What Can I Do to Receive Payment on a Loan Made?

[Magdalyn58]

I would greatly appreciate any advice. I live in PA. Not quite a year ago, a former acquaintance of mine asked me to loan him $3000 to cover the cost of some minor surgery he had. He said that he'd repay my loan as soon as he received his insurance check, which he expected would take 6-8 weeks. I withdrew money from my credit union and wrote him a check for the $3000. I did not write a promissory note nor did I put any repayment schedule in writing. I went on his word that he'd pay me back as soon as he was reimbursed. Six months passed and I had still not received any repayment. I notified him in writing that I had expected to be repaid. He wrote back saying that he was not aware that there was a "time frame" on this loan and that he was having a dispute with the insurance company. He then gave me two checks, two weeks apart, each for $150. That was about four months ago. Two weeks ago, I again told him that I expected that he repay my loan in full. Again he said that he was having problems with the insurance company. He said that he was having serious financial difficulties. He said that he'd do whatever he could to repay the money he owed me. It appears now that he has taken loans from other people, as well.

What are the chances that by taking him to small claims court, I will be repaid the remaining $2700? Is it worth it to sue him for this amount, given the fact that I did not put the repayment instructions in writing at the time of the loan and that there were no witnesses there who can corroborate his promising to pay me back? Would I have a better chance in receiving my money but keeping this out of court? In cases such as this, are people more likely to repay money loaned from an acquaintance if attorneys are kept out of it or should I try to force him to repay me buy getting an attorney involved?

Thanks for any input.