What can a Letter of Protection do in your personal injury case?

You fell down a flight of stairs because of a loose handrail or broke both of your legs in a car crash caused by someone texting at the wheel. You required immediate medical care but have a long time to wait before you would likely receive compensation for your losses.

You may have to wait for an insurance company to evaluate the scenario or for a hearing in civil court if you intend to file a lawsuit. You will need to manage medical expenses long before you have money in hand from the party responsible for your injuries.

You may need to submit a Letter of Protection to the hospital or medical practice providing your care in the meantime.

What is a Letter of Protection?

A Letter of Protection is essentially a written promise to make good on your obligations when you win your civil lawsuit or settle your insurance claim. Hospitals and other medical care providers have a responsibility to the public. They generally cannot deny providing life-saving services even to those unable to pay for care.

Hospitals will provide treatment and will then begin collection efforts, including seeking a lien against someone’s home in certain cases. Aggressive medical collection can cause stress and negatively affect your finances. By submitting a Letter of Protection to the hospital, you formally notify them that they will receive financial priority at the time that you settle your claim.

Why do people send letters of protection?

The most obvious reason to draft and deliver a Letter of Protection is to defer potentially damaging collection activity. If a hospital understands that you are in the middle of a contentious claim, they know they will likely receive repayment even if you don’t currently have the resources to pay your bills in full. They are less likely to initiate aggressive collection activity when they know that you will prioritize repaying with them when you have the ability to do so.

You should not have to worry about those medical bills

When you get hurt because someone else drove while drunk or negligent in the maintenance of their property, you should not have to personally suffer losses because of their decisions. The hospital that provides your treatment deserves repayment, and you deserve compensation for those medical bills, the wages you can’t earn and any other losses you suffered, like property damage expenses.

Exploring your personal injury rights after you get hurt can help you protect yourself and reimburse others who deserve compensation because of your injuries.