Audubon Motorcycle Accident Injury Attorneys

A motorcycle accident in Audubon can leave you facing painful injuries, mounting medical bills, and an insurance company that may not have your best interests in mind. Understanding whether you can trust the insurance company, who should be paying your medical bills, and what treatment options exist for serious neck injuries can make a real difference in your recovery and your claim.

At Walker, Billingsley & Bair, our Audubon motorcycle attorneys help injured riders understand how insurance companies operate, how medical bills get paid after a crash, and what to expect if a motorcycle accident leaves them with cervical radicular pain. Below, we walk through each of these topics in detail.

Can You Trust the Insurance Company After an Audubon Motorcycle Accident?

In the state of Iowa, there are more than 100 insurance companies that sell insurance, with policies ranging from personal injury to workers' compensation. Although people generally buy insurance to protect themselves against future loss, just because you pay your insurance company a premium does not mean it is going to look out for you. Some people think that if they are injured, their own insurance company will go after the other person on their behalf, which simply is not true. While your insurance company will try to recover what it has paid for property damage, it is highly unlikely to pursue a claim for your personal injuries.

If you are dealing with another insurance company, such as the company for a driver who injured you, you should know a few important things. The insurance company is not representing you or your best interests. It is not required to tell you the truth. The insurance company is in the business of making the most profit possible, which means paying you as little as possible. The adjuster may be nice to you, but they are not looking out for you, since insurance companies are in the business of selling insurance and do not like paying claims.

Tips for Dealing With Insurance Companies

Always tell the truth. Anything you say can and may be used against you by the insurance company and their lawyers, and even a small lie can ruin your credibility. When dealing with an insurance adjuster, be smart and watch what you say, since it could later be used against you. Insurance companies have professionals working for them, so it helps to have a professional on your side as well. If you hire an injury attorney, your attorney will deal with the insurance company on your behalf.

Keep documentation of your damages by keeping a diary or journal of how you are feeling, along with doctors' excuses for missed work and the time you miss for appointments. Review and retain any medical bills or explanation of benefits forms you receive. Be thorough at your medical appointments, since the records generated during your visits are very important and will include your description of how you were injured, your physical complaints, and the treatment you received. The insurance company will base its offer on this critical information, so if you fail to tell your doctor everything that hurts, it will not only go untreated, but no one will know about it.

Who Should Pay Your Medical Bills After an Audubon Motorcycle Accident?

If you have been injured in a motorcycle crash in Audubon, rarely will the other driver's insurance company make payments for your medical bills as they are incurred, even if their liability is obvious and they have already paid for your property damage. The other driver's insurance company is not required to make payments, and insurance companies routinely make payments only at the time of a final settlement when they can obtain a release. Because of this, you should not expect the other driver's insurance company to pay your medical bills along the way. Instead, you should look to one of the following means to obtain payment of your medical bills.

• Your own health insurance from your employment benefits package
• Your own health insurance that you may have paid for personally
• Health insurance obtained by your spouse for your benefit, or by your parents if you are under age and living with them
• Medical payments insurance coverage from your own policy if you were driving your motorcycle or were a passenger in a vehicle, which in some cases can apply both from the insurance company for the vehicle you were in and your own insurance company
• HealthCare.gov or Medicaid, if you are not covered under an insurance plan and may be eligible for coverage under the Affordable Care Act
• Your own personal funds if you were not insured and are able to pay medical bills as they are incurred

With medical debt rising, you may not have the funds to pay right away. If there are insufficient funds to pay doctors, hospitals, and other medical bills, an attorney's office can often help facilitate assignments in which the client authorizes the office to pay the medical provider directly from any settlement or verdict. These arrangements often satisfy the health provider, and many will wait until the time of settlement rather than pursue collection against you.

Keep in mind that almost all insurance policies have a subrogation provision, meaning they require reimbursement if you obtain money for your medical bills from another party or insurance company. Insurance companies are not looking out for your interests, which is why it is important to understand your options before you sign any paperwork related to your Audubon motorcycle accident claim.

Cervical Radicular Pain After an Audubon Motorcycle Accident

Radicular pain, or radiculopathy, is a condition in which the nerves stop working properly. Disease or trauma may cause the condition, which is a malfunction in the root of the nerve. It can result in pain, numbness, weakness, and reduced motor control. Even though the problem occurs in the spinal area, the pain is often felt in other parts of the body. Many cases of radicular pain occur in the cervical spine and result in severe neck pain and other symptoms, which can be common after a motorcycle accident in Audubon.

What Causes Cervical Radicular Pain?

In many cases, a herniated disc, usually the result of trauma such as an accident or a fall, causes cervical radicular pain. Radicular pain may also result from arthritis or other types of degenerative bone disease. Material from a ruptured disc can put pressure on the nerve root, compressing it and causing pain.

Traditional Treatments for Cervical Radicular Pain

Many patients suffering from this condition treat it with conservative therapies first, which may include corticosteroids and pain medication to varying degrees of effectiveness. Treatment may involve injectable options, though some patients take medication orally. Patients should speak with their doctors about the benefits of each type of medication. Physical therapy may be another part of a typical treatment plan, which might include cervical traction, using either mechanical or manual methods, along with other techniques a physical therapist may use to relieve symptoms. When conservative treatment fails and the pain becomes intolerable, surgery is often the next step, though there is another option called the epidural nerve block procedure that may provide pain relief.

The Epidural Nerve Block Procedure

This procedure involves injection of a corticosteroid into the epidural space of the spine. The physician uses a fluoroscope to allow real-time X-ray images, and a contrast medium helps ensure the needle is placed appropriately when injecting the medication. It involves injection of a local anesthetic along with a corticosteroid into the epidural space, and pain relief is monitored for a set period of time. This procedure is minimally invasive and may be an excellent alternative to surgery. Complications are slight and include risk of infection, slight bleeding, and minor pain around the injection site. It is important to discuss the full range of possible side effects with a doctor before receiving any injection or treatment.

When Another Party Caused Your Accident

Living with cervical radicular pain is not easy. A patient's life can become about pain management, and patients may be unable to work, sleep, or enjoy everyday activities. If you suffer from this condition because of a motorcycle accident that someone else caused in Audubon, it is important to speak to an attorney. You may be able to get compensation for damages such as medical bills for epidural nerve block procedures used to relieve the pain, along with lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.