DeniedInPA
Junior Member
My girlfriend was fired for her previous employer for a OJI claim. She hired a subpar attorney to represent her in her wrongful termination/OJI claim case. The attorney was more interested in getting paid the helping her get what she deserved. After the case closed she made numerous requests for the Agreement letter between her and her former employer but the attorney always said they did not know where it was.
3 months after the close of the case she filed an unemployment claim only to be denied. 7 months after the close of the case she filed an unemployment claim again to receive 75% benefits and have the case worker state she didn't know why the first claim was denied. 4 months of receiving benefits she was notified her former employer was appealing the decision. Prior the the hearing she made another attempt to get a copy of the Agreement letter from her former attorney only to be told that he was no longer at the firm and the person answering the phone did not know if they still had a copy. SO she never received a copy of the Agreement. She tried to call and get an postponement of the hearing while she waited to get the Agreement only to be told by the referee that it was not needed.
During the hearing her former employer brought their copy of the Agreement in which it was stated that she would not seek any type of compensation from the employer to include further medical claims and unemployment benefits. When I asked her about that her response was that the attorney forced the Agreement down her throat saying if she did not sign it then she would never get all her medical bills payed. He would not let her read the agreement. Now the state has decided that she knowingly defrauded the state and wants all the unemployment payments back.
Does she have any recourse since she believed in her attorney and signed an Agreement that kept her from seeking what is rightfully hers? Anything she can do to decrease or stop the state from seeking a full refund of the payments?
Thanks
3 months after the close of the case she filed an unemployment claim only to be denied. 7 months after the close of the case she filed an unemployment claim again to receive 75% benefits and have the case worker state she didn't know why the first claim was denied. 4 months of receiving benefits she was notified her former employer was appealing the decision. Prior the the hearing she made another attempt to get a copy of the Agreement letter from her former attorney only to be told that he was no longer at the firm and the person answering the phone did not know if they still had a copy. SO she never received a copy of the Agreement. She tried to call and get an postponement of the hearing while she waited to get the Agreement only to be told by the referee that it was not needed.
During the hearing her former employer brought their copy of the Agreement in which it was stated that she would not seek any type of compensation from the employer to include further medical claims and unemployment benefits. When I asked her about that her response was that the attorney forced the Agreement down her throat saying if she did not sign it then she would never get all her medical bills payed. He would not let her read the agreement. Now the state has decided that she knowingly defrauded the state and wants all the unemployment payments back.
Does she have any recourse since she believed in her attorney and signed an Agreement that kept her from seeking what is rightfully hers? Anything she can do to decrease or stop the state from seeking a full refund of the payments?
Thanks