Personal Injury

How to get medical bills paid after a car accident

By Ted Smith, Attorney · Originally published October 1, 2018. Updated July 16, 2026.

Medical bills after a car accident do not wait for your body to heal. Ambulance runs, ER visits, follow-up appointments, physical therapy, and equipment like a brace or wheelchair can show up in the mail within weeks of the wreck, often before your case with the insurance company is anywhere close to settled. In Texas, these bills typically get paid one of a few ways: the at-fault driver’s liability insurance, your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) or health insurance, or underinsured/uninsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage if the other driver didn’t carry enough. Which one applies to you, and in what order, depends on who caused the wreck and what coverage is already sitting in your own policy.

Texas Minimum Insurance and What It Actually Covers

Texas requires drivers to show financial responsibility. Liability insurance is the usual method, with minimum limits of $30,000 per injured person, up to $60,000 per accident, plus $25,000 for property damage, though state law also recognizes alternatives such as a bond, deposit, or self-insurance. The insurance minimum is often called “30/60/25” coverage. It sounds like a lot until you add up an ambulance ride, an ER workup, imaging, and a few weeks of physical therapy. A single serious injury can burn through those limits fast, leaving nothing to cover ongoing treatment, lost wages, or pain and suffering. Knowing this up front helps you understand why a claim that looked simple on day one can get complicated once the full scope of your injuries is clear.

If the Other Driver Caused the Wreck

When you were not at fault, the other driver’s liability insurance is usually the first place a claim goes. You submit your medical records and bills, and the insurer evaluates what it owes. Texas law generally gives you two years after a claim accrues to bring a personal injury lawsuit, subject to exceptions. That filing deadline does not pause for a slow negotiation. If the at-fault driver’s policy limits are exhausted before your bills are covered, you may still have other options, including a lawsuit against that driver directly, though a homestead is generally protected from forced sale for creditor claims, subject to constitutional and statutory exceptions.

When Your Own Coverage Has to Step In

If the third-party insurance is not enough, or the claim is contested, your own policy may help. Personal Injury Protection is included on every Texas auto policy unless you declined it in writing when you bought the coverage. PIP can pay your medical bills directly, regardless of who caused the crash, which makes it one of the fastest ways to get providers paid while liability is still being sorted out. If you carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, also something you must decline in writing to opt out of, it can pick up the gap when the at-fault driver had too little insurance or none at all. Coverage depends on the terms and limits of each policy, so check your declarations page before deciding which policy to call first.

Liens and Why Your Settlement Isn’t All Yours

If your health insurance pays your bills while your claim is pending, any reimbursement right depends on the health plan and contract. Texas generally bars a PIP carrier from seeking subrogation, except when the at-fault driver lacked the financial responsibility required by law. A hospital may assert a lien only by complying with the notice and filing requirements in Chapter 55 of the Texas Property Code. These rules are a good reason to have someone track who paid what, so your final settlement gets divided correctly instead of leaving you owing money you thought was already handled.

Keeping Bills From Going to Collections

It is common to get calls from a billing department or a collection agency while your claim is still open. A personal injury attorney can communicate directly with providers on your behalf, so you are not fielding those calls while you are trying to recover. The goal is straightforward: get your bills paid from the right source, in the right order, so you can focus on getting better instead of triaging your mailbox.

FAQ

How long do I have to resolve a medical-bill claim from a Texas car accident? Texas law generally gives you two years after a claim accrues to file a personal injury lawsuit, subject to exceptions. The statute does not set a settlement deadline, so it is worth confirming your filing deadline early.

Will my regular health insurance pay for accident-related treatment? It can, alongside PIP or a liability claim. Coordinating between multiple payers is exactly the kind of task an attorney’s office handles regularly.

What if the other driver has no insurance at all? That is what uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is for, if you carry it. Check your own policy’s declarations page to see what UM/UIM limits you have.

Can a lawyer really stop the collection calls? An attorney can request that providers direct billing questions to their office and may request a billing hold or provider agreement, but cannot guarantee one. Any statutory hospital lien must comply with Chapter 55 of the Texas Property Code.

Do I have to pay back my health insurance or PIP carrier out of my settlement? Health-plan reimbursement depends on the plan and contract. Texas generally prohibits PIP subrogation, except when the at-fault driver lacked the financial responsibility required by law.

Sources

You should not have to choose between healing and paying rent. Call or text (254) 690-5688 for a free consultation, and let our personal injury team sort out where your medical bills should be sent.