Overview
About this firm
After a serious accident in the Lehigh Valley, most injured people focus on recovering compensation for medical bills and lost wages. What many don't expect is that part of that settlement may not go directly to them. If your health insurer paid for accident-related treatment, it may have a legal right to be reimbursed from your recovery through a process called subrogation. How it works: your health insurance covers your medical care; you pursue a personal injury claim against the at-fault party; when the case settles, the insurer asserts a claim against those proceeds. The type of coverage determines the rules. Private health plans typically include subrogation clauses. ERISA-governed plans operate under federal law and often carry stronger reimbursement rights. Medicare and Medicaid follow strict federal rules that must be resolved before settlement funds are distributed. Pennsylvania recognizes the "made whole" doctrine where an insurer generally cannot recover through subrogation unless the injured person has first been fully compensated for all losses. If your total damages exceed what you recovered due to policy limits or shared liability, your attorney can argue for a reduction of the insurer's claim. Subrogation claims are rarely final. Munley Law regularly reviews insurer demands for accuracy, challenges unrelated charges, and negotiates reductions, so clients in Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton keep more of their recovery. Consultations are free.
