Should I Receive Treatment on A Lien?

Often times when people are injured in an automobile collision or other incident involving the negligence of others, their health insurance does not cover some of the treatment necessary to make a full recovery or deal to the injuries suffered. That could be treatment such as physical therapy or chiropractic care. In the absence of insurance or sufficient money to pay for treatment, some medical providers will allow accident victims to receive treatment on a lien. Medical providers are not required to do so, but they will sometimes agree to put a lien on any settlement or judgment their patient receives in the injury case.

This means that when a settlement or judgment is reached in the case, the treatment provider has a legal right to be compensated for their services out of the proceeds of the settlement or judgment. Most providers will not agree to do so unless the patient has an attorney for the injury case. Many providers also require that the attorney sign a document agreeing to hold sufficient funds in escrow when the attorney receives the settlement or judgment award from the opposing party's insurance company. While the final medical bill for the client can be negotiated by the personal injury attorney, that attorney must keep sufficient funds from the settlement in escrow until the patient's medical/chiropractic bills are resolved and paid.

It is typically better to use Med-Pay or health insurance if it is available. But getting treatment with a lien is a good alternative to not getting the necessary treatment when paying out of pocket is not an option. If you have any questions about your personal injury case, feel free to contact Kyle Jarzmik.