2016 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 42. Liens
§42-43. Hospital liens in personal injury cases - Priority - Exception.

A. Every hospital in this state, which shall furnish emergency medical or other service to any patient injured by reason of an accident not covered by the Workers' Compensation Code, shall, if such injured party shall assert or maintain a claim against another for damages on account of such injuries, have a lien upon any recovery or sum had or collected or to be collected by such patient, or by his or her heirs, personal representatives or next of kin in the case of his or her death, whether by judgment or by settlement or compromise to the amount of the reasonable and necessary charges of such hospital for the treatment, care and maintenance of such patient in such hospital up to the date of payment of such damages. Provided, however, the lien shall be inferior to any lien or claim of any attorney or attorneys for handling the claim on behalf of such patient, his or her heirs or personal representatives; provided, further, that the lien herein set forth shall not be applied or considered valid against any claim for amounts due under the Workers' Compensation Code in this state.

B. In addition to the lien provided for in subsection A of this section, every hospital in this state, which shall furnish emergency medical or other service to any patient injured by reason of an accident not covered by the Workers' Compensation Code, shall have, if the injured person asserts or maintains a claim against an insurer, a lien for the amount due for the emergency medical or other service upon any monies payable by the insurer to the injured person. Provided, however, the lien shall be inferior to any lien or claim of any attorney or attorneys for handling the claim on behalf of such patient, his or her heirs or personal representatives; provided, further, that the lien herein set forth shall not be applied or considered valid against any claim for amounts due under the Workers' Compensation Code in this state.

C. This section shall apply, in medically referred cases, to a medical diagnostic imaging facility not affiliated with a hospital that provides diagnostic imaging that includes, but is not limited to, modalities such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET).

Added by Laws 1969, c. 231, § 1, emerg. eff. April 21, 1969. Amended by Laws 2008, c. 190, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2008; Laws 2012, c. 146, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2012.