My lawyer screwed up my credit

[csunk]

What is the name of your state? CA

Back in 1999 I was in a car accident where my friend was driving and i was the passenger in his car. Afterwards I started going to a chiropractor because he told me his insurance would cover the bills. He got me an attorney who would help me get his insurance company to pay the chiropratic bills. The case was settled by the attorney; I received a small amount, the attorneys took a small amount and the chiropractor bills were supposed to be paid, according to the settlement letter I recieved from the attorney.

About a year ago I started getting letters from a collection agency stating that I needed to pay the chiropratic bills which I had thought had already been settled long ago. I called the lawyer and he is no longer there. In fact, I was told that he is nowhere to be found. I spoke with another lawyer who recalls the case and he said he would work on finding the paperwork. I haven't spoken to him for the past few months despite my efforts to contact him. Meanwhile, my credit has become negatively affected and the collection agency calls me frequently regarding the bill.

What do I do in a situation such as this. All along I had thought this had been taken care of. I have the paperwork they sent me with the copy of the check received by the insurance company along with a breakdown of the amount that would go to involved parties. I don't believe that this is my problem at all since it was the lawyer's responsibility to pay the bill when they got paid.

 

[BL]

I spoke with another lawyer who recalls the case and he said he would work on finding the paperwork. [ Quote ]

" I have the paper work of the check and breakdown "

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Does the breakdown state who is responsible for paying the Doc's Bills ?

If so, submit a copy to the collection Agency.

If not you might consider a consult with an attorney in the Field.Get a referral from the Bar Association.

 

[csunk]

well, the breakdown states the total amount of the check and how much goes to each party. the breakdown totals the amount of the check obviously. if i was responsible for paying, then i should have received the amount for myself and the medical fees, and i could have sent a check to the chiropractor.

 

[BL]

Actually, if the medical bills were suppose to be paid, they should have been paid by the Auto Ins. Co.

Do you know who they are ? If so try contacting them.

Still submit this letter you have Return Receipt Certified Letter to the Collection Agency. Tell them you were/are not responsible for the payments, and request your report be removed from their files.

If they refuse to do so, file a complaint against the collection agency with The Attorney Generals Office.

 

[stephenk]

Sorry Blond you are wrong.

The only person responsible for payment of the medical bills is the attorney or the patient, especially if the patient and attorney signed a lien with the chiropractor.

The insurance company settles the case and gives an amount to the other side in exchange for a release of all claims. The insurance company is not responsible to pay any medical bills of the plaintiff.

Have you checked with the California State Bar website? go to members search and type in the name of your former attorney. you will get a current address and phone number.

 

[BL]

Still submit this letter you have Return Receipt Certified Letter to the Collection Agency. Tell them you were/are not responsible for the payments, and request your report be removed from their files.

If they refuse to do so, file a complaint against the collection agency with The Attorney Generals Office. [ Quote ]

I may have been wrong on who is responsible to pay, but the orig. Poster states he has a "letter" stating who is, and it was not him.

The orig. Poster can still fallow my "other " advice.

 

[amcfreek]

haveing did a personal injury case involvinga car accident rescently i can give the advise what happened to me.
first attorney submitts all bills to inshurance company, attorney should have all doctors names and he should file with insurance copany these doctor bills . this insurance company at first wanted to ewskray me , but after the resitle of youlle have to contact my attorney for that a few times then was the question whats youre attorneys name . my name became "SIR" ..
ok in pa sometimes medical is seperate from a cash settle ment in this case these bills should have been paid for before youre sighned the release, youre attorney should have been aware thier was a ammount of bills and submitted them for collection with the inshurance company. call youre attorney up and you want answeres.. you want to know , you have teh right to know
weather tehse bills were submitted before the paper was sighned or did the attorney forget about it ?rememebr these are youre rights..
and remind this lawyer if you call the bar association file a complaint on that lawyer with the ethics commitee , thiers also the fee dispute commitee to file complaint with yeah i can here the real lawyers here screaming.. it was yorue attorneys fault and his responsibilty that these bills get paid , im going througha similar mess right now in workers comp wich is a real bitch to deal with..
i dont want to give details . but personally i think if the attorney didnt make shure these bills got paid i think he is being neglegent, and shoudl fall under breach of contract as he was suposed to represent you , and YOURE RIGHTS!
sorry im just sick of lawyers doin ccrap like this almost makes me want to apply to the bar myself as im not a lawyer... but murder should be legal , all some one has to do is try and take advantage of you.... and you get to slap their head ina noose,
hey up here you can kill bambi a few days out of the year..
and bambi never hurt annybody..... never glued a large sum of money to the floor so some one would bend over to try and pick it up...
see if thier is also a fee dispute comitte that will sue that lawyer for you.....
hey have a good day .. and KEEP YOURE KOOL!
and ~~~~/GOD\~~~~ bless