Truck accidents often cause significant harm to people in passenger vehicles. As a result, victims may face overwhelming truck accident medical bills and worry about how they’ll ever be able to pay what they owe.
The good news is that victims have various options that can help offset or even completely cover the cost of medical treatment. The primary source of compensation for truck accident medical expenses is insurance, whether it’s the truck driver’s, the trucking company’s, another at-fault party’s, or the victim’s own policy. However, securing full compensation from a truck accident claim can be harder than you’d expect – especially while you’re trying to recover from serious injuries.
Working with an experienced Dallas truck accident lawyer can help a truck crash victim seek maximum compensation from all available sources.
How Texas Auto Insurance and Medical Payments Coverage Work After a Truck Crash
There are a few types of insurance coverages to be aware of after a truck wreck:
- Liability coverage – Texas follows a fault-based auto insurance system. Under this system, the driver who causes a crash is financially responsible for the resulting losses, including medical bills. Every motorist in Texas must carry liability insurance with at least $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident in bodily injury coverage, along with $25,000 in property damage coverage. These minimums are often not enough to cover the serious injuries that can result from a truck accident, but they establish the baseline for recovery from an at-fault driver’s insurer.
- Commercial policies – When a commercial truck is involved, there’s typically a much larger insurance policy in play. Trucking companies must carry commercial liability coverage that can range from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars, depending on the type of cargo, vehicle weight, and whether the company operates across state lines. These higher limits are meant to cover the extensive harm that large trucks can cause.
- Personal coverage – In addition to liability insurance, a victim’s own personal injury protection (PIP) or medical payments (MedPay) coverage can help cover their immediate medical costs – regardless of who was at fault. PIP covers medical expenses and a portion of lost wages, while MedPay only reimburses medical costs. Both types of coverage are optional, so you should check whether they are included in your policy.
- UM/UIM coverage – Another optional auto insurance coverage you may have is uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. This type of coverage can help pay your medical bills and other losses if the at-fault party has no insurance or if your expenses exceed their policy limits.
These insurance layers form the first lines of financial recovery after a truck crash. However, they are often only the starting point in serious injury cases.
When the Truck Driver or Trucking Company Is Responsible for Medical Costs
When a truck driver’s negligence causes a crash, a victim can hold that driver and their employer legally responsible for their medical costs and other losses. An employer, such as a trucking company, is generally liable for their employee’s actions that occur within the scope of employment. For example, if a driver causes a collision while making deliveries or transporting goods, the trucking company’s commercial insurance policy typically covers the resulting losses.
A truck driver’s liability is often established by showing that they violated traffic laws or federal trucking industry regulations, such as:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Driving while fatigued
- Impaired driving
- Operating a truck with known mechanical problems
In some truck accident cases, responsibility for an accident extends beyond the driver to include the trucking company’s own negligence. For instance, the trucking company may be liable if it failed to conduct proper maintenance, neglected to train drivers, or pushed employees to exceed federal hours-of-service limits. Because trucking companies must maintain higher amounts of liability coverage than individual drivers, victims may have access to a more substantial source of compensation.
However, determining precisely who was responsible isn’t always straightforward. A trucking operation may involve multiple entities, such as the company that owns the truck, a separate motor carrier that operates it, and a third-party contractor that loads the cargo. Each of these parties could share liability depending on their role in the events leading to the crash.
What Happens When Medical Bills Exceed Insurance Coverage?
Commercial vehicle accident medical bills often quickly exceed the available insurance coverage. Even though trucking companies carry high-limit policies, catastrophic injuries often lead to costs far beyond what an insurer is initially willing to pay. In cases involving traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, multiple fractures, and other severe injuries, victims may face ongoing treatment costs and mounting collection notices while their claims are still pending.
Fortunately, truck accident victims still have a few more options when this happens:
- Truck accident lawsuit – Injured victims may pursue compensation directly from the at-fault driver or trucking company for the amount that exceeds insurance limits. This typically means filing a personal injury lawsuit.
- UM/UIM coverage – If your own insurance policy has uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, this is exactly the situation it was made for. This coverage can help make up the difference between what the at-fault party’s insurance policy covers and your additional medical bills.
Other Options for Covering Truck Accident Medical Bills
When auto insurance doesn’t cover all medical expenses after a truck crash, victims often need to turn to other financial resources. The following alternatives can help bridge the gap during a pending claim or lawsuit:
- Health insurance – Most health plans will help cover medical treatment related to a truck accident, even if another party was at fault. The insurer may later seek reimbursement from any settlement or judgment through a process called subrogation.
- Medicaid or Medicare – For victims who qualify, these government programs can pay for necessary medical care. Like private insurers, they may later recover their costs from the responsible party’s insurance or settlement proceeds.
- Medical payment arrangements – Some hospitals and specialists agree to defer billing, start a payment plan, or accept a lien or letter of protection until the case resolves. These options also allow medical providers to cover your bills from any eventual recovery so that treatment can continue without immediate payment.
These options can prevent interruptions in medical care and reduce the victim’s financial strain while the legal process unfolds. An experienced Dallas personal injury attorney can help coordinate these payments to minimize out-of-pocket costs and protect a victim’s right to financial recovery.
Who Covers Long-Term or Future Medical Treatment After a Serious Truck Accident?
The liable party may be required to pay for any anticipated medical costs as part of the final settlement or judgment. In some cases, courts may structure settlements to provide periodic payments over time and ensure funds remain available for future treatment.
Severe truck accidents often cause injuries that require months or years of ongoing medical treatment. Victims may need surgeries, rehabilitation, medication, assistive devices, or in-home care long after the initial hospital stay. When injuries lead to permanent impairment or disability, estimating and pursuing payment for future medical needs becomes a key part of the compensation process.
Truck accident lawyers can collaborate with medical experts to develop life-care plans, which outline the projected cost of ongoing and future care over the victim’s lifetime. These plans can include medical procedures, therapy, nursing care, home modifications, transportation assistance, and other expected losses.
Accurately valuing a truck accident victim’s long-term care needs is extremely important. Without clear documentation, expert analysis, and skilled legal representation, they risk settling for less than what their future medical treatment will actually require – which can lead to financial challenges down the road.
What Steps Should You Take to Make Sure Medical Bills Are Paid Properly?
Managing your truck collision injury medical costs can quickly become overwhelming. Take the following organized, proactive steps to protect your finances and strengthen your injury claim:
- Get prompt medical care. Immediate treatment creates a clear record linking your injuries to the semi-truck accident, which is essential for insurance and legal claims.
- Document every expense. Keep copies of all bills, receipts, prescriptions, and mileage to medical appointments. These records help establish the full value of your claim.
- Coordinate payments carefully. Avoid double billing by confirming which insurer is paying each provider and ensuring you don’t miss any claim deadlines.
- Watch for medical liens. Hospitals or specialists may place liens on your truck accident settlement. Being aware of these in advance can help prevent surprises later.
- Consult a lawyer early. A Dallas truck crash attorney can manage insurance negotiations, resolve lien disputes, and pursue additional compensation if coverage falls short.
Talk to Our Dallas Truck Accident Lawyers Today
If you were involved in a collision with a commercial truck, you need a skilled attorney to manage your claim while you focus on getting medical treatment and healing from your injuries. Kraft & Associates, Attorneys at Law, P.C. has served Dallas truck accident victims since 1971 and earned a strong reputation as a firm to count on when pursuing compensation and justice after a catastrophic accident. Check out our testimonials to learn more about our clients’ positive experience working with us, then contact Kraft & Associates, Attorneys at Law, P.C. today at (214) 999-9999 or contact us online to discuss your case with an experienced truck accident attorney in a free consultation.
