Are My Medical Bills Paid Out Of My Personal Injury Award?
As discussed elsewhere, insurance carriers that have paid medical bills related to a car accident, or the providers themselves, will assert a claim, or a “lien” on any amount you are awarded.
One of the most important roles a Baltimore personal injury attorney should fill is as a negotiator of these liens.
An effective attorney often will be successful in getting the amounts claimed by medical providers, and in some instances, insurers who have paid medical bills, reduced- meaning more money in your pocket. I Attorney Eric T. Kirk will tell you.
For example, Section 11-112 of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article provides that a health insurer with a certificate of authority in Maryland must reduce their lien proportionally to the attorney’s fees, to a maximum of 33%. It is sometimes difficult for an injury victim to understand why their health insurance company is entitled to reimbursement from their recovery. The issues surrounding the existence and reduction of these liens and other claims can become complex.
