QUESTION
Do I have to cover someone's medical bills if I accidentally caused an injury?
Asked on Nov 29th, 2011 on Personal Injury - Michigan
More details to this question:
The guys hand was broke now we have to pay for the surgery and everything else. I offered that day to take him to get his hand x-rayed. He declined and then two days later took himself to the ER and found out it was broken then had to have surgery to put pins in it. I offered to help pay and have paid him $300 so far. Now his next bill he wants me to pay is $1030 and that doesn't included surgery bills yet. He said he will sue me if I don't pay all of his bills. When is enough enough?
17 ANSWERS
You can be held liable for causing another to become injured. It appears as though you admit to having injured the other guy; the question is whether or not you were negligent when you injured him. There are not enough facts mentioned for any lawyer to say one way or the other. We would need more facts to be able to really answer your question with any confidence. And to answer your question, enough is enough when a negligent person who is liable pays for all the damages.
Answered on Dec 07th, 2011 at 10:39 AM
Criminal Defense Attorney serving Shreveport, LA
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Mouton Law Firm
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Quite likely you would be held responsible if the injury was your fault, in most circumstances.
Answered on Dec 05th, 2011 at 1:11 PM
Appellate Practice Attorney serving Bloomfield Hills, MI
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Law Office of William L. Spern
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Yes. Turn claim over to your auto or home insurance carrier.
Answered on Dec 05th, 2011 at 8:47 AM
Employment Law Attorney serving Beverly Hills, CA
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Dordick Law Corporation
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If you caused the injury you are liable for all damages reasonably incurred. Do you have homeowner's or renters insurance? Or an umbrella policy? Any of these may cover you.
Answered on Dec 05th, 2011 at 8:03 AM
Civil Rights Attorney serving Chicago, IL
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Jackowiak Law Offices
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You should get a lawyer immediately so that you don't have to pay whatever this guy decides you owe. It sounds like you have an informal agreement to help him with some of the bills, but not all. An open-ended agreement like this is ripe for abuse by the other party. You may not be to blame as much as he thinks. Or you may not be liable for the injury at all. There's nothing to stop him from suing you anyway. Please talk to a lawyer before paying any more money to this person, no matter how much you wanted to help in the beginning.
Answered on Dec 03rd, 2011 at 1:12 AM
Personal Injury Attorney serving Palm Springs, CA
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Gilbert & Bourke
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You do not detail how you caused this injury, but if you have homeowner's insurance, you should call them to defend you since that type of insurance carries a general negligence coverage for negligent acts you commit that are not automobile related.
Answered on Dec 03rd, 2011 at 12:32 AM
Personal Injury Attorney serving Charlotte, NC
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Paul Whitfield and Associates P.A.
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If you were at fault enough is all of his bills plus pain and suffering and wage loss and whatever his losses were. If you were not at fault you owe him nothing.
Answered on Dec 03rd, 2011 at 12:14 AM
Criminal Defense Attorney serving Anderson, SC
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The David F. Stoddard Law Firm
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If it is your fault, you are responsible for all of his medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Without knowing the extent of his injuries, I cannot say how much this is. Depending on how the injury happened, you may have insurance that would cover this (for example if it was an automobile accident). Also, you say it was your fault. Usually this means you were negligent. If you were not negligent or did not breach some legal duty owed to the other party, you would not be responsible at all.
Answered on Dec 02nd, 2011 at 11:00 PM
If you negligently caused someone else to be injured, at the least, you are liable for that person's medical expenses. However, the facts you stated are insufficient to determine negligence, but there is an admission by you that you caused the injury.
Answered on Dec 02nd, 2011 at 10:26 PM
Plaintiff Animal Bites Attorney serving Missoula, MT
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Bulman Law Associates PLLC
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Depends. What happened - If you broke it, you fix it.
Answered on Dec 02nd, 2011 at 10:32 AM
The answer to this lies in the details. I would need to know how the accident happened and how you contributed to the injury. There would have to be negligence or wrongdoing on your part in order for you to be responsible in any way. An "accident" is not necessarily the same as negligence.
Answered on Dec 02nd, 2011 at 10:08 AM
Automobile Negligence Attorney serving Orlando, FL
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Kelaher Law Offices, P.A.
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When he has finally received all of the treatment necessary to treat the injury your negligence caused.
Answered on Dec 02nd, 2011 at 10:06 AM
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Attorney serving Syracuse, NY
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Andrew T. Velonis, P.C.
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You broke it, you bought it. You don't say how this happened, so I can't comment on insurance possibilities.
Answered on Dec 02nd, 2011 at 9:58 AM
You can be sued for an injury if you committed an act of negligence against the other person and you may be liable for the resulting damages (that is his medical bills).
Answered on Dec 02nd, 2011 at 9:00 AM
Criminal Defense Attorney serving Montrose, NY
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Law Office of Jared Altman
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I am wondering why you think that you are responsible for his bills. Don't give him a dime. Let him sue you if he wants. The most he can get is $3,000.00 in small claims court. For more he'll have to hire an attorney who probably won't want to take the case if you don't have insurance. If you do have insurance, let them handle it. Tell this guy to take a hike! You can't afford to pay for surgery anyway. That'll be thousands of dollars.
Answered on Dec 02nd, 2011 at 8:42 AM
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If you had insurance, turn it over to the insurance. If you are paying him, you need to get a receipt from him and finally have him sign a release. You are responsible ultimately.
Answered on Dec 01st, 2011 at 10:41 PM
Personal Injury — Plaintiff Attorney serving Taylor, MI
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Downriver Injury & Auto Law
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You are responsible for the injury you caused. It is "enough" when his injury is healed.
Answered on Dec 01st, 2011 at 10:33 PM