A recent case in Kentucky illustrates some of the issues that can arise when lawyers refer clients to physicians.
Sharon Langford, a former Kentucky state corrections officer, went to see the law firm of Winters Yonker & Rousselle after being injured in a car accident. The law firm allegedly told Langford that her health insurance would not cover auto accident injuries and that she could get all of her medical care at 1st Physician Rehabilitation Inc. She was later told that she needed surgery and was flown to a Florida clinic.
According to Langford, she eventually discovered that 1st Physician and the Florida clinic were owned by the same person, Gary Kompothecras, a chiropractor and owner of the referral service, 1-800-ASK-GARY.
Langford filed a lawsuit against the law firm of Winters Yonker & Rousselle and the Kentucky clinic, claiming that the relationship between the two parties and the alleged deception cost her money and deprived her of the right to treatment by her doctors. In her lawsuit, she states that neither the law firm nor Kompothecras’ clinics disclosed that they provide business to each other “in consideration for receiving client referrals.”
The Courier-Journal reviewed Jefferson Circuit Court records and uncovered more than a dozen other car accident and slip and fall cases in which the law firm’s clients were treated at 1st Physician. A former employee of Winters Yonker & Rousselle said that he spent about a year signing up clients and the expectation was that they would be sent to 1st Physician or a few other clinics that referred business to the law firm.
Northern Kentucky judges have called lawyer to doctor referrals the “kiss of death” in cases. Be suspicious if your attorney refers you to a physician.
Read more about this case in the post, Relationship Between Law Firm and Medical Providers Described as “Cozy.”
There is a fine line that a doctor and attorney must walk when it comes to referrals and similar practices. In this case, the attorneys for the woman most likely crossed that line when referring their clients to the doctor in exchange for referrals. Interesting case for sure!