Medical Treatment for Canadians Injured in the United States

The last thing you want to experience when travelling is an injury. Canadians who get hurt in the United States may face added difficulties when navigating a healthcare system that differs from what they are used to at home.

There are some factors that Canadians should consider when receiving medical treatment in the US, particularly with regard to payment, insurance coverage, and whether other cross-border claims may need to be filed.

At Border Solutions Law Group, our Vancouver cross-border personal injury lawyers can assist with a wide range of cross-border personal injury claims, including those that resulted in you getting medical treatment across the border. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and speak to one of our lawyers about your situation.

Common Types of Cross-Border Injuries

Canadians are injured in the United States in many different ways, from serious highway crashes to slips in hotel lobbies. Some of the most common cross-border injuries we see include:

• Cuts, sprains, tears, or strains
• Bone fractures
• Soft tissue injuries
• Neck and back injuries
• Whiplash
• Serious brain injuries
• Chronic pain injuries
• And more

The most common cause of cross-border injuries is car accidents and other motor vehicle accidents. Injuries may also occur in the event of a slip, trip, and fall accident.

If you were not at fault, or only partially at fault, you may have the right to bring a claim that can cover your medical treatment costs, lost income, and other losses, in addition to any insurance you already have.

Our cross-border injury team in Vancouver is one of the few in British Columbia that is licensed to act in both B.C. and Washington State, which allows us to manage your claim on both sides of the border.

First Steps to Take as a Canadian Injured in the US

Whether you slip on an icy sidewalk or break a bone in a car accident, your very first step as a Canadian who has been injured in the US is to seek medical treatment. Your health should be your first priority, so ensure that you see a doctor, go to a hospital, or see a specialist as soon as possible.

As you receive medical treatment, it may be useful to record any and all interactions, including:

• The names and locations of hospitals, clinics, and doctors you see
• Dates of each visit and what was done
• Copies of your medical records, test results, and discharge summaries
• All bills, receipts, and insurance forms

As a Canadian visiting the US, your treatment will not be covered the way it is in Canada, so you may be required to pay upfront for services or provide proof of insurance.

Be sure to communicate with healthcare professionals about payment options and keep a copy of all medical records and receipts. These records will be important later when you deal with travel insurance, extended health plans, or any personal injury claim.

How Medical Treatment Is Paid: MSP, Travel Insurance, And U.S. Bills

One of the biggest surprises for many injured Canadians is how limited provincial coverage is outside Canada. The B.C. Medical Services Plan (MSP) can provide only limited funding for unexpected medical services outside the country, and only for medically required physician and hospital services.

For emergency hospital care, provincial coverage is capped at a maximum of $75 per day in Canadian funds, even though the average cost of inpatient hospital care in the U.S. can be well over $1,000 USD per day and much more in intensive care.

That difference in cost is why the Province of British Columbia strongly recommends that residents purchase additional private travel health insurance anytime they leave the country, even for a short trip.

Depending on your situation, the following may help cover your medical treatment costs after an injury in the U.S.:

• Travel medical insurance: Many Canadians purchase stand-alone travel policies or have coverage through a credit card or group plan. These policies often cover emergency medical treatment, hospital stays, and sometimes medical transport back to Canada, up to a set limit (sometimes in the millions of dollars). You still need to notify the insurer promptly and follow their procedures.
• Extended health benefits: Some employer plans include out-of-country emergency coverage, often up to a lifetime maximum such as $3 million per person, with specific rules and exclusions.
• Provincial coverage: MSP may reimburse a small portion of physician and hospital fees, but only up to B.C. rates, and only if you submit an Out-of-Country Claim Form.
• Auto insurance: If your injury was caused by a car crash, both your own auto insurance and the at-fault driver’s insurance may become involved. In cross-border cases, that might include ICBC benefits, Washington State auto policies, or other U.S. insurers.

Sorting out which policy pays what, in what order, can get complicated. Our cross-border personal injury lawyers in Vancouver regularly help clients coordinate MSP reimbursements, travel insurance claims, extended health benefits, and U.S. hospital billing so that medical providers are paid, and your claim is properly documented.

When to File a Cross-Border Tort Claim

If you suspect that your injury was a result of another party’s negligence, then you may want to consider filing an additional claim in the country where your injury occurred.

For example, if a Canadian gets in a car accident in the US and the other driver is at fault to some degree, the Canadian could file a motor vehicle accident tort claim to receive compensation for damages from the at-fault driver’s insurance company.

In other cases, you may have a claim against:

• A hotel, resort, or store that failed to keep its property reasonably safe
• A tour company, bus company, or transportation provider
• A business that created or failed to fix a dangerous condition
• And other entities

Depending on your injury, you may have to file a long-term disability claim, brain injury claim, spinal cord claim, or other specific types of claims. This means you may be filing two claims at once to cover medical treatment costs – one with your insurer, and one against the potentially at-fault party in the country where you were injured.

At Border Solutions, our cross-border personal injury lawyers in Vancouver are dual-licensed and have decades of experience in handling cross-border accident claims for both Canadians and Americans injured in the Province of British Columbia or Washington State.

Contact Our Cross-Border Personal Injury Lawyers Today

If you are a Canadian who has been injured in the US, or an American who has been injured in Canada – contact our personal injury lawyers today for a free consultation.

Cross-border injury claims are a complex area of law. We can help you decipher what medical treatment coverage options are available in your situation. The best part is, you don’t pay anything unless we successfully recover money for you on your behalf.

Disclaimer: For specific legal advice on your cross-border personal injury matter, please consult with a personal injury lawyer. The content in this article is not intended to act as legal advice and is instead intended to act as a general overview of a legal topic.