I need to file an answer to a summons I received for a hospital bill.

If you have received a summons, under Ohio law, you have 28 days from the date you are served to file an Answer (legal response) or you subject yourself to a default judgment. From your response, it seems you have calculated this date as Sept. 11. So time is of the essence. Anytime you are sued, it is always advisable to retain, or at a bare minimum consult with, a seasoned attorney. You will not be filing a "form." Depending on the facts of your case, your legal response will be an Answer. You may have available counterclaims. It is also possible that a motion is the most appropriate response. Every case is unique. If you elect to represent yourself, you need to be familiar with the Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure, the Ohio Rule of Evidence and the Court's local rules where the case was filed. This is in addition to the substantive elements of the claims at issue in your case. If you opt to explore representation with an attorney, I would suggest you contact someone as soon as practical. Most consumer attorneys will review your case without cost or obligation. Once you are privy to your legal rights, you'll be in a better position regarding the best way for you to proceed. You are welcome to contact my office for a free case review. www.OhioConsumerHelp.com. 937.435.4000. I wish you all the best in a quick resolution of your case.

You need to hire a lawyer to help you. Otherwise, you will need to figure out how to do it yourself. Unfortunately, if you do it wrong, you could lose the case by technicality or default. Again, you should try to hire a local attorney to help you. Since your Answer is due next week, you should consider filing a written request with the court asking for an "Extension of Time to file an Answer" or what's called "Leave to Plead and Answer Complaint." Put the case name (i.e. Plaintiff vs. Defendant names), court name, case number, and "Request for Extension of Time to Answer Complaint" and file it with the Clerk's office Monday. Sign it in BLUE ink and write print your name, address, phone and email address on it. Ask for 30 days. The court will ususally grant you one extension of time without a problem. Option two is to consider filing for Bankruptcy Protection/Relief. Depending on your income/debt/credit situation, this may be an option you should consider. You can contact my office for a free 10-minute no-obligation phone consultation to see if Bankruptcy is the right choice for you. Good luck!