2A:44-41. Notice of lien; filing; contents; fees

No hospital, nursing home, physician or dentist shall be entitled to a lien under this article, unless a notice in writing containing the name and address of the injured person, the date and location of the accident, the date of the first treatment, care or maintenance, the name and address of the hospital, nursing home, physician or dentist, and, if ascertainable by reasonable diligence, the names and addresses of the persons alleged to be liable for damages sustained by such injured person, shall be filed in the office of the county clerk of the county in which such injuries shall have occurred, prior to the payment of any moneys to such injured person or his legal representatives as damages for such injuries, but in no event later than 90 days after the date of such first treatment, care or maintenance.

Every county clerk shall, at the expense of the county, provide a suitable, well-bound book, to be called the hospital lien docket and a similar book to be called the physician and dentist lien docket and shall enter therein respectively any liens claimed under this article.

As to each claim filed there shall be entered in the proper book the name of the injured person, the date of the accident, the name of the hospital, nursing home, physician or dentist making the claim, as the case may be, and the name of the person alleged to be responsible for the injury.

The county clerk shall make a proper index for each book in the name of the injured person. The county clerk shall for filing each notice of a lien claim, and for each search in his office, receive the fees fixed by law.

L.1951 (1st SS), c.344; amended by L.1953, c. 163, p. 1414, s. 4; L.1963, c. 99, s. 1, eff. June 13, 1963; L.1970, c. 135, s. 3, eff. July 9, 1970.