Short Answer

In North Carolina, the safest way to get a new hospital bill included in your injury claim is to send your attorney a clear copy of the entire bill (all pages), plus any related explanation of benefits (EOB) or payment/adjustment notices, and confirm the date of service and where you were treated. Your attorney can then request the itemized statement and records needed to document medical expenses and address any medical-provider lien issues. Keep treating as recommended and forward new bills as soon as you receive them so your claim file stays current.

Understanding the Problem

If you are pursuing a North Carolina personal injury claim and you receive an additional hospital bill after you moved, can you send that bill to your attorney so it is included with your claim paperwork even while you are still treating for the injury?

Apply the Law

Under North Carolina law, medical expenses can be part of a personal injury claim, but they still must be supported with proper documentation. Practically, that means your attorney needs the bill itself and, often, an itemized statement and related records that tie the charges to the injury. Medical providers may also assert a statutory lien against any settlement or judgment proceeds for treatment related to the injury, which is another reason your attorney needs complete billing information early.

Key Requirements

• Complete billing documentation: Provide the full bill (all pages) and any separate itemized statement if you have it, so the charges can be verified and organized for the claim.
• Proof of what was paid or is required to be paid: If you have an EOB, receipts, or account statements showing payments/adjustments, send those too; they help show what amount is actually being claimed as a medical expense.
• Link to the injury and date of service: Your attorney must be able to connect the bill to the treatment for the injury (for example, the visit date and the facility/department).
• Provider lien awareness: Hospitals and other providers can have lien rights on personal injury recoveries for injury-related services, and your attorney needs accurate bills to identify, verify, and resolve those claims before disbursing settlement funds.
• Timely sharing of new bills: Ongoing treatment means new charges may keep appearing; sending them promptly helps avoid missing documentation when the claim is negotiated or filed.
• Preserving the lawsuit deadline: Even while bills are still coming in, the personal injury statute of limitations can keep running, so your attorney may need to file suit before treatment ends in order to protect the claim.

What the Statutes Say

• N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-58.1 (Medical charges evidence) - Allows an injured person to testify about medical charges with supporting records and creates presumptions about reasonableness in certain situations.
• N.C. Gen. Stat. § 44-49 (Medical provider lien) - Creates a lien on personal injury recoveries for injury-related medical services and sets conditions for a valid lien, including providing itemized information and notice to the attorney.
• N.C. Gen. Stat. § 44-50 (Duty to retain funds after notice of claims) - Requires retention of sufficient funds from a recovery to pay just and bona fide medical claims after notice, subject to statutory limits.
• N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52 (Three-year limitation for many personal injury claims) - Provides a three-year limitations period for many negligence-based personal injury actions (with exceptions depending on the claim type).

Analysis

Apply the Rule to the Facts: Because you are still treating and you received an additional hospital bill after moving, the key is getting your attorney a complete copy of the bill and any related payment/EOB paperwork so it can be added to the medical-expense documentation. Your ongoing symptoms and treatment make it more likely that additional bills will continue to arrive, so sending each new bill promptly helps your attorney keep the claim updated. Your attorney may also need to request an itemized statement and confirm whether the provider is asserting a lien tied to your injury recovery.

Process & Timing

1. Who sends it: You (the injured person) or a trusted family member with your permission. Where: Your attorney’s secure intake channel (secure client portal, encrypted email, or physical mail to the office). What: A clear scan/photo of the entire hospital bill (front and back, all pages), plus any EOBs, receipts, or “past due” notices, and a short note listing the date of service and the facility name. When: As soon as you receive it, especially if it shows a due date or collections warning.
2. Next step: Your attorney’s office typically logs the bill, confirms whether it is related to the injury treatment, and (if needed) requests an itemized statement and supporting records from the provider so the charges can be properly documented for negotiation or litigation.
3. Final step: When the claim is packaged for settlement discussions or prepared for court, your attorney includes the documented medical charges and addresses any provider lien notices before any settlement funds are distributed.

Exceptions & Pitfalls

• Sending only the “summary” page: A single-page balance due often is not enough; missing pages can hide the date of service, account number, or charge details your attorney needs.
• Confusing a bill with an EOB: An EOB is not a bill. Send both if you have both, because they can show different amounts (charged vs. adjusted vs. patient responsibility).
• Collections activity after you moved: If you changed addresses, bills may go to an old address and become “past due.” Tell your attorney and update the provider’s billing address to reduce credit/collections problems.
• Unresolved provider liens: Providers may claim lien rights on the recovery for injury-related services. If lien notices are ignored, it can delay settlement distribution and create disputes that must be addressed under North Carolina’s lien statutes.
• Waiting until treatment ends: Treatment can last months. If you wait to send bills, your claim file may be incomplete when negotiations start or when a lawsuit must be filed to meet the statute of limitations.

Conclusion

To include a newly received hospital bill in a North Carolina injury claim, send your attorney a clear copy of the entire bill (all pages) plus any EOBs or payment/adjustment notices, and confirm the date of service and where you were treated. Your attorney can then request itemized statements and records and address any medical-provider lien issues under North Carolina law. Next step: forward the full bill to your attorney right away so it can be logged and documented while the office tracks the three-year filing deadline.

Talk to a Personal Injury Attorney

If you're dealing with new medical bills arriving while you are still treating after an injury, an attorney can help you organize the documentation, request itemized statements and records, and make sure medical charges and lien issues are handled correctly as the claim moves forward. Reach out today.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about North Carolina law based on the single question stated above. It is not legal advice for your specific situation and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws, procedures, and local practice can change and may vary by county. If you have a deadline, act promptly and speak with a licensed North Carolina attorney.