How Do I Pay My Medical Bills After a Car Accident in Utah? A Comprehensive Guide

Getting into a crash is scary enough. The medical bills that start arriving afterward can feel even worse, ER visits, imaging, specialist follow-ups, physical therapy, prescriptions, maybe even surgery. If you’re wondering how paying medical bills after a car accident in Utah actually works, you’re not alone.

Utah is a no-fault state for auto insurance. That means your own auto policy pays first for medical expenses, regardless of who caused the crash. From there, coverage can layer into liens, health insurance, and ultimately claims against an at-fault driver if you meet Utah’s legal thresholds to “step outside” no-fault.

This guide walks you step-by-step through who pays when, how to protect your credit, what deadlines matter, and how to maximize your net recovery.

Short version: Start with PIP. If you were on the job, workers’ comp pays first. When PIP runs out, use liens or health insurance depending on the situation. If your medical bills exceed $3,000 or you suffered a qualifying serious injury, you may pursue the at-fault driver’s insurance for the rest, plus pain and suffering, subject to Utah’s comparative negligence rules.

Step 1: Your Own PIP Benefits Pay First (No-Fault)

Every Utah auto policy includes Personal Injury Protection (PIP). PIP is the quick, no-fault money that gets your treatment moving immediately.

Key benefits (set by statute):

• Medical expenses: at least $3,000 in reasonable and necessary medical care per person.
• Income replacement: up to 85% of lost income, capped at $250/week, up to 52 weeks from when disability benefits begin.
• Household services: $20/day for essential services you can’t perform due to injuries, up to 365 days from when benefits begin.
• Funeral and death benefits: $1,500 funeral expense and $3,000 death benefit.

These benefits are established in Utah law (see Utah Code § 31A-22-307 for PIP benefits and § 31A-22-309 for no-fault framework).
Links:
Utah Code § 31A-22-307
Utah Code § 31A-22-309

How to use PIP effectively:

1. Open a PIP claim immediately. Call your auto insurer and get a claim number.
2. Give providers your PIP claim info so they can bill PIP directly.
3. Ask for required forms (e.g., wage verification, physician disability notes if seeking wage loss/household services).
4. Track benefits with a simple spreadsheet: dates of service, providers, billed amounts, payments, and remaining PIP balance.

Pro tip: If a provider tries to bill your health insurance first, politely redirect them to PIP until your PIP is exhausted.

Step 2: One Important Exception — If You Were Working, Workers’ Comp Pays First

If you were driving for work when the crash happened, delivering, traveling between sites, or otherwise in the course of employment, workers’ compensation is primary for medical treatment. PIP then becomes secondary.

That means you should immediately notify your employer and follow the workers’ comp process. This can reduce out-of-pocket costs and smooth billing, but it also creates subrogation issues later (more on that below).

Step 3: After PIP Is Exhausted — Liens and Health Insurance

Because PIP’s statutory minimum is only $3,000, moderate injuries often exceed it quickly. Once you receive a PIP exhaustion letter, you can use liens or your health insurance. If you use your health insurance, normal plan rules will apply deductibles, copays, network restrictions.

Action items when PIP is nearly used up:

• Request a PIP ledger/exhaustion letter from your auto insurer.
• Ask your medical provider if they will provide treatment on a lien.
• If not, provide your health insurance so claims transition smoothly.

Remember: Even if providers agree to wait for payment, you’re ultimately responsible for the bills. Liens are the best thing to use for the injury party’s legal claim.

Step 4: When You Can Pursue the At-Fault Driver (Stepping Outside No-Fault)

You may bring a bodily injury claim against the at-fault driver if:

1. Your accident-related medical expenses exceed $3,000, or
2. You suffered a qualifying serious injury (permanent disability, disfigurement, impairment, or death).

Authority: Utah Code § 31A-22-309(1)

Once you meet a threshold, you can seek full compensation for:

• Past and future medical bills
• Lost wages and earning capacity
• Pain and suffering

Minimum Utah auto liability coverage: $25,000 per person / $65,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $15,000 for property damage.
Reference: Utah Code § 31A-22-304

Comparative Fault Affects Your Recovery

Utah uses modified comparative negligence with a 50% bar. If you are 50% or more at fault, you recover nothing. If you’re less than 50% at fault, your recovery is reduced by your fault percentage.

Example: If your damages are $100,000 but you’re 20% at fault, your recovery becomes $80,000.

Authority: Utah Code § 78B-5-818

Liens and Subrogation: Who Gets Paid Back

When PIP, health insurance, workers’ comp, or lien providers pay bills, they often have reimbursement rights from your settlement or verdict. These are called liens or subrogation claims.

• PIP/MedPay: Your auto insurer may seek repayment for duplicate payments.
• Health insurers and Medicaid/Medicare: Often assert subrogation liens that must be repaid from your settlement.
• Workers’ comp: Usually files a lien for benefits paid.
• Provider liens: Doctors who treat on a lien expect payment from case proceeds.

Tip: Skilled negotiation of these liens can significantly improve your net recovery.

Key Legal Deadlines (Statutes of Limitation)

• Personal injury claims: 4 years from the date of the crash. Utah Code § 78B-2-307(3)
• Property damage claims: 3 years. Utah Code § 78B-2-305
• Claims against government entities: File a notice within 1 year per Utah Code § 63G-7-401

Next Steps and Legal Resources

If you’ve been injured in a Utah crash, understanding the order of payments PIP first, then liens or health insurance, then possible claims against an at-fault driver—can save you stress and money. Every decision you make affects your financial recovery.

• Sandy Car Accident Lawyer
• London Harker Blog

Bottom Line

Paying medical bills after a car accident in Utah is a sequence: start with PIP, then liens or health insurance, then the at-fault driver’s insurance when you cross the threshold. Manage your documents, meet your deadlines, and protect your rights at every step.

If you’re facing mounting medical bills or denied insurance coverage, professional guidance can make the difference between falling behind, or getting the recovery you deserve.