Armando’s Fight Against a Texas Hospital Lien

In July, Armando was driving north on Ed Carey Drive towards 77 Sunshine Strip in Harlingen, Texas. As he approached the intersection, a driver on the east side of Ed Carey Drive tried to make a left-hand turn onto the roadway in front of him. Unfortunately, the driver failed to yield the right-of-way and caused Armando to crash into the driver-side door of the car. The investigating officer cited the at-fault driver with “Failure to Yield the Right-of-Way” and requested an ambulance to take Armando to a local hospital. 

At the hospital, the ER physician ordered several CT scans and X-rays and discharged him several hours later. Afterward, Armando learned that the hospital billed him over $37,500.00 for an ER visit that did not require admission to the hospital. While the liability carrier initially claimed that Armando’s actions contributed to his injuries, the insurance adjuster ultimately acquiesced and tendered the liability policy limits. Unfortunately, the hospital bill alone exceeded the policy limits. At this point, the legal fight turned to the hospital’s overly inflated charges.

Even though the hospital filed a lien with the Cameron County Clerk’s Office immediately after the collision, it reduced its bill by more than half after my law firm sent notice of representation. Even at that amount, though, Armando would have paid much more for the same medical services than any health insurer would have spent on his behalf, and he would have had unpaid medical expenses after the settlement. When my firm threatened to file a lawsuit to litigate the validity of the lien and the underlying charges, the hospital backed off and agreed to reduce its bill to less than 20% of its initial rate. This reduction allowed Armando to settle his case with the liability carrier and receive compensation for the injuries he sustained as a result of the collision. 

If you or a loved one has received notice of a hospital lien for excessive or unreasonable charges following a car crash or other motor vehicle collision, you have enough things to worry about. Do not let dealing with and negotiating a hospital lien be one of them. We deal with the hospital lien so you can focus on getting your life back to normal. You have one chance to do this; make the right choice by choosing the right attorney. Call us at (956) 291-7870 or email us at contact@rdjlawyer.com for a free consultation and case evaluation.