What Does MedPay Cover After An Accident in Louisiana?

If you’ve been injured in a car crash in Louisiana, medical bills can mount quickly. You may be wondering: what does MedPay cover after an accident? The Louisiana car accident lawyers at LJBLegal are here to help you understand how this optional coverage works and how it fits into your overall injury claim.

MedPay in Louisiana covers medical expenses after a car accident, regardless of fault. This includes ambulance fees, ER visits, surgeries, doctor appointments, prescriptions, and medical devices. It can also help pay deductibles and co-pays, and may cover passengers or pedestrians injured in the crash if purchased in advance.

What Is MedPay Coverage in Louisiana?

“MedPay” is short for medical payments coverage. In Louisiana, this is an optional type of auto insurance coverage that helps pay for your medical expenses after a car accident, regardless of who caused the crash.

Under Louisiana law, a policy that has MedPay “shall not limit the time period … for medical expenses incurred … when the injuries are diagnosed within one year of the accident and are reported to the insurer within three years of the accident.”

Because MedPay is optional in Louisiana, you must purchase it ahead of time for it to apply after a crash.

How Does MedPay Work After a Car Accident?

MedPay covers medical expenses after a car accident regardless of who was at fault. You file a claim with your own insurer, receive fast payment up to your policy limits, and may avoid out-of-pocket costs. If another driver is at fault, your insurer may later seek reimbursement through subrogation.

• No-fault first-party coverage: You file a claim with your own auto insurer even if you weren’t at fault. MedPay pays out based on your policy, not the other driver’s fault.
• Immediate access: Because you don’t need fault decided first, MedPay helps you get medical care and reduce your out-of-pocket costs faster.
• Subrogation possible: If your insurer pays under MedPay and the other driver is at fault, your insurer may seek reimbursement from the at-fault driver’s insurance.
• Limits and policy terms matter: Each policy has its own MedPay limit. You’ll need to check your declarations page.

What Does MedPay Cover After a Car Accident?

MedPay covers medical expenses after a car accident, including hospital bills, doctor visits, prescriptions, and medical devices. It also protects passengers and, in some cases, pedestrians. In Louisiana, MedPay can help fill health insurance gaps by covering deductibles or co-pays, offering broad financial support regardless of who was at fault.

Here are examples of what MedPay can cover after a car accident in Louisiana:

• Medical treatment and hospital bills: Ambulance rides, emergency room visits, surgery, hospital stays.
• Doctor visits and follow-up care: Visits to specialists, diagnostic testing, physical therapy.
• Medications and medical devices: Prescriptions, braces, crutches, and other devices needed because of the crash.
• Passengers and pedestrians: MedPay can apply not just to the policyholder, but also to passengers in your vehicle or sometimes you if you’re injured as a pedestrian.
• Health insurance gaps: If your health insurance leaves large deductibles or co-pays, MedPay may help cover those out-of-pocket costs.

What Does MedPay Not Cover?

MedPay does not cover lost wages, pain and suffering, or property damage after a car accident. It only pays for medical-related expenses. Additionally, if you didn’t purchase MedPay as part of your auto policy in Louisiana, you won’t receive any benefits from it.

It’s important to know what MedPay will not cover after a Louisiana crash:

• Lost wages – MedPay does not typically pay for your time off work or lost income.
• Pain and suffering – Damages for emotional distress or pain and suffering are usually not covered by MedPay.
• Property damage – MedPay does not pay to fix your vehicle or other property damage. Other parts of your policy cover that.
• Coverage if you didn’t purchase it – Because MedPay coverage is optional, if you did not buy MedPay, you cannot rely on it.

Why Is MedPay Useful for Louisiana Accident Victims?

Here’s why choosing MedPay ahead of time can be a smart move for Louisiana drivers and passengers:

• Immediate help: You don’t have to wait for the at-fault driver’s insurance to make a decision. MedPay gives you a way to pay for treatment quickly.
• Reduces debt risk: Without MedPay, you may face large medical bills, high deductibles, or co-pays before your other claims resolve. MedPay helps bridge that gap.
• Complements health insurance: Even if you have health insurance, MedPay fills in where health plans leave you with out-of-pocket costs.

When you work with the attorneys at LJBLegal, we make sure you use all available coverages appropriately (including MedPay) so you’re not left underpaid or overburdened with bills.

How Do You Use MedPay After an Accident?

If you’ve been in a crash and want to use your MedPay coverage, follow these steps recommended by the Metairie car accident lawyers at LJBLegal:

1. Check your policy declarations page to see if you have MedPay and what your limit is.
2. Seek medical care immediately and save bills, medical records, diagnostics, and therapy notes. Notify your auto insurer that you intend to make a MedPay claim. Provide the bills and records as “proof of loss.” In Louisiana, the insurer has 30 days after proof to make payment.
3. Continue your treatment and keep track of additional bills and therapy. You may still pursue a larger injury claim later if someone else was at fault. MedPay doesn’t block your ability to do that.
4. Speak with the attorneys at LJBLegal about your full injury claim (medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering). We’ll handle the negotiations and make sure you don’t take a raw deal.

Why Should You Work With an Experienced Louisiana Injury Lawyer?

You’re hurt. The bills are coming. You need someone who will fight for you, someone who understands the Louisiana system and the obstacles you face. At LJBLegal, we combine compassion with toughness: we personally handle your case, review the details, bring in experts when needed, and work to ensure you aren’t left underpaid. Choosing the right team matters when serious injuries and major bills are involved.

What’s the Key Takeaway About MedPay?

If you have MedPay coverage in Louisiana, it can pay for your accident-related medical expenses no matter who caused the crash. It covers ambulance rides, ER visits, doctor bills, therapy, devices, co-pays, and deductibles. But it won’t cover your lost wages or pain and suffering. Because it is optional, you must already have it in your policy to use it after a crash. If you’re injured, don’t wait. Gather your records, notify your insurer, and talk to a Louisiana personal injury lawyer at LJBLegal to ensure you use your coverage correctly and protect your larger claim.

How Can LJBLegal Help You After a Car Accident?

If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Louisiana and want to know more about MedPay coverage or how your case will be handled, contact LJBLegal today at 985-240-9773. We’ll review your policy, explain your rights, and help you fight for the compensation you deserve.