Our Brownsville personal injury attorneys are used to getting calls from our clients after an unexpected bill from a car accident arrives in the mail.
Even if they have already contacted us to help settle their case, they worry it will hurt their credit if they don’t pay it immediately. Or they don’t have the money and fear they will be penalized in some way for not paying quickly.
Some Texas residents are confused because they thought their insurance already covered the ambulance ride. Personal injury protection, or PIP insurance, is commonly used to cover such EMS expenses. But the devil is in the details. Insurance carriers have been known to refuse to pay the bill if an ambulance company is “out-of-network” like a third-party service.
Car accidents are stressful enough. The last thing someone should get is a surprising ambulance bill. The state of Texas agrees and has helped to ensure this doesn’t happen. If you received an astronomical ambulance statement in the mail, don’t worry. It shouldn’t come out of your pocket.
Ambulance bills after an auto accident shouldn’t be a surprise
In September 2023, the Texas lawmakers passed Senate Bill 2476 (https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=88R&Bill=SB2476) making insurers responsible for third-party ambulance services. As of January 2024, insurance carriers must cover all ambulance charges after co-pays and deductibles. This goes for both in-network and out-of-network ambulance providers.
As our law firm has stated, Texas is an “at fault” state. That means the person responsible for the car accident pays all your bills, including emergency services, long-term healthcare, and car repair. Our accident attorney team will fight for you to ensure they cover the costs for which they are legally responsible!
Let’s break down who’s coming to the rescue after a car crash in the Rio Grande Valley
SB2476 may be good news for Rio Grande Valley, Texas residents! And for those in the Brownsville, Texas area who are not familiar with who could arrive at the scene of a car accident, here is a quick snapshot of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) roles:
Emergency Medical Responders (EMR): These experts are typically the first to arrive at a car accident. Their training is basic life support skills. They check all the passengers, administer first aid, and assess each patient.
Basic Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT-B): Their training is a level-up from the EMR, which means they provide oxygen and perform CPR. They assist paramedics with automated external defibrillators (AEDS) and help stabilize patients on the way to the hospital.
Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT-A): These professionals can help administer medications and provide more profound patient assessments. This expert is the go-between for EMT-Bs and paramedics.
Paramedics: Handle advanced life support (ALS) and complex medical procedures on the spot, review EKGs, and handle critically injured patients. They are highly trained and work in ambulances, emergency rooms, and other medical spaces.
Remember, roles can intertwine and vary depending on the protocols of specific counties and cities.
EMS professionals and ambulance companies provide a critically important role in our communities. And they deserve to be paid! But the question is, who pays the ambulance bill after a car accident around Brownsville, Texas? Our answer is the insurance company, and our personal injury attorneys work tirelessly on clients behalf to make sure they do!
