By Dan Noll on February 2nd, 2025 in Articles, Car Accident
Springfield Car Accident Lawyers Answer Who Pays for Physical Therapy After a Car Accident in Illinois
Victims who have been injured in a personal injury accident and have medical bills for physical therapy should call the Springfield car accident lawyers at the Noll Law Office for help. One of the most common forms of treatment for victims of a car crash include physical therapy, especially after surgery or for spinal injuries. In fact, physical therapists are the fifth-largest clinical health care occupation in the United States, and over 50 million Americans receive physical therapy services each year. As it specifically relates to motor vehicle accidents, one study indicated that over 70% of victims required some form of long-term rehabilitation such as physical therapy. This is for good reason, as large research studies have concluded the physical therapy is the vastly beneficial for victims by having better outcomes while also be more economical and saving millions of dollars for the health care system in healthcare costs. Unfortunately, physical therapy can be expensive, which is why many victims of personal injury accidents ask who pays for physical therapy after a car crash in Illinois.
At the Noll Law Office, their experienced car accident lawyers in Springfield know that this answer can vary on a number of different factors. However, they also know that, whenever there is a defense lawyer or adjuster involved, those factors are almost always skewed against victims and their families. That’s why anyone who was seriously injured or catastrophically hurt in a car accident should call their bodily injury law firm. Their compassionate and dedicated approach can help victims recover compensation or receive reimbursement for physical therapy expenses. To learn more about your rights to compensation under Illinois law, contact them today to schedule a free consultation.
Getting Your Medical Bills Paid After an Illinois Car Crash
Determining who pays for physical therapy after a car crash depends on several factors, including the type of auto insurance that you have. This is often dictated by state law. Generally, states are either “no-fault” or “at-fault” auto insurance states – with some being a mix, or having opt-ins. This is important because this dictates who pays your medical bills, especially right away.
No-Fault States
In a no-fault state, like New York and the minority of states, victims of a car crash immediately turn to their insurance carrier for reimbursement of certain medical bills and property damage. In fact, most healthcare providers will even have on their admission forms or patient questionnaires a box to check if the injuries were caused by an auto accident and may be subject to no-fault.
If the damages exceed a certain amount, or if victims have a “serious injury” as defined by the insurance law, they can seek compensation against the defendant (and their insurance carrier). Later on, the victim’s auto insurance company will usually seek what is called subrogation against the defendant’s carrier.
At-Fault States like Illinois
However, in at-fault states, like Illinois and the majority of all states, victims of a car accident turn to the at-fault driver’s carrier for compensation or reimbursement. Unfortunately, many defendants and their insurance carriers will not immediately pay for medical bills like they will in no-fault states.
Rather, you will need to prove that the defendant was at fault and then seek reimbursement. That usually means that your health insurance will pay for your initial medical bills or you may be required to do so out-of-pocket, and later seek reimbursement. If physical therapy is prescribed later in the treatment, such as weeks or months after an accident, the defendant’s auto insurance may be willing to or have already accepted they are at fault, and therefore will pay for it.
Who Pays for Physical Therapy?
Unlikely emergency department, ambulance, and doctor office victims for your car accident injuries, physical therapy is usually not part of the initial wave of treatment for a victim. Since physical therapy may be prescribed weeks or months after an accident, sometimes the at-fault driver’s auto insurance has accepted fault at that point and will pay for physical therapy. This is ideal and keeps money in a victim’s pocket as they navigate unexpected medical bills and lost wages.
However, that is not always the case.
That means you may have to again rely on your health insurance to pay for your physical therapy. You may also have to pay for co-pays, a deductible, or even pay the entirety of it out of pocket until the defendant’s insurance carrier accepts that it is liable. Once your car accident lawyers in Springfield have established the defendant to be at fault, you can be reimbursed for your medical bills including for physical therapy. This also includes for your co-pays or deductibles that you may have had to pay.
If I Cannot Afford Physical Therapy, Should I Skip It? Can It Help My Car Accident Case?
Unfortunately, the out-of-pocket costs for medical care can be crippling for all families – even those who have not been injured in a car crash. But particularly families facing unexpected medical bills and lost wages, paying out-of-pocket for medical bills can lead to financial ruin. That’s why it is imperative to immediately hire Springfield car accident lawyers like those at the Noll Law Office who can work quickly and efficiently to hold a defendant at-fault for responsible for your medical bills.
The decision whether you should skip physical therapy is not one to be taken lightly, and victims and their families should consult with their healthcare providers. You may also be able to obtain a payment plan with the physical therapy provider, which may later be paid by the defendant once a finding of fault is determined. Other options such as a plaintiff’s lien or a HELOC are strongly discouraged, but may be options in the event that a medical procedure or physical therapy is critically important to a victim’s health.
It is important to note that physical therapy is not just an important type of treatment for your health and physical well-being, but it can also be used to support your personal injury case. That’s because your physical therapists will be taking notes on your injuries, limitations, disability, and your progress. These medical records are admissible at trial and in support of your claim, and can highlight your injuries and damages. They can also help prove your permanent restrictions and limitations that will never improve after a claim.
Still Unsure Who Pays for Physical Therapy After a Car Crash in Illinois? Call the Springfield Car Accident Lawyers at the Noll Law Office
If you or a loved one were seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident anywhere in Illinois, you should call the Noll Law Office for help. Determining who pays for physical therapy after a car accident can be complicated, especially because the defendant’s insurance adjuster will likely refuse to pay you anything upfront – usually blaming you for the accident and your injuries.
But here at the Noll Law Office, their compassionate car accident lawyers in Springfield, IL can help victims and their families recover compensation for conscious pain and suffering, lost wages, and medical bills such as for physical therapy. Schedule your free consultation to learn more about how their fifth-generation lawyers and dedicated legal team can help you recover the compensation that you deserve by dialing (217) 414-8889 or by sending a message here.