When you suffer injuries due to the negligence of another, you may seek compensation for your losses.
Unfortunately, some injured people don’t have medical insurance to pay their medical bills. This lack of insurance leaves them struggling to recover from their injuries without any financial support.
In these situations, you may seek to obtain a letter of protection, often abbreviated as LOP.
The purpose of a letter of protection is to alleviate your financial burden so you can receive medical treatment while you and your attorney continue to pursue your personal injury claim.
What Is a Letter of Protection in Texas?
Letters of protection are essentially contracts involving you, your attorney, and your medical provider.
A letter of protection in Texas provides that your attorney will pay your medical provider with any funds resulting from the settlement of your injury claim before distributing any of the remaining awards.
Generally speaking, two factors must be present to qualify for a letter of protection, including:
- You are not at fault for your injury,
- Your health insurer refuses to cover your medical bills or you don’t have health insurance.
Your health insurer may deny your claim based on the belief that the at-fault party’s insurance should cover your medical expenses.
Meanwhile, you are stuck with mounting medical bills for necessary medical treatment after your accident.
While medical providers are not required to enter into letters of protection, many do when an injured party retains the assistance of a qualified personal injury attorney.
Why Would I Need a Letter of Protection?
In essence, a letter of protection in Texas allows an injured party to receive medical treatment on “credit” with a medical provider.
Letters of protection in Texas can be highly effective for a variety of reasons in helping your get medical treatment after an accident:
- You can promptly obtain the care you need for your injuries,
- Your medical providers will not demand payment until the resolution of your case,
- Your provider pursues payment only if your case is not successful.
Additionally, for many, some insured persons may find that their plan fails to cover the necessary treatment needed after a serious accident.
Instead, a person grapples with how to pay for important treatment “out-of-pocket” on top of the burden of recovering physically from their injuries. This is where a letter of protection can help you.
How Do I Write a Letter of Protection?
Letters of protection are legally binding contracts in Texas. Therefore, it’s important to enlist the services of a qualified personal injury attorney who understands how to write these letters on your behalf.
A letter of protection generally includes a statement to your medical provider that due to the injuries you suffered, you are unable to pay for needed medical services.
The letter requests that the hospital agree to provide medical treatment to be paid from any settlement or judgment rendered.
Contact Us
If you suffered injuries in an accident but worry about the financial burden of medical expenses, you may want to learn more about how a letter of protection can alleviate your concerns.
The attorneys at Zimmerman Law Firm, P.C., focus their practice in personal injury law and possess extensive experience in preparing letters of protection for injured clients.
Our attorneys have successfully represented thousands of Texans in recovering after devastating accidents. We know that it isn’t just about money, but about getting your life back.
Contact us today to discuss your case with a free consultation.
Michael Zimmerman
Michael was born in Houston, Texas. His education at Baylor and Texas State Universities earned him a Bachelor of Science degree in 1987. His major was in Biology with a Minor in Chemistry. He finished his legal education at Texas Southern University in 1990, earning a Juris Doctorate from Thurgood Marshall School of Law. He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1990.
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