Injured in an accident and worried about medical bills? A Letter of Protection (LOP) could be the solution you’re looking for. This legal contract guarantees that your medical providers will be paid from your personal injury settlement or award. If you don’t have health insurance or are facing trouble accessing the care you need, an LOP could be a lifeline.
For help securing a letter of protection as well as the treatment you deserve, please contact the experienced New York construction accident attorneys of Schwartzapfel Lawyers either online or at 516-342-2200 today. If, however, you would prefer to first read up on all things LOP and personal injury-related, continue reading.
Why Would I Need A Letter Of Protection?
Even with the Affordable Care Act, getting quality healthcare isn’t always easy. Plans can be expensive, and coverage might be limited. For instance, consider what happens if you’re injured due to someone else’s negligence:
- You rush to the ER, racking up thousands of dollars in medical bills.
- Your health insurance kicks in, but it doesn’t cover everything.
- You’re left with piles of debt, adding to the stress of recovering from your injuries.
This is where a Letter of Protection can help. An LOP guarantees your medical providers that they’ll be paid once your personal injury case is resolved. This protects you from aggressive debt collection tactics. In this way, an LOP works to free you up so that you can focus on getting well, not on paying bills.
In Which Types Of Cases Are LOPs Useful?
Injured and worried about getting the treatment you need? A Letter of Protection may be the answer. This valuable tool offers a lifeline in difficult scenarios, such as:
A Letter Of Protection After A Work Injury
When you’re hurt on the job or while in the performance of job-related duties, it should be straightforward. Your health insurance and your employer’s workers’ compensation should cover your medical costs. Unfortunately, insurers may fight about who’s responsible for your bills, delaying the care you need. An LOP allows you to get necessary treatment even while the insurers decide whose problem the bills are.
A Letter Of Protection After A Car Accident
Being injured in a car accident or crash is stressful enough. Dealing with insurance companies playing the blame game only adds needless insult to actual injury.
An LOP guarantees your medical treatment, so you don’t have to worry about bills while focusing on your physical recovery and building your legal case. Note: Here, too, if the other driver was at fault, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
For more on getting you all the money and benefits you deserve, speak with the award-winning team of Schwartzapfel Lawyers at 516-342-2200 now. Alternatively, you can schedule your free consultation and/or case evaluation online today. No matter your situation, it will be our honor and privilege to fight for you!
Is A Letter Of Protection Legally Binding?
In essence, a Letter of Protection is a legally binding contract between you, your skilled personal injury attorney, and your healthcare provider. This means all parties involved are committed to upholding its terms.
Broken down, here’s how it works:
- You Promise: If you are awarded a settlement or win your case, you agree to use those funds to pay your medical bills.
- Even Without A Win: It’s crucial to understand that even if you don’t win your case, you are still obligated to pay your medical providers. You may need to work out a payment plan or discuss other options.
Need help? Get in touch with Schwartzapfel Lawyers today by calling 516-342-2200. No matter your situation or needs, it will be our absolute privilege to arrange a free consultation for you to discuss how we can best fight — and win! — for you. Call now!
How Are LOPs Written?
While the overall idea of an LOP might seem simple, crafting an effective one is best left to legal professionals. Letters of Protection have specific legal wording and need to be carefully formatted. That’s where your knowledgeable personal injury attorney comes in.
With their experience and resources, they will be able to make sure that your LOP explicitly covers all necessary aspects in a clear and comprehensive manner, particularly with regard to:
- The Provider: The specific hospital, doctor, or healthcare facility receiving the LOP.
- Your Agreement: Your guarantee of payment from settlement proceeds.
- Legal Protections: Provisions safeguarding you and your seasoned lawyer throughout the process.
With this in mind, please be aware that you should never attempt to write your own Letter of Protection! As these are legally binding documents, any mistake could put both you and your financial future at risk.
That said, Schwartzapfel Lawyers is here to provide professional precision and correctness in your LOP drafting. Call us now at 516-342-2200 to speak with a member of our legal team directly.
Can A Letter Of Protection Be Used Against Me?
Insurance companies have their own interests at heart, and it’s no surprise that they want to minimize payouts. They might try to portray a Letter of Protection as a sign that your medical professional is biased in favor of your case just to get more money. This is a tactic to discredit your doctor and ultimately reduce the value of your claim.
Don’t let them get away with these deceptions! Not when you don’t have to.
Experienced LOP attorneys, like the ones at Schwartzapfel Lawyers, know how to counter these insurance company tactics. As our track record shows, we take pride in crafting strong LOPs that protect your rights while maintaining the legitimacy of your medical treatment. Moreover, we’ll fight to counter any attempts to portray your case in a negative light due to an LOP.
Why Are Doctors Sometimes Wary of Letters of Protection?
Certain doctors and healthcare providers may feel hesitant about Letters of Protection. Potential reasons for this often include:
- Delayed Payment: With typical insurance, hospitals get paid on a relatively reliable schedule. With an LOP, they agree to wait for payment until your case is resolved. This could take months or even years.
- Risk Of No Payment: If you don’t win your personal injury case, the doctor might not receive full compensation. They’ve provided treatment on the promise of eventual payment, which puts them in a potentially difficult position.
- Insurance Hassle: Even when cases are ultimately successful, medical providers often receive higher payments after a personal injury settlement than they would through insurance. This is simply because they don’t accept pre-negotiated insurance rates. Insurance companies dislike this and use it to portray doctors as greedy or acting unethically by accepting LOPs.
Regardless of such realities, it’s important to remember that experienced personal injury lawyers understand these concerns. Moreover, by carefully explaining the process and emphasizing the value of helping someone injured through no fault of their own, a qualified attorney can often secure necessary medical care even with an LOP in place so that clients, regardless of circumstance, still receive timely treatment.
What Happens If I Don’t Win My Injury Case?
Even if you have a strong case, and even with the best lawyers on your side, there are no guarantees in the legal world. As such, you will likely remain legally responsible for your medical bills even if you do not win your case or receive a settlement.
And while you are unlikely to go to jail for unpaid medical debt, serious consequences can still arise, including but not limited to:
- Collections: Providers can aggressively pursue payment, impacting your credit score and making it difficult to obtain loans or even housing.
- Potential Lawsuits: In some cases, healthcare providers may take you to court to collect payments.
- Financial stress: Unpaid medical debt is a huge burden, potentially adding significantly to your existing worries.
As such, it is absolutely critical that you choose a skilled personal injury attorney to maximize your chances of success. At Schwartzapfel Lawyers, we’ll use our vast knowledge and more than (150) years of combined experience to build the strongest case possible. We know what kind of evidence is needed, and we’ll work tirelessly to get you all the money and benefits you’re entitled to.
Fighting For The Care & Compensation You Deserve!
Letters of Protection can be a necessary lifeline when injured due to someone else’s carelessness. They let you secure essential medical treatment, even when insurance issues present obstacles. However, LOPs come with complicated legal implications and potential risks.
That’s why you need seasoned LOP attorneys like the ones at Schwartzapfel Lawyers on your side. We’ll walk you through and stand beside you at every step, handle the details of your LOP, and fight to get you the maximum financial compensation you’re entitled to.
But, please, don’t wait — the clock is ticking. Your window to take action and recover following an injury may soon close forever. To keep that from happening, act now and call Schwartzapfel Lawyers for a free consultation today. Both in and out of court, it will be our honor and privilege to fight for you every step of the way.
Don’t settle for less – not when you don’t have to. Instead, protect your tomorrows starting today by dialing 516-342-2200 or schedule your free consultation online ASAP. Your future is worth protecting. Start now – call today!
DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this page should be considered legal advice. You should seek the appropriate counsel your situation requires. For more information, call 516-342-2200 now!
Sources:
Schwartzapfel Lawyers, P.C. | Fighting For You
settlement | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute
