Settlement and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Liens and Reimbursement
Hospital lien statutes give hospitals a claim against settlement or judgment proceeds for services rendered to an injured person. Perfection requires filing and notice within statutory periods.
Statutes typically require the hospital to have not billed available insurance.
Alternative Names:
Hospital Lien Statute, Provider Lien (Hospital)
Why it Matters?
Perfection requirements are strictly construed, and a hospital that failed to file within the statutory window or omitted required notice loses the lien even where the charges are valid. Verifying perfection before paying is worthwhile because defective liens are common. Several states also bar liens where the hospital could have billed the patient's health insurance and elected not to, which is a recurring pattern worth checking.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What defeats a hospital lien?
Should perfection be verified?
