Disputing a bill that was not my fault

[Steph217]

hi all im all new to credit report and recently got approved for a cc. i got answers here about the cc. i recently pulled the free annual report of course i didnt get any credit score but for the new 6 months i wont, so i looked at my report and there was an open account from a hospital bill 1 year ago that was not my fault, of course they dont know that but now its there. someone crash into us and now we have a lawsuit going on. so should i dispute this charges and said that my lawyer (maybe give his info) will take care of it once we reach a settlement. should i dispute this or no.

[GregB]

Based upon the info provided, it seems to be your bill.

Did the hospital treat you? I'm assuming they did.

If the hospital performed services for you, you owe them money. If you are trying to collect from somebody else then that is a separate debt - or WILL be a separate debt if you are successful in your lawsuit.

[Steph217]

thanks yea i guess is my billed i got treated but my lawyer has to pay for this.

[Anonymous]

I was a passenger in a terrible accident in college and my health insurance would not cover my medical bills so I had to sue. Your laywer should have sent the hopsital a notice that it was in litigation, which typically holds off any attempt to collect the bill until settlement is made.  Then if you win, the attorney pays all bills directly out of the settlemement. If you lose you are still responsible. It is your responsibility though to turn over all of the bills as soon as you recieve them to the attorney, otherwise they have no knowledge of the bill and are unable to notify the hopspital. Did you do that? Did you follow up with the hopsital when you continued to recieve the bills? I also had a letter and a form any medical office had to sign before treating me when I went for follow up treatment which made the office agree beforehand not to collect until the case was settled. Make sure you have this for any future visits.

[Steph217]

thanks so much, but no i never sent the bills to the lawyer i moved out right away and now at my present address i dont have any. my case is almost over, but after it gets closed the lawyer should paid the hospital and it should said closed and paid right?

[kjm79]

Ultimately, you were the patient, you received the treatment and you are responsible for the bill.  Now, a third-party (person who hit you) is responsible to compensate you for your medical bills.  Until that compensation arrives, absent an agreement with a medical provider to wait for payment, you have to pay the medical bill.  Your lawyer is not responsible for paying your bills, especially if you never sent him/her the bill.  SOME lawyers will agree to advance costs for their clients and pay these bills.  But the way it works the majority of the time is that the provider takes out a lien for the amount that's owed and submits that to the attorney.  When the settlement or lawsuit concludes and funds are received, the attorney pays any liens they have received. 

Whether you get a settlement or not, you are still responsible for the bill however.  Once it's paid, the account should say paid/closed.  BUT, that doesn't mean it will come off your reports.  It will still be a collection account and will hurt your scores.   

[Steph217]

omg i guess it already hurt my credit well im new to this so new i can get a score yet, but ill make sure i paid at least , thanks

[IowaGuy]

Not your fault, but your responsibility.

Try to get an agreement with the hospital to remove negative information in return for payment. tell them the truth and be nice. If that doesn't work, hipaa and pay them.

[Steph217]

Thanks I guess that w I have to end up doing thanks

[Anonymous]

LEIN. That was the word I could not find in my scatterbrain.