Lawyers won't disburse award to me

[mcolacino]

In February of this year, I was awarded a sum of money from a civil lawsuit filed in NYC. (I live out West) The defendent's insurance company is headquartered in the UK, and my lawyers told us that I would not see payment from the insurance company until April. As of April 26, 2002, I was informed that 85 percent was received and the lawyers must go to court to make the insurance company pay the balance.

In the meantime, the lawyers refuse to pay out my portion of the money that they have received. They told me that they had to receive the entire payment before they could disburse anything to me. They said that since they hadn't made any provisions, I have to wait.

I signed documentation with the insurance company to get a lump sum, but I didn't know that I had to make some sort of payment schedule with my own lawyers! I am seething with rage at these unethical shenanigans.

Is there any legal code that I can throw at them to make them pay my portion out? I do not want to have to potentially wait another ten years to resolve this. I want to get on with my life and am about to purchase a home mortgage.

Please Help!

 

[Jack Mevorach, Esq.]

If the money is yours, it should have been sent to you. At worst, it should be in escrow. Is there a legal fee dispute with the attorneys? Or some other snag? If a portion of your money is received, it goes to you, even while the balance is being chased. If the money is being held back impermissibly, the attorneys can be reported and disciplined.