Do not ignore the summons. If you believe you do not owe this debt you need to respond and deny it.
Another thing to understand is that debt buyers are basically bottom feeders. They generally have no actual evidence that you owe anything to the original creditor, and what information they have is hearsay evidence provided in the form of some account statements by the original creditor.
There are valid defenses that should be and MUST be pled, including any applicable statute of limitations, and requiring proof that the debt is validly owned by the plaintiff.
Please click on "Find a Lawyer" above and locate an attorney in your area to assist you in defending this claim.
Go to annualcreditreport.com, and get a copy of your credit report. Does the bill from the medical provider and the debt collector appear on your credit report? If you are able to identify the medical provider and the bill from the account number, or from the date of service, you should make arrangements to pay the account. There are times when persons are treated at an emergency room, and they forget about the bill sent by the ER physician separately for his treatment at the ER, or the bill from the radiologist who read your ER x-ray. Maybe this bill is one you overlooked, and the debt collector is just now getting your attention that it is unpaid. If you can verify the validity of the debt, you should pay the account. Contact the attorney representing the debt collector, and see if counsel can identify the original medical provider, and the date services were provided to you.
Matthew Paul WoermerFamily Law AttorneyWatertown, CT ·
You should request a verification of the debt. Also, you need to defend the lawsuit. A simple denial puts the debt collector in the position of proving his case. You may also have defenses. If it is small claims it usually isn't worth hiring a lawyer to defend it.
