How do my medical bills get paid while my personal injury case is pending?

This is one of the most common concerns of injury claimants — treatment must continue but bills accumulate long before any settlement is received. Several mechanisms address this: (1) Health insurance — if you have health insurance, it should be used to pay for injury-related treatment. Your insurer may later assert a subrogation lien against your settlement, but using it keeps bills current and avoids collection actions. (2) Personal Injury Protection (PIP) — in no-fault states, your own auto insurance pays medical expenses regardless of fault, up to your PIP limits. (3) Medical payment (MedPay) coverage — optional add-on to your auto policy that pays medical bills regardless of fault, without a subrogation lien in most states. (4) Letters of protection (medical liens) — many doctors and treatment facilities will treat injury patients without upfront payment under a signed agreement to be paid from the settlement proceeds. (5) Workers' compensation — if the injury was work-related.