(1) Such lien may be enforced by a suit at law brought by the claimant or his or her assignee within one year after the filing of such lien against the said tort feasor and/or insurer. In the event that such tort feasor and/or insurer shall have made payment or settlement on account of such injury, the fact of such payment shall only for the purpose of such suit be prima facie evidence of the negligence of the tort feasor and of the liability of the payer to compensate for such negligence.

(2) No more than thirty days after payment or settlement and acceptance of the amount due to the claimant or his or her assignee, the claimant or his or her assignee shall prepare and execute a release of all lien rights for which payment has been made and deliver the release to the patient. In any suit to compel deliverance of the release thereafter in which the court determines the delay was unjustified, the court shall, in addition to ordering the deliverance of the release, award the costs of the action including reasonable attorneys' fees and any damages.

[2015 c 201 § 2; 2012 c 117 § 153; 1937 c 69 § 6; RRS § 1209-6.]