By Owen Covington
Messenger-Inquirer
FRANKFORT, Ky. — People injured in traffic accidents would be better protected from overly aggressive businesses offering chiropractic and other medical services under a bill approved Wednesday by the House Banking and Insurance Committee.
Kentucky law already requires attorneys to wait at least 30 days before pitching their services to accident and disaster victims and people facing traffic citations. Rep. Jim Gooch, the sponsor of House Bill 412, would like to see those restrictions expanded to other professions.
“It’s unfortunate that a bill like this has to be brought forth,” Gooch told the panel before it gave its approval.
To help explain the need for the bill, Gooch showed committee members a report by a Louisville television station about chiropractic offices and other medical services bombarding accident victims with offers of service. The phrase “ambulance chaser” is often used to describe those who solicit business from victims or their families at the scene of an accident or soon afterward.
Under the proposal, practitioners of “the healing arts” would not be able to directly or indirectly solicit business from someone involved in a motor vehicle accident for at least 30 days after the accident.
A violation would require a complete refund of the money paid by the injured person to the business, but the bill doesn’t carry any criminal penalties.
Rep. Arnold Simpson, a Covington Democrat and an attorney, supported the bill but said he took “some offense” at some of the committee members’ comments about unscrupulous chiropractors and attorneys.
“It seems as if we’re painting the professions -- chiropractors and attorneys -- with a very broad brush,” Simpson said. “There are hundreds if not thousands of chiropractors who work diligently in the pursuit of their trade without crossing any lines.”
Gooch’s bill initially referred specifically to “chiropractic and medical services” but was amended to refer to “the healing arts” so no one would be unfairly targeted.
“That way, we want to make sure we don’t offend anyone by listing a certain profession,” Gooch said.
The bill passed without opposition, with several committee members saying this should be a first step in broader restrictions on such solicitations.
Rep. James Comer, a Thompkinsville Republican, said “the ambulance-chasing profession” is growing “by leaps and bounds” and he would like to see more done to protect consumers.
House Bill 412 moves to the full House for its consideration.