Can collection agencies garnish your wages for medical bllls

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I owe 1300 in medical bills for hospital stays. the collection agency calls and say they will garnish my wages if I do not pay $100 a month on the bill

Attorney Answers

3
Kevin Cortright ·
State laws vary but usually before your wages can be garnished a civil lawsuit needs to be filed and a judgment obtained. Then after that they can attempt to garnish your wages, or levy your bank accounts. It sounds like you need to take the time and meet with a good bankruptcy attorney to take a look at your complete financial situation. For more information, visit www.freebankruptcyinformation.info or checkout my legal guides regarding this topic posted on my AVVO profile. Legal Information is Not Legal Advice My answer provides information about the law based on the limited information provided in the questions asked and is not intended to be legal advice. The law differs in each jurisdiction and may be interpreted or applied differently depending on the location or situation. I highly recommend that you consult with an attorney to discuss the specific details of your situation so you can get legal advice tailored to your specific circumstances. The information in my answer is for educational and information purposes only, and is not legal advice or legal opinions. The answer provided to the question asked does not constitute a lawyer-client relationship.
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Dean Paolucci ·
Yes, they can. They can also freeze your bank accounts and/or place a lien on your house. Do the payment plan or file a bankruptcy, if you have other debts. Very truly yours, Dean D. Paolucci, Attorney at Law Select Legal, PC 53 West Jackson Blvd., suite 709 Chicago, Illinois 60604 P > 312.427.9131 F > 312.427.9130 E > [email protected] W > www.SelectLegal.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: This e-mail or other correspondence does NOT create an attorney client relationship. This e-mail or other correspondence represents a general overview of law developments and should not be relied upon without an independent, professional analysis of how any of these provisions may apply to a specific legal situation. Any information contained in this communication was not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by the recipient for the purpose of legal advice. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------------------------------
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E Davis ·
Under Kentucky law, the creditor must obtain a judgment against the debtor before they can garnish wages or put a lien on property. There is a procedure to restrain (or put a lien on) assets prior to a judgment being entered, but that essentially requires the creditor to show that the property is likely to be disposed of before they can get a judgment. There are penalties for seeking pre-judgment attachments and not ultimately getting a judgment. So, you have some time to consider bankruptcy and to consider whether you have a claim under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
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