How Global Tariffs and Rising Medical Costs Can Impact Florida Injury Victims
With everything going on in the world that catches the attention, something that’s flying under the radar for most accident victims is how global tariffs and rising medical inflation are silently making it harder to get fair compensation after an injury.
If you were hurt in a South Florida car accident, slip and fall, or other kind of South Florida accident, the last thing you are thinking about is Chinese trade policy. But here’s the truth that you don’t want to hear: Washington and Beijing are now starting to make their policies ripple through your South Florida personal injury case—and your bank account.
Let me explain what the tariffs are and why they matter if you’re battling medical bills, lost wages, or an insurance claim.
Since the U.S. imposed broad 10% tariffs on all imports earlier this year, with even bigger tariffs on Chinese imports, now you might be thinking: “What does that have to do with my car wreck?”
Here’s the connection: those tariffs are making it more expensive to import everything from hospital beds to MRI machines, medicinal drugs, and even the software used by doctors and rehab clinics. That means hospitals and medical providers are getting squeezed—and they’re passing those higher costs down the line.
If you’re getting treated after an injury, those inflated costs don’t just hit your doctor—they hit your settlement too.
Why Injury Victims Ought to Care
Your medical bills are what most personal injury cases are built around. In the event that your MRI is more expensive, your overall total “medical special damages” increase. Insurance companies, however? They don’t automatically roll over and write a bigger check because healthcare costs are on the rise.
In fact, they often push back harder—saying the charges are inflated or “not usual and customary.” So while your costs are going up, your reimbursement might not. That means you’re left holding the bag, unless you’ve got an experienced injury attorney fighting for you.
Let’s look at some real numbers.
Medical Inflation: Slower Now, But Not for Long
According to the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) figures, medical inflation was also easing off in early 2025. For example, the Workers Compensation Weighted Medical Index rose by just 1.8% on an annual basis as of March. That’s less than in past years.
But there’s a caveat: the figures were recorded before new tariffs fully came into effect.
Experts say the real pain will start to show up in the next few months, when supplies run low and manufacturers need to start absorbing that increased cost of imports. That’s when patients—especially those recovering from serious injury—will really feel it.
Some of the fields that will be most affected are:
• Medical Equipment and Supplies: Already down -1.2% deflation in March, but likely to reverse sharply.
• Medicinal Drugs: Already on the rise at +2.7%.
• Long-Term Care Costs: Increasing at +4.6%, because of growing demand and supply chain issues.
And then this is where things get seriously alarming: the cost of long-term rehabilitation, nursing, and durable medical equipment (like wheelchairs, prosthetics, or a hospital bed in the home) would rise the most—exactly what individuals with catastrophic injuries require.
How Insurance Companies Play Games with This
Now let’s talk strategy—because insurance companies certainly do.
When physicians’ rates are steep, insurers don’t just pay more and skedaddle. No, they cite price volatility as an excuse to deny or delay payment on claims. They’ll say the charges are too high, the treatment wasn’t “reasonable,” or you could have gotten less expensive care somewhere else.
I see it all the time.
You could be recovering from a back surgery following a truck accident and still encounter resistance to your post-op rehabilitation charges. You could need a specialized bed for a spinal cord injury—and now it becomes an issue of “medical necessity.”
They know most people can’t afford to fight such battles. But I can. And I will.
What This Means for You
If you or a loved one has been injured in some kind of accident in Florida, this is what I want you to take away from all of this:
- Inflation in medicine is real—and it’s going to jump. Tariffs are increasing costs, and those costs will fall in your lap unless you do something about it.
- Insurers are primed. They’re already redoing their playbook to deny payment in full value. That’s not a guess—it’s the history of how they play.
- You have to get ahead of this. That means being diligent to document your medical treatment, paying attention to your future care needs, and having an attorney who can explain your full economic damages in a way insurance adjusters—and juries—can’t ignore.
Real-World Example
For example, you were struck from the rear in Hialeah and now you’re treating a herniated disc. You go into the ER, get an MRI, start physical therapy, and the doctor prescribes epidural shots.
Under normal conditions, your medical bills would total $15,000 to $20,000.
But now? The MRI machine costs more to operate. The injections of pain cost the imported medication and tariffs. Even the plastic used in the back brace costs more. Now your bills come close to $25,000 to $30,000.
And this is the twist: the insurance company still offers you the same lowball $18,000 settlement they would have offered you before tariffs.
See the issue?
How We Fight Back
Here at Suarez & Montero, we follow these trends in real time. I’m not just looking at your bills—I’m looking at the big picture. How much will your future care be in six months? A year? Will you need replacement equipment? Therapy, over and over and over again?
And just as important: can we show those costs are reasonable, even in an evolving market?
We retain economists, life care planners, and expert witnesses when needed. We record it all. We fight to recover every dollar you deserve, not the minimum.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to have an economics degree to win on your case of injury. But in 2025, it is nice to have an attorney who has some idea of what is actually going on in the background.
The global economy, tariffs, and inflation may feel like they’re a world away. But they’re not. They show up in your bills, your settlement offers, and your recovery timeline. And if we’re not careful, they’ll show up in your final case outcome too.
So don’t go it alone.
If you’re injured in an accident, call Jaime “Mr. 786 Abogado” Suarez today at (305) 631-1911 or visit www.suarezandmontero.com to Get You Paid!
