Comments on: How To Prepare For Small Claims Court http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/ Bridging the gap between saving money and investing Wed, 22 May 2013 07:14:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Patsy Dressler http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/comment-page-1/#comment-710930 Patsy Dressler Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:29:25 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/#comment-710930 This is avery good article, but I don’t understand why that they can’t make the Defendent pay. Seems like the Defendent will just laugh in your face and go on about his business, and you still haven’t gotten your money There ought to be something else you could do. Why a signed piece of paper from the defendent shows how much he received is not enough to make him have to pay.

]]> By: Mariana http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/comment-page-1/#comment-389334 Mariana Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:14:25 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/#comment-389334 I left my dog with a pet sitter (veterinary technician 15 years) and she left him outside with 104 degrees. He died in 1 hour while she went to get lunch. I took my baby to get a necropsy because I think there is something behind his death. I have to see the judge because I make a citizen’s complaint against her. Can I still send her to small claims?

]]> By: Donna http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/comment-page-1/#comment-375343 Donna Mon, 28 Jul 2008 03:11:52 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/#comment-375343 Do you sue the insurance co. or the person who hit you?

]]> By: vsjhoc http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/comment-page-1/#comment-85430 vsjhoc Fri, 10 Aug 2007 14:35:36 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/#comment-85430 Jill – Sorry to hear about your experience with your neighbor, and really sorry to hear what happened to your dog. Because he is sueing, he has to prove his case. He has to show that you had a duty to keep your dog away, that you were negligent in doing so, that he suffered physical damage from the attack, that the attack required medical attention, that he got medical attention, that the bill was for that medical care, etc. I don’t think he can go after you and then the insurance company; I think it’s got to be the other way around (he makes an insurance claim and then can only go after you for the difference).

Let him try to make his case. He sounds sleazy and a judge will probably see that. Just stay calm and tell your side of the story, including that you paid cash but failed to get a receipt and that they beat your dog nearly to death in retribution. Good luck!

]]> By: Jill Swisher http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/comment-page-1/#comment-85401 Jill Swisher Fri, 10 Aug 2007 12:50:35 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/#comment-85401 Hi I am in a bit of a battle with my
neighbor. My dog ran out out and jumped on him scratching him. He jumped out the window and I was not home. He would of been twelve this winter. We called the family right away and the dog warden had sent them to the hospital. The police would not make a report because there was no injury. I was not home. My husband went to their house the next day and said we were so sorry what could we do. pay bills, homeowners anything. They told us just the copays. I saw the woman and her son the next day. She said it was a $100.00copay at the hospital and they just had to pay $10.00 for a prescription. Like a jerk I gave her cash. The only thing was my husband, myself, my son and my neighbor were there with me. My daughter had been at the hosptial about a week later and I was told if you pay your copay upfront you get a 15% discount. This is when I knew something was wrong. We started getting phone calls about two weeks later saying she wanted 550.00 for a hospital bill. We said could we please see it and we will gladly go pay the hospital. I called the hospital and talked to a nice woman who said I couldnt get any info but she looked up the date anyway she said there was no bill for 550.00 it could be a seperate bill for the doctor in the ER. She told me the hospital bill had been covered 100% except for the $100.00 which she didnt pay but I gave her. We have received nothing from her but phone calls and yelling matches. We just received in the certified mail small claims papers for 1350.00 in bills. It is legal to sue when we have never been showed these bills. She told us she is going to bill the rest of the bills through her insurance after she gets cash from us. i worked in the criminal section of a local court for 8 years never have I heard of this being done. I would call my old coworkers but that was over 14 years ago. By the way my dog was put to sleep our choice. The boy and his friends had beat it so bad they broke his hip i am sorry to bother you but i have no right Thanks Jill Swisher

]]> By: Valerie S. Johnson http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/comment-page-1/#comment-71889 Valerie S. Johnson Mon, 09 Jul 2007 11:44:00 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/#comment-71889 Jerry – I’m not sure from your question whether Cingular has made all the adjustments necessary and all you want to claim now is lost income, or whether you’re still tussling with them about the bill. If it’s the latter, you have a better chance of negotiating with them than if they have already corrected your bill.

I don’t know anythng about OK law on this issue, but if you decide to sue, you might as well throw something in your complaint about compensation for lost income. The worst that can happen is that the judge can deny it.

Your chances are better if you can provide a detailed log, e.g., 2 hours on this date @ a rate of $x per hour, etc, rather than claiming entire days. Also, it would be helpful if you could show that you gave up actual work on those days for which you would have been paid rather than just claiming that you bill $400 every day.

Good luck! With any luck Cingular will settle this with you out of court so you don’t have to spend more time and money for lost time and money.

]]> By: jerry stet http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/comment-page-1/#comment-71403 jerry stet Sun, 08 Jul 2007 05:09:34 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/#comment-71403 I live in Oklahoma and want to file a small claims action against Cingular .. (who doesn’t?) .. by their own admissions they had a unexplaned computer glich which erased over 4000 rollover minutes from my account which threw my account into a large negative very quickly … normal bills were approx $130 .a jumped to $1300 and $700 a month … I spent untold hours with customer service of all levels ..their legal department,and others … they have admitted it was their mistake and made several adjustments to my bill to try to make it right. QUESTION; I am an oil and gas consultant and my fee schedule is $400.00 per day plus expenses … can i recover costs for my time spent on the phone with them while trying to resolve this matter?
Thanks for your input,
Jerry

]]> By: vsjhoc http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/comment-page-1/#comment-32932 vsjhoc Wed, 04 Apr 2007 22:58:53 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/#comment-32932 Cristen – Are you still out there? Sorry I didn’t see your questions sooner. It’s a bit confusing — is the court date for a suit by the town against the neighbor for violating the leash laws?

Yes, send the letters. You should make a formal demand for your money before you sue. Include language that they said they would pay. Something like “Thank you for agreeing to cover the vet bills. The total is $xx and copies are enclosed.”

Don’t wait for the other case. If I understand you correctly, it deals with a different matter — the town is prosecuting him for violating the local law, while you are sueing for negligence, which is a tort. Ooops, starting to get too lawyer-y. Send me a PM if this is still a question.

]]> By: Cristen http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/comment-page-1/#comment-12946 Cristen Wed, 17 Jan 2007 20:15:17 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/#comment-12946 My neighbor’s dog attacked my dog while I was out walking him. Her dog was off the leash, and mine was on a leash. They agreed to pay the vet bill…that is until I brought it to them. I have already contacted animal control, and have a court date set with them. Should I wait until that case is over before I file in small claims to get MY money? Is it necessary to send the letters ahead of time asking for the money if they have already refused to pay it?

]]> By: vsjhoc http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/comment-page-1/#comment-11463 vsjhoc Thu, 21 Dec 2006 16:08:17 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/12/02/how-to-prepare-for-small-claims-court/#comment-11463 Carla – If you claimed “plus costs and interest” you can generally include reimbursement for your filing fee (if you win the suit). There’s no guarantee that these costs will be awarded, but include everything it costs you to sue (postage, service fee, etc.)

Good idea to notify BBB and state AG’s office. You can notify the Federal Trade Commission (on-line complaint form at http://www.ftc.gov) but they are probably unlikely to go after him unless they receive a significant number of complaints.

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