What Is a Letter of Protection?

A letter of protection (LOP) is a legally binding agreement. It’s a letter you and your personal injury lawyer draw up after your accident and send to doctors and medical facilities. It specifies that you agree to pay all your medical bills when you get your settlement or court award.

In return, the medical provider(s) agree to provide you with the treatment you need and delay payment. A LOP can be a good option if you need expensive medical care but you’re uninsured/underinsured and can’t afford to pay out of pocket. The trick is finding a provider who will work on the lien – most doctors avoid them because of the risk of not being paid.

A Letter of Protection vs. a Medical Lien

A lot of industry jargon gets thrown around in personal injury cases. You probably know more now about compensatory and punitive damages than you ever thought. When getting medical care after your accident, you need to know the difference between a letter of protection and a medical lien.

Some people use the terms interchangeably. While the two are closely related, they are not the same. The team at High Rise Financial is here to answer all of your questions about a letter of protection vs. a medical lien so you have a clear understanding of both. 

When you are ready, complete an application for medical funding online so you do not go into debt trying to pay medical bills after an accident.

Letter of Protection

A LOP tells a medical provider that:

• You cannot currently pay your medical bills.
• You are currently involved in a personal injury case.
• You agree to pay your full treatment costs when you recover damages.

Your lawyer will sign and date the LOP before sending it to your doctor or another medical provider. The healthcare provider then agrees to treat you and wait to get paid. The medical provider and your lawyer will keep track of your medical costs.

It’s important to note that a LOP does come with a risk. You still have to pay if you lose your case or your settlement is not enough to cover medical costs. Keep this in mind when you are looking for medical funding to help you pay the bills for doctor’s appointments, surgeries, medical equipment, or other items related to an injury or illness. 

Let High Rise Financial walk you through the application process today.

Medical Lien

You and your lawyer come up with a LOP voluntarily. A medical lien or hospital lien is a legal claim that a medical provider or hospital places against your settlement. A lien is essentially a legal demand for repayment.

When you went to the emergency room after your accident, the doctors and nurses treated you without concern about whether you had insurance. That’s because the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) requires hospitals to provide emergency treatment to anyone, regardless of their ability to pay. But the hospital is certainly going to pursue payment.

They can file a medical lien with the county if they don’t have insurance and can’t pay the bills. When your case settles, the medical lien will need to be paid. And if you lose your case, the hospital or medical provider can still try and get payment – they may send a bill collector after you.

To apply for free, call (877) 735-0016

High Rise Financial Can Help

Call the team at High Rise Financial to discuss a letter of protection or a medical lien. You do not have to pay for medical expenses out of your own pocket when your injuries were caused by someone else’s negligence. 

Obtain medical funding by applying online. You can be approved for funding in as little as 24 hours. Start your application online today.

Pre-Settlement Medical Funding Offers a Risk-Free Solution

The good news is that you can get the medical care you need without paying upfront. Personal injury medical lien funding from High Rise Financial offers a risk-free solution. Learn more about defective medical device pre-settlement funding.

• We pay the doctor or hospital for your medical costs directly.
• You pay back the funds when you win your case.
• You don’t have to pay us back if you lose your case.

We understand that you have medical needs now and can’t wait for your settlement. We have a network of healthcare professionals, surgery centers, and hospitals that will treat personal injury plaintiffs on a lien.

Once we know what type of doctor you need to see or what surgery you need, we can facilitate your medical care with a member of our lien-based network. And if you prefer to continue seeing a provider who doesn’t take liens, we can arrange to pay them directly for any medical treatment. In either scenario, we pay the provider directly, so you don’t have copays, deductibles, or bill collectors harassing you for payment.

Apply for Medical Lien Funding Today with High Rise Financial

Medical lien funding may be a good solution if you need surgery or other medical care due to your accident and can’t afford to pay the medical bills. Either you or your lawyer can apply by filling out the form. In most cases, we can make a decision for you quickly and even help schedule your first appointment.

If you have questions or need help, call our office, or complete our contact form. You can also start an online chat if it’s during regular business hours. When you need funding to pay for medical expenses, utility bills, and other expenses related to an injury or illness, you can apply for a medical funding loan with High Rise Financial.

Call or text (877) 735-0016 or fill out our form to apply today for free.