§ 104-b. Liens for public assistance and care on claims and suits for\npersonal injuries. 1. If a recipient of public assistance and care shall\nhave a right of action, suit, claim, counterclaim or demand against\nanother on account of any personal injuries suffered by such recipient,\nthen the public welfare official for the public welfare district\nproviding such assistance and care shall have a lien for such amount as\nmay be fixed by the public welfare official not exceeding, however, the\ntotal amount of such assistance and care furnished by such public\nwelfare official on and after the date when such injuries were incurred.\nIn all such cases, notice of the commencement of such an action shall be\nserved upon the public welfare district that has provided or is\nproviding such assistance and care, or upon the department of health.\n The commissioner shall endeavor to ascertain whether such person, firm\nor corporation alleged to be responsible for such injuries is insured\nwith a liability insurance company, as the case may be, and the name\nthereof.\n 2. No such lien shall be effective, however, unless a written notice\ncontaining the name and address of the injured recipient, the date and\nplace of the accident, and the name of the person, firm or corporation\nalleged to be liable to the injured party for such injuries, together\nwith a brief statement of the nature of the lien, the amount claimed and\nthat a lien is claimed upon the said right of action, suit, claim,\ncounterclaim or demand by the public welfare official be served prior to\nthe payment of any moneys to such injured party, by certified with\nreturn receipt or registered mail upon such person, firm or corporation,\nand his or her, its or their attorney, if known, and upon any insurance\ncarrier which has insured such person, firm or corporation against such\nliability. A copy of the notice of lien shall be mailed to such carrier\nat least twenty days prior to the date on which such carrier makes a\npayment to the injured party. Except as against such carrier, the\neffectiveness of the lien against any other party shall not be impaired\nby the failure to mail the required notice to such carrier. In addition,\na true copy of such notice shall be served by regular mail to the\nwelfare recipient and to his or her attorney, if known. Such mailing\nshall be deemed to be effective, notwithstanding any inaccuracy or\nomission, if the information contained therein shall be sufficient to\nenable those to whom the notice is given to identify the injured\nrecipient and the occurrence upon which his or her claim for damages is\nbased.\n 3. Upon the service of the notice, as aforesaid, the local public\nwelfare official shall file a true copy thereof in the office of the\nclerk of the county in which his office is located, and, thereupon the\nlien of the public welfare official in the amount therein stated shall\nattach to any verdict, decision, decree, judgment, award or final order\nin any suit, action or proceeding in any court or administrative\ntribunal of this state respecting such injuries, as well as the proceeds\nof any settlement thereof, and the proceeds of any settlement of any\nclaim or demand respecting such injuries prior to suit or action.\n 4. An amended notice of lien may be served and filed by such public\nwelfare official in the same manner and subject to the provisions of\nthis section governing the notice of lien originally served and filed\npursuant to this section.\n 5. (a) The person, firm, corporation or insurance carrier, having\nnotice that a social services official has served and filed a notice of\nlien, and intending to make payment on the personal injury claim upon\nwhich the lien was filed, shall notify the social services official by\ncertified or registered mail, at least ten days prior to the date such\npayment is proposed to be made, of the amount and date thereof.\n (b) Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of this sec
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