West Virginia Code 14-2A-19a – Effect on physician, hospital and healthcare providers filing an assignment of benefits; tolling of the statute of limitations
(a) As part of the order, the commission or a commissioner thereof, shall determine whether fees are due and owing for health care services rendered by a physician, hospital or other health care provider stemming from an injury received as defined under this article, and further, whether or not the physician, hospital or other health care provider has been presented an assignment of benefits, signed by the crime victim, authorizing direct payments of benefits to the health care provider. If such fees are due and owing and the health care provider has presented a valid assignment of benefits, the commission or a commissioner thereof, shall determine the amount or amounts and shall cause such reasonable fees to be paid out of the amount awarded the crime victim under this article directly to the physician, hospital or other health care provider. The requirements of this section shall be applicable to, and any such unpaid fees shall be determined and payable from, the awards made by the Legislature at regular session, 1987, and subsequently: Provided, That when a claim is filed under this section, the commission shall determine the total damages due the crime victim, and where the total damages exceed the maximum amount which may be awarded under this article, the amount paid the health care provider shall be paid in the same proportion to which the actual award bears to the total damages determined by the commission. In any case wherein an award is made which includes an amount for funeral, cremation or burial expenses, or a combination thereof, the commission shall provide for the payment directly to the provider or providers of such services, in an amount deemed proper by the commission, where such expenses are unpaid at the time of the award.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 14-2A-19a
- Collateral source: means a source of benefits or advantages for economic loss otherwise compensable that the victim or claimant has received or that is readily available to him or her from any of the following sources:
(1) The offender, including restitution received from the offender pursuant to an order by a court sentencing the offender or placing him or her on probation following a conviction in a criminal case arising from the criminally injurious act for which a claim for compensation is made. See West Virginia Code 14-2A-3
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
- Victim: means the following:
A person who suffers personal injury or death as a result of any one of the following:
(A) Criminally injurious conduct. See West Virginia Code 14-2A-3
(b) If the health care provider has filed an assignment of benefits, the provider shall aid the crime victim in the development of his or her claim by providing the commission with the amount of such fees as well as the amount of any portion of the fees paid the provider by the crime victim directly or paid the provider for the crime victim by a collateral source.
(c) Whether or not a health care provider has filed an assignment of benefits, the commission shall disclose no information regarding the status of the claim to the provider: Provided, That the commission shall promptly notify the provider of the final disposition of the claim, if the provider is known to the commission.
(d) Whenever a person files a claim under this article, the statute of limitations for the collection of unpaid fees paid for such health care services shall be tolled during the pendency of the claim before the commission.