Posted on Wednesday, October 31st, 2018 at 7:17 am    

Who has access to the money you receive from a personal injury settlement? You received the money for an injury. Therefore, no one should be able to take your money. You would assume this statement is true, but it is not true in all cases. However, there are some instances in which a creditor might be permitted to garnish a personal injury settlement.

You need to take steps to protect your personal injury settlement from creditors. Our Sacramento personal injury attorneys can help you take steps to protect the money you receive for an accident claim.

Hospitals, Medical Providers, and Health Insurance Companies

If you owe money to doctors or the hospital for treatment for injuries sustained in the accident, those bills must be paid from the proceeds of your settlement. Under some circumstances, a medical provider may agree to accept a lower amount to settle the medical lien.

In addition, if your health insurance provider, including Medicaid or Medicare, paid medical bills related to the accident, the provider is entitled to reimbursement of those funds from your settlement. As with the medical providers, there are some instances in which an insurance provider may agree to accept a lesser amount to satisfy is subrogation rights. Therefore, these “creditors” may receive some of your settlement funds.

Other Creditors and Personal Injury Settlements

If a creditor files a lawsuit and obtains a judgment, the court may issue an order to garnish assets. Under California laws, money received from a personal injury settlement is exempt from garnishment by general creditors. However, if you do not keep those funds separate from all other money, the creditor could gain access to the funds.

For instance, if you deposit the personal injury settlement check into your bank account, the funds become commingled with other funds. You continue to deposit funds into the account and use the account to pay bills. If the creditor discovers the account, the court could issue an order granting the creditor permission to garnish the account.

Therefore, before cashing a check for a personal injury settlement, talk to your Sacramento personal injury attorney about ways that you can protect that money from creditors.

Protect Your Injury Settlement Proceeds From Garnishment

One way you can protect your personal injury settlement is to open a new bank account for your settlement money. However, you need to keep the settlement funds separate from any other funds you may have now or may receive in the future. Do not deposit any other funds in that account from any other sources.

If you have an existing judgment against you, you should tell your attorney immediately. Your attorney can help you take additional steps to protect your settlement funds from a creditor. Even though personal injury settlements are normally not subject to garnishment, that could change if you are not careful. If you even think garnishment or collection actions could be an issue, tell your attorney.

Call a Sacramento Personal Injury Attorney for More Information

If you have questions about garnishments and personal injury settlements, we can help. Call The Tiemann Law Firm at (916) 999-9000 for a free consultation with one of our attorneys.

Client Testimonials

Hanna Padilla Testimonial
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From the very start of my case the Tiemann Law Firm was wonderful. Perter came all the way to my home to sit down and talk to me about my options. He made me and my partner feel very comfortable and promised us he would take the very best care of my case. Peter kept me informed every step of the way and was always on top of things. everything was done in a timely manor and I always felt like I was the only case he was working on because he was so fast. In the end Peter got me back way more money than I ever expected. I would recommend this law firm to everyone. I am very happy with the outcome of my case thanks to the Tiemann Law Firm! Thank you!

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It is hard to put into words the care and dedication that I received from the Tiemann’s. They have been here for me every step of the way and were always available when I had questions or concerns. My husband and I will be forever grateful for everything they have done for us and our family. Thank you so much for all of the hard work and time you have put into my case, we greatly appreciate it and your friendship. We highly recommend this firm and will always be thankful for everything they have done. Thank you so much again, Kim

Maye Ly Testimonial
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I just saw my lawyer Jelena Tiemann on a t.v ad, which reminded me how much she helped when I was in a desperate situation. I just love her! That is why I feel a need to tell everyone. I had a situation that happened & didn’t know what to do, our where to go. I didn’t even know if she could help me or if any lawyer could. All I wanted was it to go away & was afraid most lawyers wanted to drag it out & possibly go to court. For one she was very professional but was very personable (maybe b.c she’s a lady). She didn’t make me feel embarrassed or self-conscious that I did something wrong or was the cause of the situation. She immediately said we should try our best before going to court. Let me handle some paperwork, if at the last we do go to court we have documents. She gave me all the details, pros and cons but reassured me she deals with these cases all the time. She came through and made it as painless as possible. I now have my life back.

Jennifer Birdseye Testimonial
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Tiemann Law Firm helped us with an injury case for my nephew. They were very knowledgeable and we are very happy with the service they provided. The entire staff is topnotch!

Elizabeth Ochoa Testimonial
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I chose Tiemann Law Firm to help me after a car accident I was involved in. Throughout the entire process, Moe made sure to keep me updated, he always responded quickly whenever  I had questions about anything. My case won thanks to this law firm and its dedication. My experience with Tiemann Law Firm was amazing! 10/10 recommended.