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Will the debt collector take me to court over a medical bill of $995.00 that I REFUSE to pay over a medical misdiagnosis?
Anonymous7 views3 answers
The emergency room misdiagnosed me and sent me home. (3/23/2015) I finally got admitted 3 weeks later and now have major nerve damage and I am on medications that make me sick and foggy. The neurologist said that the fluid had laid in my spine so long that the nerves all clustered on my right side. When I received the ER bill, I contacted the patient advocate to dispute the bill. She said that it was under investigation and once the investigation was completed she would contact me. I have never heard back from her and I just received a letter from the collection agency. I sent them a certified letter stating that I was not paying the bill and to cease on further letters. Do you think they will take me to court? My family says they are the one that needs to be sued?
Collection practices vary in NC. Some hospitals often sue, others rarely sue. Someone local could tell you about the particular hospital. Continue to pursue the dispute, and if you were injured consider seeking counsel regarding the possibility of seeking compensation.
We can say they probably won't sue because of the amount, but that is just a guess. If you plan on buying a house or car any time soon, or anything else that involves a credit report, you might find it indirectly costs you more than $995. Keep working on the hospital. Also keep in mind that an ER is often not the best place for diagnosis and one should almost always follow up with their own doctor.
It depends on the particular creditor. Some hospitals are quite aggressive, some not. The issues you raise are separate and you have an obligation to pay the charges. You also have a possible claim against the doctors and hospital of the committed malpractice. Certainly, if they sure you you could raise their malpractice as a counterclaim. However, medical malpractice claims can be difficult so i recommend you consult with someone who has medical malpractice as a major part of their practice.
