A hospital which furnishes medical or other services to a patient injured in an accident not covered by the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Act has a lien on 50 percent of the recovery or sum which the patient or, in case of death, the heirs or personal representative of the patient collect in judgment, settlement, or compromise of the patient’s claim against another for damages on account of the injuries. The lien secures the reasonable and necessary charges of the hospital for treatment, care, and maintenance provided to the patient. However, the charges secured may not exceed those allowed by the State Workers’ Compensation Commission for medical services rendered to individuals coming under the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Act. A hospital’s lien is subordinate only to an attorney’s lien for professional services for collecting or obtaining damages.

A lien is not effective under this subtitle unless, before payment of any money to the patient, his attorney, heirs, or personal representative as compensation for the injuries, the hospital: Files a notice of lien with the clerk of the circuit court of the county where the medical or other services were provided; and Sends a copy of the notice of lien and a statement of the date of its filing by registered or certified mail to the person alleged to be liable for the injuries received by the patient. The notice of lien shall be in writing and shall contain: The name and address of the injured patient; The date of the accident; The name and location of the hospital; The amount claimed; and The name of the person alleged to be liable for the injuries received. The hospital also shall send a copy of the notice of lien by registered or certified mail to any insurance carrier known to insure the person alleged to be liable for the injuries received by the patient.

After the filing and mailing of the notice of lien, if any person makes any payment to the patient, his attorney, heirs, or personal representative as compensation for the injuries, without paying the hospital the amount of the lien as provided in § 16-601 of this subtitle or as much of the lien as may be satisfied by any money due under any final judgment or under any compromise or settlement agreement after paying the amount of any prior lien, he is liable to the hospital for a period of one year from the date of making payment to the patient, his attorney, heirs, or personal representative.

Any person who is legally liable for or against whom a claim is asserted by a patient for compensation for injuries shall be permitted to inspect the records of the hospital in order to evaluate the basis of the hospital’s lien and to ascertain the itemized hospital departmental charges for the period of the patient’s confinement. Notice of the inspection shall be mailed to the patient.

The clerk of the circuit court shall provide a hospital lien docket. On the filing of a notice of lien under the provisions of this subtitle, the clerk shall enter in the hospital lien docket: The name of the injured patient; The name of the person alleged to be liable for the patient’s injuries; The date of the accident; and The name of the hospital making the claim. The clerk shall index the hospital lien under the name of the injured patient. On presentation of a release of a lien, the clerk shall note in the docket the date when the release was filed and shall note on the release that it was recorded. A release bearing a note that it was recorded or a notation in the docket showing the release constitutes prima facie evidence of the release of the lien. The clerk shall collect not more than $2 for the filing, recording, and indexing of each lien. He also shall collect not more than $2 for filing a release of the lien and for noting the filing of the release in the docket and on the release.