• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

Is dad responsible?

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

vetkaw63

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Virginia
My exwife was awarded custody of my daughter. It was agreed that I would provide my daughter with insurance coverage untill she was eighteen. My exwife and I were supposed to split the remaining medical fees.
My daughter moved in with a friend when she was 17 1/2 . She was planning on getting married as soon as she turned 18. We argued about this constantly. She finally quit answering my phone calls. She was mad because I refused to pay for her wedding. So, she went to the dentist and had a filling (her only one) replaced with the white polymer filling being used now.
She also had the tops of her teeth coated with a clear substance that filled in the crevises. The dentist is now expecting me to pay the 1200 dollar bill. I didn't sign anything. Am I legally responsible? I was very upset and called the dentist. I asked who authorized this procedure and was told that I had. I told them NO I had not. They replied that it didn't matter because she was 17 (and that they could not bill her), That I was liable.
They have turned it over to a collection agency. It seems that no matter what I do now I lose.
I am very upset with the dentist for not getting a parents signature. Is there a government agency that I can report him to? The better bussiness bureau? Anything?
AM I RESPONSIBLE?
Thank You,
Mike
 


stephenk

Senior Member
report the dentist to the Virginia dental board.

tell the collection agency, in writing, to provide you with proof that you authorized the dental work.

Is your ex-wife also being contacted by the collection agency since she is the primary custodian of your daughter?
 

BelizeBreeze

Senior Member
I normally agree with Stephen since he is the hired gun, however, if Virginia follows the mature minor exception you could be held liable for the costs of the dental work, or 50% of it in any case.

I would still do as he suggested however.
 

vetkaw63

Junior Member
I did dispute the charge. The credit agency sent me my signature from my own dental work. They also sent my exwifes signature from 2004. Also a ledger with mine and my daughters dental procedures on the same page.
I have never been to the dentist at the same time as my daughter. I had payed for the remainder of the bill that was left after the single filling that she had in 2004. If it had simply been the remainder from a cleaning or filling I would have payed. It was just a lot of cosmetic work that didn't absolutely need to be done. They really should have notified me before doing this much uneeded work.
Mike
 

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top