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Papers served to me yesterday.

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Tang

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Washington State
A lawsuit has been started against me. Summons 20 days.My wife didn't pay a medical bill.It was like 3 months ago (I think, I know it hasn't been very long, and my wife said she was taking care of it!)and now a Law firm (according to the summons) wants twice as much as the original debt to settle.Do I have an obligation to pay more than the original debt in the state of WA. I had my wife call the hospital yesterday so I could pay the original bill in full. The hospital said it was out of their hands. I don't have a copy of the original bill.I told my wife to get a copy tomorrow. Man this is irritating any advice?:confused:
 
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racer72

Senior Member
Yes, you can be sued for the full amount due plus other legal expenses such as filing and attorney fees. If you have the means to pay what the lawsuit asks for less the attorney and filing fees, send that amount via a certified check and send it CRRR. Most collection agencies will accept this instead of letting the case go to court. It worked for me a few years ago when a bill my ex wife didn't pay (she was taking care of it too!!!) went to collections and I ended getting sued for the debt.
 

Tang

Junior Member
Thanks Racer. I just googled crrr and didn't come up with anything logical. I think this is just a law firm and a collection agency isn't involved, yet. There's no judgment against me, yet, just a summons to appear.
 

Tang

Junior Member
thanks Guy, but?

Can I send the full original payment of the hospital bill via CCCR to the attorneys or do I have to send them their claimed statutory court costs and estimated costs of services also? I'm in Wa state.
 

frustrated12

Junior Member
Can I send the full original payment of the hospital bill via CCCR to the attorneys or do I have to send them their claimed statutory court costs and estimated costs of services also? I'm in Wa state.
This is exactly what happened to me. Does the hospital still own the debt or have they sold it to a credit collections company? Who is listed as the Plaintiff on the summons? The Plaintiff is who you owe the money to. If the hospital still owns the debt then you can pay them in full. They won't work out a payment plan if it's in collections. Your best bet is to pay the hospital because it will bypass going to court and any attorneys fees. I would suggest cutting out the collections agency and paying the hospital at all costs. Collections agencies deserve to go under because they are basically sharks and bottom feeders to begin with.

In my case the stupid collection agency, who happens to have a history of racketeering and illegal practices, still says I owe court costs. However, the hospital does not want to sue me any longer. You do not have to pay the court costs if you did not go to court and you can settle the debt with the original creditor (hospital) before you go to court. If your summons has no court date they just want you to respond so they can set up a date. If you pay it off now you don't have to worry about court.

If your debt has been sold to the collections company, ask them to arrange a payment schedule and put it in writing before your 20 days is up. Make sure they agree and send you the agreement in writing. Make sure regardless of what you do that you respond to the summons with the court and just put in writing what you plan on doing about your debt so they don't get a default judgement on you.

If you really think it's too much to handle then go to a lawyer. My bill was less than a grand so I figured it was worth a shot to do it myself. If anything went wrong I could whip out my check book and pay it off anyway.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
the suit has already been filed. there will be legal fees to pay, just like in your situation, frustrated12.

If your summons has no court date they just want you to respond so they can set up a date. If you pay it off now you don't have to worry about court.
but realize the suit has already been filed. That means you are being sued regardless what frustrated12 wants to believe.


and a summons cannot have a court date on it because until the defendant responds or fails to respond although having been served, nobody knows if and how the case will move forward. As such, court dates are not scheduled until after the response time.

If your debt has been sold to the collections company, ask them to arrange a payment schedule and put it in writing before your 20 days is up.
and realize the collector has absolutely no requirement to talk to you let alone agree to any payment arrangements.

Make sure they agree and send you the agreement in writing
.Yep, absolutely make sure it is in writing but realize this is a very unlikely result when you have already been sued.

Make sure regardless of what you do that you respond to the summons with the court and just put in writing what you plan on doing about your debt so they don't get a default judgement on you.
that is not how to respond to a summons. They don;t want to hear your stories. They want your defense to the suit. In frustrated12's case, he had no defense so first he whined about the debt and then he ran and paid the creditor thinking he wouldn't have to pay the legal fees associated with the collections.

If you read his posts, you will see he simply does not understand that he still owes those legal fees and quite likely will get sued by the attorney in an attempt to colllect the legal fees. Then he will have even more legal fees to pay.
 

Mass_Shyster

Senior Member
Attorney fees, collection fees, and court costs are not automatic.

However, most boilerplate agreements include language to the effect of "if we have to send this to collections, you agree to pay any additional costs incurred".

A judgment from a court can also award collection costs, court costs, and attorney fees.

There may be a statute permitting a collector to add fees.
 

Tang

Junior Member
Thanks for the replies

My wife was suppose to get me a copy of the original bill today, she didn't. She said she called the hospital on Friday and the receptionist had to talk to a supervisor to see if it was okay for me to pay the original bill in full.It turns out that she was calling the collection agency and she had to talk to that lady's supervisor. My wife told me that all I had to do was pay the original debt owed and that would be okay.That doesn't sound right to me. The Attorneys office is the plaintiff (I'm John Doe "fill in the blank"). My wife said if I gave her the money she would make sure she gets a receipt that says "paid in full".I don't trust the attorneys. does it sound plausible. I still have time to ponder it, but that time is running out. TIA
 
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TigerD

Senior Member
My wife was suppose to get me a copy of the original bill today, she didn't. She said she called the hospital on Friday and the receptionist had to talk to a supervisor to see if it was okay for me to pay the original bill in full.It turns out that she was calling the collection agency and she had to talk to that lady's supervisor. My wife told me that all I had to do was pay the original debt owed and that would be okay.That doesn't sound right to me. The Attorneys office is the plaintiff (I'm John Doe "fill in the blank"). My wife said if I gave her the money she would make sure she gets a receipt that says "paid in full".I don't trust the attorneys. does it sound plausible. I still have time to ponder it, but that time is running out. TIA
You wife is wrong or lying. You are going to have to pay the balance in full, which includes attorney fees and costs.

Lawyers are not your problem. You should not trust your wife.

DC
 

Tang

Junior Member
4/20/10 update

My wife brought home a receipt with the adjustment services address printed in the upper left corner. It says received from "her name". It has the amount of payment (this was less than the original hospital bill, weird )and for "#xxxxxx". How paid=cash. Balance due= some scribbles then "settlement (paid in full)". Then it says "by" followed by a scribble. Looks legit to me. I'll see, I might just go to the summons if I don't get something from them in the mail before the court date.
 
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TigerD

Senior Member
My wife brought home a receipt with the adjustment services address printed in the upper left corner. It says received from "her name". It has the amount of payment (this was less than the original hospital bill, weird )and for "#xxxxxx". How paid=cash. Balance due= some scribbles then "settlement (paid in full)". Then it says "by" followed by a scribble. Looks legit to me. I'll see, I might just go to the summons if I don't get something from them in the mail before the court date.
Bring your checkbook. You will have a balance to pay. Good luck

DC
 

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