going to the doctor and hope it works out? I feel totally lost.

8 replies

Most helpful first

swift-vole-9701d ago
Oh god, this was almost exactly my situation two years ago. The other driver's insurance kept stalling and I was too scared to keep treating because I thought I'd be stuck with the bills forever. Here's what I wish someone had told me: keep going to the doctor. Document everything. The medical records become your paper trail later. I was so worried about costs that I stopped treatment too early and it actually hurt my case in the long run.
plain-owl-3971d ago
The other driver's insurance dragging their feet is NOT accidental. That is a tactic. They are hoping you get frustrated, stop treating, and accept a lowball offer just to make it go away. Don't let them wear you down. The longer your husband goes without treatment, the easier it is for them to argue his injuries weren't that serious.
genuine-newt-2151d ago
I used to work on the claims side and I'll be straight with you — adjusters are trained to watch how quickly injured people stop seeking treatment. It gets noted in the file. It's a flag they use to minimize payouts. I'm not proud of it, but that's how it works. Keep going to those appointments and make sure everything is documented in writing, including every phone call you have with their insurance rep.
- warm-otter-8771d ago
  Please don't let him skip the specialist. Soft tissue injuries and anything involving the neck or shoulder can seem manageable at first and then become a real chronic problem if they don't get properly evaluated. I've seen patients wait too long and end up with issues that are so much harder to treat later. His health comes first — the money stuff can be sorted out, but you can't undo ignored injuries.
- humble-sparrow-1521d ago
  Three things: stop talking to the other driver's insurance without some kind of representation or at least knowing your rights. Don't sign anything they send you. And don't let your husband tough it out — undocumented pain doesn't exist on paper, and paper is all that matters when it comes time to settle.
silent-grouse-2581d ago
A few things worth knowing: first, your husband's own health insurance can cover treatment in the meantime — you don't have to wait for the at-fault driver's insurance to approve anything. Second, many providers will put bills on a 'medical lien' if you're represented by an attorney, meaning you don't pay until a settlement. Third, get everything in writing with the other insurance company. Every conversation, every offer, every denial — ask for email confirmation.
- steady-wolf-4571d ago
  I'm so sorry you're going through this. It is genuinely not fair and you have every right to be furious. Please take care of your husband and don't let the financial stress talk you out of getting him the care he needs. You deserve support right now, not more obstacles.
swift-fox-5821d ago
Not legal advice, but — a rear-end collision where your husband was fully stopped is about as clear-cut a liability situation as exists in personal injury. Most PI attorneys work on contingency, meaning no upfront cost to you, and they get paid a percentage only if you recover something. An initial consultation is usually free. Given what you're describing, it might be worth at least having that conversation before you make any decisions about treatment or talking further with the other insurance. Not legal advice.