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My ex is behind 5 figures in medical reimbursements

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blossom3533

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? KY

My ex-husband sued for custody and we went through a protracted legal battle (about 8 years). He lost and trial, then tried to revise his case when that Judge lost re-election. The new judge refused to close the case without a civil restraining order (basically, just a long order that indicates he can't continue various stalking behaviors). It also said that he could not have further time-sharing without going through anger management. So, instead of doing that he just dropped off and we haven't heard from him in almost 4 years.

In the meantime, my child has had 2 surgeries, braces, and endless doctor visits and tests (due to some underlying medical issues I won't get into but include a genetic condition and an immune deficiency). The braces: $5,000, one of the surgeries came to around $4,000; the other was maybe $1,000. Just yesterday I opened an envelope and it's a bill for $500 and I need to call to find out what it's for - and this is routine. I would say, including the braces, we're easily talking $20,000 over the 4 years, maybe more.

We have an operational agreement saying the person who brings the child to the appointment pays and the other parent reimburses. What should I do at this point given that the situation is so contentious? I will add that he knows about these expenses - in fact, one clinic absolutely bungled our records and I think sent him the bill and it bounced back to me (he has a history of faxing the legal documents). So I know he knows that there are some major expenses and I guess he figures this is the bonus for the situation we're in.

(I do have a lawyer, obviously, trying to think this through before I likely contact her).
 


HRZ

Senior Member
Your post is a bit unclear....do you have a court order as to medical expenses or is this a private agreement ?
 

latigo

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? KY

My ex-husband sued for custody and we went through a protracted legal battle (about 8 years). He lost and trial, then tried to revise his case when that Judge lost re-election. The new judge refused to close the case without a civil restraining order (basically, just a long order that indicates he can't continue various stalking behaviors). It also said that he could not have further time-sharing without going through anger management. So, instead of doing that he just dropped off and we haven't heard from him in almost 4 years.

In the meantime, my child has had 2 surgeries, braces, and endless doctor visits and tests (due to some underlying medical issues I won't get into but include a genetic condition and an immune deficiency). The braces: $5,000, one of the surgeries came to around $4,000; the other was maybe $1,000. Just yesterday I opened an envelope and it's a bill for $500 and I need to call to find out what it's for - and this is routine. I would say, including the braces, we're easily talking $20,000 over the 4 years, maybe more.

We have an operational agreement saying the person who brings the child to the appointment pays and the other parent reimburses. What should I do at this point given that the situation is so contentious? I will add that he knows about these expenses - in fact, one clinic absolutely bungled our records and I think sent him the bill and it bounced back to me (he has a history of faxing the legal documents). So I know he knows that there are some major expenses and I guess he figures this is the bonus for the situation we're in.

(I do have a lawyer, obviously, trying to think this through before I likely contact her).

Is there some particular reason we should know any of this?
 

PayrollHRGuy

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? KY

(I do have a lawyer, obviously, trying to think this through before I likely contact her).

If there is an order it sounds like your Ex is in contempt. I can't imagine what you would think you need to think through before you call your lawyer on this.
 

blossom3533

Junior Member
Your post is a bit unclear....do you have a court order as to medical expenses or is this a private agreement ?

after the trial we worked up a mediated settlement agreement that was ... entered as a court order if I'm saying that correctly. In any case, it's a court order.

What I was getting at in my post that I guess I didn't say explicitly is that I haven't requested reimbursements since the civil restraining issue in 2014. Things were just that bad. We had been working through a parenting coordinator, and then just dropped all of that when the judge decided we needed this permanent restraining order in place and I honestly haven't heard from him once.
 

blossom3533

Junior Member
If there is an order it sounds like your Ex is in contempt. I can't imagine what you would think you need to think through before you call your lawyer on this.

Thank you - as I just answered in another post, I haven't requested reimbursements since the restraining order. I am partly just wondering how to approach it without being immediately confrontational. I have an attorney, a parenting coordinator (hasn't been involved since the restraining order) and there is a guardian ad litem.
 

Ohiogal

Queen Bee
Thank you - as I just answered in another post, I haven't requested reimbursements since the restraining order. I am partly just wondering how to approach it without being immediately confrontational. I have an attorney, a parenting coordinator (hasn't been involved since the restraining order) and there is a guardian ad litem.

So you have not requested reimbursements in THREE YEARS? You might want to look up the caselaw on the fact that you have to request them in a reasonable time. THREE YEARS is most likely not going to be considered reasonable. If the case is closed, there most likely is NOT a GAL.
 

HRZ

Senior Member
Failure to bill EX on a timely basis may seriously compromise your collection efforts ....I d let my attorney do my talking !
 

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