After a North Carolina traffic collision, it’s understandable that you might wonder how medical bills are paid after a car accident and where the compensation for your medical treatments will come from. Who pays for medical bills after a car accident? The answer depends on the circumstances of your accident, but in most cases, you can pursue compensation through an auto insurance claim rather than paying these costs out of your own pocket.
How Stewart Law Offices Can Help You Determine How to Pay Your Medical Bills
Our Charlotte car accident lawyers can figure out how your medical bills can be paid by investigating the accident and identifying any at-fault parties. We can gather the evidence necessary to seek to hold the at-fault parties liable and make settlement demands on your behalf with the at-fault parties’ auto insurance providers.
Who Pays for Medical Bills After a Car Accident?
Does car insurance pay medical bills? In North Carolina, in most cases, the at-fault driver’s liability coverage policy typically covers medical bills if it determines that its insured was legally responsible for the accident and had valid insurance at the time of the collision. The state requires that all drivers have the following minimum liability coverage:
- $50,000 per person for bodily injury
- $100,000 per accident for bodily injury
- $50,000 per accident for property damage
Depending on the severity and extent of your injuries and the at-fault driver’s insurance policy limits, it may be necessary to seek additional compensation through other avenues.
If the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance coverage, you can file an uninsured motorist claim with your insurance provider. Uninsured motorist coverage is specifically designed to protect you when the at-fault driver carries no insurance at all, or when a hit-and-run driver cannot be identified. If the at-fault driver doesn’t have sufficient insurance, you can file a claim under your underinsured motorist coverage.
Effective July 1, 2025, North Carolina has eliminated the “liability setoff” for Underinsured Motorist (UIM) claims on new or renewed policies, a significant change that allows seriously injured victims to access more total insurance coverage. Previously, a UIM payout was reduced by the amount the at-fault driver’s liability insurance paid; now, UIM coverage “stacks” on top of that liability payment, meaning a claimant can recover the full value of their UIM coverage in addition to what the at-fault driver’s policy pays (with the exception that workers’ compensation benefits will still be an offset). This reform is a major benefit when the at-fault driver’s liability limits are insufficient to cover the victim’s damages.
Can I Use My Own Auto Insurance?
Yes, depending on your policy, your own auto insurance may also cover medical expenses. North Carolina insurers can offer optional Medical Payments (MedPay) coverage, which helps pay for accident-related medical expenses up to your policy limits, regardless of who was at fault.
If the at-fault driver’s insurance policy limits prevent you from recovering the full compensation you need, you may be able to file an underinsured motorist claim with your insurance provider. As the 2025 law changes make UIM coverage more valuable than ever, victims can now access the full face value of their UIM policy without the previous liability offset, reducing their recovery. Under the updated law, all policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2025, must include both uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage at the new minimum limits of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident.
This is especially important in cases involving DUI car accidents or Uber/Lyft accidents, where insurance coverage questions can become significantly more complex.
What Types of Damages Can You Recover?
Beyond medical bills, a successful North Carolina car accident claim can include compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses, including hospital stays, surgery, rehabilitation, prescriptions, and long-term care
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disability or disfigurement
- Out-of-pocket expenses directly tied to the accident
North Carolina does not cap non-economic damages in standard auto accident cases, meaning there is no legal ceiling on what you can recover for pain, suffering, or permanent impairment.
North Carolina’s Contributory Negligence Rule
One critical legal rule every North Carolina accident victim must understand: North Carolina follows strict contributory negligence. If you are found even partially at fault for the accident, even 1%, you may be barred from recovering any compensation. This makes having an experienced attorney on your side essential from the very beginning.
Contact Our North Carolina Car Accident Lawyers
If you were in a North Carolina car accident and need help with your car accident medical claim, contact Stewart Law Offices for a free consultation with an experienced injury lawyer. You can come to our office in Charlotte, or we’ll come to you. We’ll send a qualified attorney, not a staff member, to personally visit you at home or in the hospital to discuss your case, if that is your preference. Our lawyers are also available 24/7 to answer your calls and return messages.
When you work with our firm, we’ll communicate with you regularly as your claim progresses, treat you with the respect and compassion you deserve, and fight for the maximum compensation you need. In a recent case, our lawyers secured a $1 million settlement for a client who suffered major orthopedic injuries in a car crash.*
We don’t charge any fees unless we obtain money for you.** Don’t wait. Contact our personal injury law firm today to get started.