Title: My father died last September in Florida. He had a reverse mortgage on his condo and I just got served papers naming me as an heir in a foreclosure suit. What do I do?

Question:
As I said I just got served papers regarding a lawsuit filed against my brothers and myself by the bank foreclosing on my deceased Father's condo. It says I have 20 days to respond.

To complicate matters I am right now trying to buy a new home. I just filled out paperwork yesterday stating that I have not been sued or foreclosed on and a day later this happens.

My Dad had nothing valuable in his estate when he died and none of us want the condo.

1. Do I need a lawyer?
1. Do they just want to clear title and if so, can I or my lawyer simply let them know I have no interest in the condo?
1. Will this affect my credit and ability to get the loan that I am literally in the process of applying for? Should I now tell my mortgage broker as well or can I wait until I see what happens with the lawyer? I am hoping to be pre-approved tomorrow so I can make an offer this week on a new home.

Thank you for any and all advice here!

Edit: I have included some of the text in what I received:

It says this:

* Plaintiff VS. The unknown heirs, beneficiaries, lienors, creditors, trustees, and all others who may claim an interest in the estate of "my Dad".

It also states:

* You are hereby notified of the institution of this action by the Plaintiff against you seeking to foreclose a note and mortgage encumbering the real property in "county" Florida. in Official Record Book.

I will contact a lawyer ASAP but do you think they simply want to make sure we relinquish interest? If so, can a lawyer get them to drop the suit if I formally state I have no interest in the property.

Also do I need a Real Estate attorney or would an estate planning and probate attorney make more sense?

Edit: Is it necessary for me to inform my mortgage broker of this? I feel as though I should and I am very concerned that this will affect my ability to get a loan. Any thoughts?

Answer:
 Foreclosure attorney here.  You were named due to you being a potential heir.  You do not need an attorney unless you are trying to contest the foreclosure.  Yes, they basically want clear title.  This shouldn't affect your credit at all as no money judgment will be entered against you.

What I would do as a potential heir: Talk to the personal representative of the estate and make sure they're looking into selling the property.  Since it was a reverse mortgage, there likely is a lot of equity in the property (percentage-wise) since most borrowers never take the full value of the property out in the reverse mortgage.  Sell the property for market value (or even under if needed), pay off the reverse mortgage, and distribute the remainder of the funds to the heirs.Answer #2: Unless you legally took possession of the condo after your father died, the bank should be pursuing your father's estate, not you personally. However, since it has already escalated to you being served papers naming you as the defendant in a lawsuit, you really need to speak to a lawyer right away. You don't want to ignore this or try to handle it yourself, because if it's not addressed correctly, it could very well ruin your credit and possibly even cost you a lot of money.


Title: Help With Title IX Accusations

Question:
Hi all,

I've been falsely accused of non-consensual sexual intercourse by an individual at my college who claims she withdrew consent verbally and said stop, but never did so. If I have numerous Facebook messages from after the event in question where she asks to hook up again, would this count as sufficient evidence to clear my name of these false allegations? I'm worried this may not secure my safety in the on-campus investigation, where only a preponderance of evidence is required. I've also heard that college campuses can be ridiculous when it comes to defending the accused party in an unbiased manner.

Answer:
 (1) It's evidence.  Sufficient or not is a question for the people evaluating the evidence.

(2) You should consider why she is deciding to make the accusation now.  People don't just accuse others of rape for no reason.  It may be because the rape happened.  Or it may be something else.

(3) You are correct -- there have been a lot of problems with on-campus investigations.

You should find a lawyer who deals with these sorts of matters.

Are you at a public university?  If so, then it's a bit easier on you because they have to follow certain constitutional requirements, such as due process.

&#x200B;Answer #2: Ask your lawyer.

 The Facebook posts in and of themselves don't prove anything. It is a common occurance for a victim of sexual assault to sleep with their attacker again in an effort to regain control when their consent has been taken from them.
Answer #3: The messages are evidence.  They may or may not be sufficient.

And yes, college campus hearings are often very biased in favor of the accuser.  I suggest you hire a lawyer immediately to make sure that the college gives you a fair hearing.  If nothing else, at least having a lawyer will send a message and stop them from finding you guilty and expelling you to protect their reputation.


Title: [AL] Contract termination by religious employer because of medical emergency

Question:
Throwaway for reason that will be obvious. Please forgive my bad formatting. I am on mobile. I'm just trying to figure out whether I should even bother getting a lawyer or if I should accept what has happened and move on. I'm sorry if the details are sketchy; I'm mentally in a very bad spot and also trying not to out myself online.

I have been employed for 6 years on a yearly contract in a religious school. Without being too specific, the school is under the authority of a group of people who take their orders from a guy over in Europe that wears a funny hat. I have had nothing but positive feedback during my entire career here, having received "excellent" marks on all of my evaluations. I renewed my contract in April for this academic year.

Unfortunately, at the end of June, I suffered from a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy. This was particularly devastating for my husband and myself as we have been trying for a child for some time without success. We were presented by doctors with two options: leave the embryo alone and remove the entire Fallopian tube, or treat medically in such a way as to remove the embryo but leave my reproductive organs intact. The embryo was not viable and had no chance at developing, and not taking action could have killed me. We chose the latter option in order to try to preserve my potential fertility and because we were told that there would be a smaller chance of complications.

The people I work for were very kind at first, asking if I needed anything and offering meals and assistance. This slowly faded out over the course of this month. They knew only that I had experienced a medical emergency; I did not share specific information regarding the ectopic pregnancy with anyone that I work with, nor did my husband, nor was it posted on social media, because we are very private people. It appears that the specifics of my treatment must have made it to my employers anyway. My guess is that someone at the hospital who is connected to the church or the school recognized me and it spread through the rumor mill, but I really can't be sure. It's not worth trying to figure out at this point I guess. This week, I was called into a meeting with my immediate supervisor and his supervisor and informed that I need not report to work in August as they would be terminating my contract. Their reasoning was that I had obtained an abortion, which is in violation of the very vague morals clause in my contract. Normally a teacher who terminates their contract after a certain point in the summer owes the school a penalty payment of around $1000, but they said they would waive it for me out of compassion if I resigned voluntarily. I told them I'd consider things and left without agreeing to anything or assigning any paperwork. I was honestly just too shocked to say much of anything. No representatives from HR or the governing religious group were involved in any of this discussion.

I am lost. I mean, maybe they're technically right. I don't know. I didn't have a choice. The pregnancy was not viable regardless of the options we could have chosen. What I do know is that I'm almost certainly out of a job and still mourning the loss of a very wanted pregnancy. I know I can't force them to keep me employed, but I don't know if I have any legal options available besides accepting what happened and trying to find a new job. I can't draw unemployment because I'm employed by a private religious entity. My state is not very worker or woman friendly. If it's worth it, I'll speak with a lawyer, but I don't want to waste my time. Any opinions are appreciated.

Answer:
 It appears that your employer cannot have legally obtained information on your medical procedure.  You should contact the hospital to notify them of the breach in patient confidentiality and ask them to investigate.  Breaking patient confidentiality has serious penalties for the employee(s) involved, including possible loss of employment.

You could challenge your employer. Tell them you underwent a life-saving medical procedure. Say that if they want to fire you for a supposed sin, you expect them to produce evidence that you committed it. Demand that they cite the source by name.  Logically, they'll face this catch-22:

   - admit to illegally obtained information so they can fire you, and cost their source a job, or,
   - protect their source, and let you keep your job.

IANAL, so feedback from one would be appreciated.

Answer #2: If your hospital uses an electronic health record (I dearly hope they all do by now), then the hospital has a log of exactly everyone who viewed your record, what they viewed, and when. This at least narrows down the origin.Answer #3: You did not have an elective abortion.  Treatment for an ectopic pregancy can be done within Catholic belief system. Ask them to reconsider. When they don't (bureaucratic inertia), lay waste to the medical landscape for violating HIPAA.


Title: What's your favorite past case from /r/legaladvice that OP provided an update about after all was over? (No advice needed)

Question: I *love* reading updates and outcomes on here from the cases that really had me rooting for OP (or really booing OP...), and I'm just wondering what your favorite updated cases were from the past?  Post links to posts and update posts if you can!

Answer: I got a kick out of the [juvenile traffic hero](http://www.reddit.com/user/JPelter/submitted/).Answer #2: [Landlocked Neighbor](http://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/2ooy1x/update_my_neighbors_caused_themselves_to_be/)Answer #3: [Check out the wiki](https://www.reddit.com/wiki/legaladvice/bestof)


Title: [NYS] Bedridden grandmother, sound of mind, refuses ALL help, are we really SOL?

Question:
I'm the one posting but most of the family is in on this, we've all come to the same conclusion (That we're just shit out of luck) but I'm wondering if maybe there's some avenue we haven't seen.

My grandmother is essentially bedridden, in constant pain, is addicted to painkillers, and can barely make it to the bathroom and back by herself. She's constantly lying and convinced she'll get better (she won't), but refuses any and all help TO get better. She's fallen multiple times, and she really needs medical support - or at least in home care - but any time the EMTs come to pick her back up, they believe her that she has people caring for her (she doesn't), or refuse to take her since she doesn't consent to leaving the home.

We've tried to get in-home care nurses, but she refuses to let them in the room, berates them and won't let them help her.

She lives with her husband, who is also sound of mind, but is too frail to help her. He does whatever she wants and since she says she doesn't want to go to a hospital or nursing home, he sides with her and won't consent for her.

She's now gotten to the point where she's living in adult diapers and most of her bedsheets are stained with excrement. People do come help her occasionally, but over time they get tired of being treated badly or situations change and they can't come as often. She needs more constant care, but she's in complete denial about her situation.

We're all basically waiting for one of her falls to land her unconscious and force her into the hospital, where they will hopefully keep her. But the last time she went to the hospital they let her sign herself out after a couple of days.

Do we have any recourse aside from trying to declare her mentally unfit (which she is definitely not)?

Answer:
 Call adult protective services and express your concern.

Answer #2: At this point, you might want to involve [Adult Protective Services](https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/psa/contact.asp) and explain the situation to them.


Title: Girlfriend (26 F) is being forced to get plastic surgery by her mom. What can I do as her BF?

Question:
They are Korean and her mom is extremely narcistic and abusive. But my gf can’t stand it when her mom withholds affection.

This isn’t the first time she was forced into getting cosmetic surgery. She was forced to get two surgeries while she was a minor in high school.

It is the same doctor performing the surgery. Her mom works for him.

Please help. We are in California.

Answer: She needs to tell the doctors she does not consent to the surgery. No doctor in their right mind would perform an elective surgery on an unwilling patientAnswer #2: She can't force her to do anything. Answer #3: You (but more importantly her) live in America, no matter what her parents demand or say your gf is an adult and cannot be forced to do anything they say. Worst case scenario I'd take it up with the Police, but I'd doubt it'll come to that because again, they cannot force her to do anything she doesn't want to. If she says "no." Then that's that. But I would recommend keeping some distance between her and her parents.Answer #4: r/relationship_adviceAnswer #5: She’s not being forced into anything. She needs to grow a backbone and say no. No is a complete sentence. Nothing illegal is happening if she “gives in” and does it to appease her mother. Answer #6: This is not a legal problem, it is a relationship problem.Answer #7: OP, I would recommend encouraging your GF to get counseling. She needs to unravel a lifetime of manipulations and beliefs so she will be able to realize her agency and freedom from her mother. The kind of narcissistic abuse /coercion you describe is not illegal, but it is real. The solution is for your girlfriend to come to her own conclusion to cut off all contact with her mother, and then get the support she needs to see that through. But the solution is not in the legal system. Answer #8: Nothing. She can say no if she wants.


Title: 23yo POA of 93yo Grandma with Dementia. Help!

Question:
(Georgia, Atlanta/East Point, Fulton County)

My mom passed away last month, leaving me to take care of her mother, my grandmother, who is 93 with dementia. Every other day I'm bringing her groceries, taking her to doctor visits, hair appointments, etc. I am suddenly her caretaker. My mother wasn't really taking care of her and I had no idea until she died that she had almost completely neglected her until I saw my grandma hadn't bathed, had her nails groomed, or had her house cleaned in a year. She had very little food too. I've been thrown into all of this. (I only saw her outside the house, at restaurants, etc. when my mom would drive her to meet us)

LONG STORY:

She also has a son, but he's always been somewhat estranged--living hours away as a hermit who dropped out of school in the 6th grade. He's always harassing her for money. He once forced her to take out a very large loan (don't know how much but I can see she's paid $500/month every month for at least a year) and once even put a gun to her head demanding that she write him a large check (I think $20,000) A true testament to his character, he once pryed the diamonds out of the jewelry passed down for generations that were in her safe. He has no interest in taking care of her and never has. My mom's death, however, has signified that he can now fight to get all of my grandmother's money and he's doing everything he can to do so. (She wants to divide everything equally between my sister, him, and myself) He's always there harassing her, trying to get her to sign paperwork. Every time he comes over she calls me crying. He's even trying to ruin my character by pulling up some sort of pictures of some woman with my hair color in lingerie and smoking cigarettes and telling her that it's me. I know this is a lot of stupid information, but just so you have to full story of craziness I've been thrown into.

I have a debit card to her account so I can easily buy her medicine and groceries for her and a set of keys to her house. He's now convinced her that I can't be trusted with either and she's calling me asking me to give her both. Every time I answer the phone and she says she doesn't trust him to have the debit card but feels he has to have it because he says he's the executor of the estate and he is her "last living relative".

This action shows that she's clearly not in the state of mind anymore to make decisions for herself. Her dementia is getting worse every single day and she lives in a house that she owes a lot of money on all by herself with mold in the basement. She actually recently got pneumonia from the mold. But she doesn't want to move. She doesn't even want any help which makes everything even harder for me for what is already incredibly difficult. I live in a crappy apartment in a dangerous area. She can't stay with me. I don't have the kind of money to  take off work at my minimum wage job to help her or to hire someone to help her or to put her somewhere with full-time care. Nor does she want any of that. She makes about $2,000 a month with pension and social security. This means she can't qualify for medicade which means she can't qualify for any help that I can find, but it's still not enough money to help her the way she needs to be helped. She spends almost all of the $2,000 each month with all of her expenses.

I have no plans on giving her her keyes back, but I'll cut up her debit card and give it to her. She can just write me checks when I buy things for her. (I'm living off my credit card in order to pay rent and eat so I can't just pay out of pocket for her expenses) I need help. She doesn't want to get my uncle, her son, in trouble, even though he is a danger to her and she is terrified of him. Should we get a restraining order against him? Should I get some sort of evaluation that shows that she has dementia? File an elder abuse claim even though no one knows his address? Are there any sort of organizations that you know of that could help people in her situation?

TLDR; My grandma with dementia lives alone in a house with mold. Her son is trying to steal her money and take advantage of her. My mom recently died and my sister lives too far away to help. It's only me, her now official POA who can help her. What do I do??

Answer: Definitely call adult protective services and ask for help.  You should also consider looking at live-in facilities for her.  If she's not able to manage her personal care needs she needs more help than you can provide.Answer #2: As a person who's grandmother also was diagnosed with dementia in her last years, I'm truly sorry for what you're going through. And I don't know specifically Georgia's laws concerning POAs, but I can give you general advice. Did your grandmother sign a legal document saying that you were her POA? Do you have a copy of that document?  If she did, did she sign that document before she started showing signs of dementia? Answer #3: A single person does not have the capability to adequately care for a person with dementia unless that single person lives with the person with dementia and as for round-the-clock care. If nothing else, this is because people with dementia tend to wander. They also tend to do things that are dangerous, like turning on the stove and forgetting about it.


Title: How bad is it to take justice nto your hands?

Question: Let's say hypothetically you track down and torture and murder your rapist, what are the ramifications on that?

Answer:
 You would be treated by the justice system as if you'd tortured and murdered anyone else.

Vigilantism is not sanctioned by the state. If you'd have murdered them in self-defense, then that would be potentially defensible in court, as retaliation after the act was done? That would be illegal.


Title: Does GMC have to pay royalties to Acadia National Park for using the name for their Acadia SUV?

Question: I guess it would depend on whether Acadia was trademarked or something?

Answer: No, neither does the Acadian Peninsula, Acadia University, or individual Acadians.Answer #2: Acadia isn't a trademark, it's the name of a whole region.


Title: GF's estranged parent passing away in California. New family has not been very communicative with existence of any wills, estate planning, etc. We think it is possible there are significant assets left (real estate, etc).

Question:
As the title states, her parent L is passing away soon in California, we just got a call this morning. We're flying out to help deal with the situation and handle matters. L had been in a (seemingly) abusive relationship with their new family (L was being abused, made to pay for things, etc). They have been unhelpful and uncommunicative in matters so far, and the existence or state of any wills/estate planning in unclear. It's also not clear if they're planning on planning or having a funeral, in which case it may fall to my GF to plan such a thing (the other surviving parent wants to be involved as little as possible).

We strongly believe L is not actually married into their new family, and therefore GF is next of kin. We know L has some real estate and possibly some other (significant) assets. We don't know whether the deed/other things are in their joint names, or only in L's. We'd appreciate any advice you can offer, even just

* what kind of lawyer/legal help should we be seeking

* what documents should we be asking for/seeking

* how to best approach/interact with L's new family

* what common mistakes should we avoid at this time

* etc. etc.

I understand that Reddit is no substitute for real legal advice but any suggestions of where to start looking are HIGHLY APPRECIATED. Thanks!

Complicating matters somewhat is that L is MtF trans, but we're not sure about what (legal) name changes or updates they did, and which state they were living in at the time.
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer: Wills/Trusts/Estates attorney will handle everything in CA for you.


Title: [VA] Arrest Warrant for Assault and Batter. ( I was defending myself from an imminent attack)

Question:
Hello, I recently found out that I have Warrant out for Assault and Batter because of an altercation that took place on April 13th between me and my co-worker. Anyway I plan on turning myself in either Monday or Tuesday. I have contacted multiple law firms to consult an attorney but have not received anything back because it is the weekend (Sunday).

I want to consult here before Monday any answers would help a lot!

When I turn myself in for the warrant is it better to have my friend drive me and drop me off so that I won't leave my car in the parking lot (for an unknown amount of time) and have it toed? ( I assume I will be put into a holding tank?)

I can pull the money out for a bond but there are yet no details if I am sure to have one or how much it is. Should I have a friend with me to pay it when I receive the bond?

When the bond is posted and I pay it- do I get it back when I show up to court (when they decide on the court date?)

Who sets the bond? The Magistrate? the Clerk? the Judge? I have held off on turning myself in earlier because I imagine they are not working on the weekend so I would be in jail waiting for the workweek.  Or am I mistaken??

I have a clean record and volunteer weekly and am a full time worker (different place now) and I am a college graduate.

When I consult with the lawyer what should I be asking/looking for?  If I don't get a chance to consult with a lawyer should I withhold any statements so that I do not incriminate myself??? for me to get bond will I have to talk or can I just pay the bond upon receiving it without discussing the details of the case??

Thank you guys!

Answer:
 First, get an attorney before turning yourself in.  It's way easier that way.  Your attorney can help advise you on bond and bond procedures for your charge.  If you choose to proceed without an attorney, bring a friend with you who has enough money to bail you out.

Your bond will be set by the judge you appear in front of.  Your bond will be returned(or used to offset other debts) at the completion of your court case.


Title: Emotional damage NJ

Question: A funeral home is denying me visitation to my deceased parent but granted visitation to my sibling who paid the funeral home cost. The funeral home's excuse is that I should have came to visit with my sibling. I haven't seen my deceased parent in a long time and my parent made a request to see me before dying. I'm suffering a lot of emotional damages due to the action of the funeral home which I believe amounts to negligence and discrimination. Can I sue based on implied contract that a funeral home shouldn't deny visitation rights to an immediate relative regardless of which child paid for the funeral home? A deceased person isn't personal property that would belong to the person paying for the funeral home, in my opinion. Would I have a good cause of action?

Answer:
 > Can I sue based on implied contract

No, because you don't have one.

The funeral home has a customer.  They're servicing that customer.  They also have a random person demanding access and services.  They're denying that random person access and services.  That's perfectly fine.

Work this out with your sibling.


Title: Someone contacted my wife telling her that I was flirting with and harassing other women. Do I have a case for a libel/defamation of character lawsuit, or any other legal recourse?

Question:
Topic:
Douche

Answer: Is it true? Do you have monetary damages?


Title: Help a college student with a handicap ticket dilemma!

Question:
Here's how everything happened:

The night/morning before my last final of the semester (at about 5 am) I needed to leave my apartment and go print out some materials in my apartment complex's office as I don't have a printer. My apartment is quite a hike away from the office. Two very important things:
1) This semester there has been a massive increase in crime in my neighborhood, particularly my own complex. There has been so much crime that the police held a Q&A at my complex just to help everyone understand what's going on. Break-ins, assaults, robberies, and drug busts have for some reason become commonplace.
2) Two days earlier, construction began RIGHT in front of my apartment, blocking off at least half the available parking within walking distance of my unit (including the spot I have always parked). Because of this, I had parked quite a distance away before I came home that night.

THAT BEING SAID, at 5 am I sprinted out to my car and drove the rest of the way to the office, honestly because I was scared to walk that much alone in the dark. Everyone I know avoids walking around alone in the dark there pretty much at all costs now. When I came back, of course, the only available spot was a LONG way from my apartment, so I parked in the lined space between 2 empty handicap spots because a) it was right outside my doorstep, meaning I wouldn't have to be alone outside that much more and b) I was leaving to go to my final in the next hour and a half, and as no one with a physical handicap lives near my building, I was confident that I would not inconvenience any handicapped person in any way. (Side note: I parked in the lined spot between the handicap spaces because I thought it was just marked so as not to block the sidewalk, and would not block any handicap person in the event they needed a spot. I am now aware that that is a loading zone for wheelchairs, I did not know that at the time. I thought I was choosing the "lesser of two evils" if you will).

Anyway, to my surprise, at 752 am I came out to my car to find a ticket for violating handicap parking laws. Having not slept in 24 hours and also being your typical broke college student, I basically just sat there stunned, on the verge of tears.

Today I am showing up in court, and while I now know full well that I am guilty of a crime, I am hoping to get the fine reduced. The minimum fine of $500 in my home state is truly terrifying with a budget like mine.

Is there anything from any part of this situation that might help me to get the fine reduced? Also, would I plead guilty or no contest?

I have never parked in a handicap spot and I am hyper aware of how selfish it is to take advantage of those who need accommodations such as these. I feel truly awful for doing this; I believed that I wasn't putting anyone at risk but I was wrong. Thank you so much to anyone who can help!!!!

Answer:
 > Is there anything from any part of this situation that might help me to get the fine reduced?

The only thing that can help you is asking nicely.  None of what you've provided is a defense to the ticket, nor does it offer any reasonable excuse as to why you had to park illegally.


Title: Can I take pictures of my niece in community centre daycare/open gym? [Vancouver, Canada]

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Illegal? No. Policy? Yes


Title: Update - (NE,USA) What will happen if i decline any more interviews?

Question:
[1st post](http://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/2p13x1/neusa_what_will_happen_if_i_decline_any_more/)

It has now been two months since i went in and stupidly talked to the detective. I finally found a lawyer who gave me some advice and i never called them about about taking the polygraph test. I waited and waited for a call from him asking why i never went back in but that call hasnt come. According to the lawyer that gave me the advice since its a small town that dosnt have many cases the fact that its been so long means i probably dont have to worry about being called back in but that in reality they could pull me back in if something else comes about.

Now the problem i am having is that she is so mad that nothing has come out of this that she has started spreading rumors all over town. I have had 15 calls this week some asking what was really up and others screaming derogatory things at me because "im such a terrible person". When i left the interview i had written down everything he said to me and i wrote down everything she had said to me before it all went down and i am still getting update on the situation from a family member of hers (my bosses wife is her cousin so i still get the inside scoop) and i write all of that down. Now as i am getting these phone calls and updates since everything with the investigation went quiet i have started to notice that her story is changing. Events that her and the detective both mentioned were almost exactly the same but now her story is starting to change trying to make me sound like more of a bad guy.

SO my question is...

1. Is there anything i can do about her spreading such nasty lies?
2. Should i still be worried about getting called back in after 2 months of nothing?
3. What are the chances that when these rumors get back to the police that they will start it all over again?

Any advice or answers is appreciated and thanks guys your advice last time it helped a lot.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer: You could have a lawyer send her a letter threatening a slander lawsuit.


Title: Medical Debt from Out of Network Surgery

Question:
Hi r/legal, Sorry for the long post, but I am in way over my head and I am really hoping for some help.

**TLDR I have had out-of-network surgery on my tear duct and now have a massive medical bill.  Is there anything that can be done?**

Over the summer I was having major problems with my eye watering. It was essentially discharging tears all the time. This persistent moisture around my eye started causing problems.  My lower eyelid started to become irritated, and sores started to form. My eyelashes began to fall out. At this time, I decided to see an eye doctor. I scheduled an appointment with a local in-network doctor. She ran some tests and suggested that it might be a blocked tear duct. She said she wasn’t an expert in this field and referred me to a nearby doctor.

The second doctor I saw ran very similar tests. Like the first doctor, he thought it might be a blocked tear duct. He also said that there was nothing that he could do and that I would need to see a specialist. He referred me to Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin. He listed around 3 doctors at this institution that I could potentially see. I set up an appointment with one of the three doctors that he had suggested from this institution.

On August 22nd of 2018, I went to see the specialist who ran the same tests as the previous doctor. Again, he thought it was a blocked tear duct and recommended that I have surgery to correct the issue. He said he could perform the surgery. I scheduled the surgery for September 7th.

I went ahead and had the surgery as scheduled. For this surgery, the doctor essentially created a new tear duct adjacent to my blocked one. He implanted a stent in the new tear duct to keep the tear duct open. At this time, we scheduled several follow up appointments including one for the following week.

About three weeks later I received my first medical bill in the mail. This bill was for around $1,500 and was for my initial consultation on August 22nd. Upon reviewing the bill, I noticed that my insurance did not cover any of the bill. I went online to my insurance portal and saw that there were two pending charges. One was for \~$18,000 from the hospital (Froedtert). The other was \~$19,000 from the Medical College where the surgery was performed. I called my insurance company to inquire about the $1,500 bill and to discuss the pending charges. After a lengthy conversation with my insurance company, they said that this surgery was perform out-of-network and that they would only be covering \~$1,000 for the entire thing. They also mentioned that no one from the hospital had reached out to them to seek pre-authorization for this surgery.

The first thing that I did was to investigate the financial aid program that is offered by the hospital (Froedtert). I put together all my finances and brought my application to their office. They looked at my paystub and immediately denied my application. I was making $37,000 per year and my wife was making $48,000. They said with our combined incomes that we do not come anywhere close to qualifying for financial aid and that we would have to pay the full bill. They said that they would offer me a payment plan which would give me 3 years to pay the debt, though I should wait until I received an official bill to set anything up.

The next thing that I did was to call the Medical College to inquire about their financial aid program. They said that their program is the same as the hospital and if I was denied by them there is nothing that they can do. At this time, they told me they could set up a payment plan. They typically set up 10 month payment plans (…$1900 per month). I did not set up a payment plan at this time.

Next, I followed up with the office of the surgeon who performed the surgery. After speaking with an endless number of nurses and administrators I was finally routed to the person who performs pre-authorizations. I asked her why she did not do this for my surgery. She said she input the procedures codes and she was told that pre-authorization was not required for this surgery. She told me that we could try to do a post-authorization of the surgery with my insurance company. She went ahead with this procedure.

After over a week of not hearing back from her, I began to call her to check on the status of this application. She did not pick up her phone. I began calling 3+ times a day and leaving voicemails. After nearly a month, I finally heard back from her. She said that she had heard from the insurance company the day before, and that they denied my post authorization request and that there was nothing else that she could do for me.

I spoke with one of my coworkers who does HR. She suggested that I could speak with the insurance specialist who helps the organization that I worked for. Though I am covered by my wife’s insurance, the specialist said he would be willing to provide me with off the record advice. He suggested that I try to push back on both the insurance company and the hospital. He said to pursue any avenue that I could to try to get the surgery either covered by the insurance or waived by the hospital. He mentioned that I could try to file grievances with the insurance company and the hospital. If that doesn’t work, I could go to the state and file a grievance against both with our states insurance commission. This was about a 10 minute conversation which was very heavy with jargon.

Based on his advice I decided to file a grievance with the insurance company. I plan to argue that since I was referred by an in-network doctor to a specialist my surgery should be covered. I spoke with the insurance company and inquired about the grievance process. Basically, a grievance can be any written document submitted to the insurance company stating why I think I was wronged, and what I think would be the proper action to right that wrong. They suggested including a letter of support from the doctor who referred me for surgery.

I spoke with the doctor who initially referred me to my surgeon, and he suggested that I investigate other Ophthalmologist in my network to see if anyone else could have performed the surgery. Upon investigation, I found two in network doctors who could have performed the surgery. He said that since this is the case he is not sure if his letter will do any good, but he is still willing to write it.

I spoke with my surgeon about this grievance process, and he said he will provide a letter of support for my grievance. He wrote this letter, and it was very weak (non-specific language). The surgeon also suggested that I talk with the primary care doctor and ask him to put a “special” reason in why he referred me to him in the first place. Essentially, he is telling me to ask this doctor to say something like “I was concerned about future nasal problems, so I referred him to this particular surgeon”. I am still waiting to hear back from my doctor to talk this through with him.

At this point I have already received a final notice from the Medical College of Wisconsin. I was granted a month-long extension so that I could go through the grievance process. The process is taking much longer than expected, and I am hoping that they will give me another extension. If not, I will likely have to start a payment plan with them or it will go to collections. I just received my first bill from Froedtert, which says the due date is immediately. When I met with their financial aid department, I was told that they wait 120 days before sending anything to collections, but I am not sure if this is true or not.

I am in way over my head. I can’t afford $2600 monthly payments. Do I have any options? Am I pursuing the right paths? More specifically, Is the grievance process with the insurance company the correct way to deal with this situation? If so, what should I include in this? Should I instead be pursuing a grievance with the hospital for failing to secure prior authorization for this surgery? Should I seek legal help? If so, where do I find a lawyer and how?  Will this cost me more money? Am I just fucked?

Thank you in advance for any advice you can provide.

Answer: It ultimately isn't a doctor's responsibility to make sure anyone they refer to you is in your network.  You have to do your due diligence and make sure by contacting your insurance before anything is done.


Title: Sold a camper a few weeks ago, buyer now trying to sue.

Question:
I live in Colorado and I recently sold a camper to somebody. Before I decided to sell the camper, I decided to replace the radio because it didn't have a CD player built in (camper was built in 2003).

At the time of the sale, I disclosed two of the only known faults that the camper had. The awning was torn up and the hydraulics don't work well (they work, but sometimes you have to push on the slide-out to get it to go in).

The buyer is now threatening legal action because of water damage that he found in the back of the trailer near the new radio and he's saying that I must have replaced the radio due to water damage. I had no clue about any sort of water damage and I have pictures of the inside and outside of the camper where no water damage is visible.

He wanted me to settle out of court for $2500 but I really don't think that this is my responsibility. I told him this and he now says that he is getting in touch with his lawyer.

Should I be worried?

Update: Two police officers just knocked on my door. The buyer was present but I refused to speak with him. I told the police officers everything that I told you here and that I was not aware of any water damage.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 >Should I be worried?

Probably not.  Realize that most people who threaten never follow through, so this person may simply be trying to intimidate you into remedying their buyer's remorse.

The law is most likely on your side.  Unless you offered some sort of warranty or return period, or affirmatively misrepresented the item, Craigslist sales are As-Is, meaning the buyer takes the item with all of its faults.

Additionally, a $2500 claim would have to be heard in small claims court, and unless I'm missing something, attorneys are not permitted to appear in Colorado small claims cases.  So the buyer can consult one all he wants, but there's nothing an attorney can do for him if the matter goes to court.


Title: Big time drivers license problems in NY.

Question:
Hello legaladvice, I am in a big pickle.

2 nights ago I was pulled over for speeding in Long Island NY (nassau county). I was cited for 77 in a 50.

The state trooper informed me when I gave him my info that my license and registration were suspended and my insurance is not valid.

I was not aware of ANY of this. I was very lucky to have not gotten arrested but my car was towed and I had family pick me up. I spent $400 the next day releasing the car from impound and towing it back to Queens.

I received 4 tickets the night I was pulled over: speeding, operating without a license, operating with suspended registration, operating without insurance.

Basically what happened was my insurance dropped me and sent that letter to my old address and it was not forwarded. My wife takes care of the checking account and did not notice the insurance not being deducted. Because my insurance was no longer valid, my registration was suspended, and I also did not receive this letter for some reason. Because my registration was suspended for a certain amount of time my license was suspended.

Let me just say that although I do not like how this all went down, I take full responsibility for it.

My question is this: today I received a restricted license from the DMV. Although my cars registration is suspended for 90 days I will be able to drive with a friends car...

BUT, I was informed that if I receive a moving violation on my restricted license, it will be suspended for 1 year.

My court day for the 4 tickets I received the other day is in March. If I'm convicted of even 1 of  these, does that count against the restricted license and therefore suspended for 1 year?

Or because the tickets were issued BEFORE I received my restricted license, will it not count against that? Will I only get suspended for 1 year if i get a moving violation from today on?

Sorry if this all seems complicated. Any advise will be appreciated!

Answer: You're in a big enough pickle to get a lawyer.


Title: I sold a car - buyer sold it and crossed his name off of title. What now?

Question:
This is in Wisconsin.

The new buyer that I had nothing to do with just showed up at my door and asked me to sign a statement of intent saying I wrote the wrong buyer name when I sold the car, lying to the DMV which the form says is a $5k fine. The DMV won't let him register the car because the guy I sold the car to just crossed off his name and wrote in the new guy's name.

Answer: As long as you did everything legal on your end don't get involved. It's not your problem. The guy who bought it from you is title jumping to avoid sales tax. Don't help him.


Title: [Maine] Fiance's uncle is potentially withholding something from her that is rightfully hers via her grandfathers will.

Question:
My fiance's grandfather who was actually her father figure since her dad is scum has recently passed away. He had told her many times over the years that he was leaving her his car, his bible, and a painting which while not worth anything has a lot of sentimental value.

Before passing, her grandfather had created a will and taken care of all of the funeral and burial arrangements to make it easier on the family. Her uncle which lives out of state isn't a very nice person and he's in charge of everything. We've already established that these 3 possessions i've mentioned are in the will and are meant to go to my fiance but we have a really strong feeling after several conversations that he isn't going to just hand them over as instructed.

Not only that but we fear that maybe there are also other items she is supposed to have yet don't know about since we haven't seen the will.

My questions are: First how can we (if at all) request access to see the will for ourselves just to know there isn't any funny business? and what sort of options should we have or consider if he does not live up to the expectations of the will?

Thanks in advance everybody!

Answer: Wills are public record in Maine. Go to your local probate court and they can help you. You can contest a will in probate court but only for monetary funds. I suggest getting a copy of the will and bring it to your uncle before pursuing anything legally.


Title: Spouse medical debt after death. (Michigan)

Question:
Me: 47, Healthy, Employed with good health insurance, decent 401k/assets

Significant Other: 50, chronic health issues, no job, Medicaid, no savings/assets

My SO has chronic health issues and would benefit from my better (employer-provided) insurance, so we’re considering getting married. We can sign a pre-nup to protect my assets in the (hopefully unlikely) case of divorce, but I’m concerned about being responsible for any outstanding medical debt in the unfortunately likely scenario in which I outlive my SO.

If we marry and my SO dies, am I liable for any medical expenses not covered by my insurance? (Michigan)
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer:
 Does your insurance plan cover domestic partners?

That would be an easy route.


Title: My parents died and I don't know what to do?

Question:
They never told me their finances before the sudden passing. Saw some excel sheets when fixing my dad's computer. I should note I'm also estranged from my family so I don't know who to go to and my sister may have gotten it all. There was also some real-estate.

I am not eligible to work as a non-citizen/gc holder, and I have only $30,000 that my parents gave me. While I have no "work" experience, I created AI software in my free time that should showcase talent. What is the quickest way to not end up homeless and starving?

Right now, I'm just trying to float.

Answer:
 I'm confused.. you're estranged from your family, but you have $30k from them, and you need more to survive? How were you planning to survive if your estranged parents had not died? Are you in school/an adult? Answer #2: Sorry for you losses. I have to guess since you say you are a non-citizen that your parents are also so I guess you have to go back to the old country and deal with the laws there.

You might start out by contacting your sister anyway and trying to mend fences.

Good luck.


Title: Can I press charges for assault? (AL)

Question:
I was out with a "friend" yesterday for gameday (we live in a college town). We both also play music together and had a show we had to play last night. I picked him up in the afternoon because we were going to go hang out before we had to go play music.

When it was time to leave to get ready for the gig, I could not find him and tried to call him numerous times. It was getting close to show time, so I had to leave to go get our equipment. I figured he would just meet me there.

On my way to the show, I finally get a call from him and tell him to meet me there. I show up and ask him what happened to him and he just punches me in the face. We go to the ground and I tried to get him off of me. A security guard from the establishment we were playing at, came out to help break it up and we were finally able to. The police were not contacted.

I woke up this morning and realized I have developed a black eye from the punch. I want to know if it is possible to press charges. I didn't instigate anything, but did have to defend myself.

Answer: Yes, you can still call the cops and report the assault.


Title: [VA] Clinic threatening legal action for the payment of my father's cancer treatment after he passed away.

Question:
My dad passed away roughly a month ago. Since then, my mother has been swarmed with medical bills. When my dad decided to start having treatment for his cancer, my parents made sure that my mom never signed anything (and she didn't). We have sent letters to most of the places explaining the situation with the death certificate attached. Well, this certain clinic had the audacity to change the bill into my mother's name and send a letter threatening legal action if my mother doesn't pay the bill in full within 15 days (~$12,000). The letter states that they will get a judge's approval to file a lien against real estate and/or garnish wages or bank accounts. From my understanding, after doing a little research, my mother should have no responsibility for any of the bills.

If anyone could give some insight on this situation, I would greatly appreciate it.

Answer: She is not, but his estate is. I assume your mother will inherit all his assets and is the executor of his estate. The money would be paid out of that. You also didn’t mention a location. If it’s a community property state she could be held responsible in certain cases.


Title: [Oklahoma] I was fired solely for internet usage and I'm not sure what recourse I have, if any.

Question:
I am aware that Oklahoma is an at-will employment state, and I understand that this generally gives businesses a lot of ability to fire someone for basically any reason. But I'm wondering what the extent of all this is. What has happened certainly feels wrong to me, so I really just want an explanation of my options.

My position was basically a programmer. I write code that manipulates large quantities of data, and then I report out requested information. The work flow comes in the form of "project requests" from my department director with a due date and what information the requestor wants.

As far as I know, my ability to turn in my work on time and complete has never been an issue. I've worked at my company for a year and a couple months, and in that time I think I've only turned in 2 or 3 projects late. I have never gotten any indication from anyone that my work has not been satisfactory.

During lunch or when my code was compiling, I would open up the internet and I would browse reddit, espn, read articles, amazon, weather.com, youtube etc. just the same type of thing that I would do any other time I got on the internet.

A couple months ago our department director sent out an email for our whole department to monitor our personal internet usage. She said that internet usage to research things for our job was fine, and a littler personal use was fine, but that excessive personal internet use was not okay.

I obviously incorrectly assumed that using the internet at lunch or during periods of time when I had no responsibilities would be okay.

Nothing else was said to me directly or to the department about it. Just that one email.

Last Wednesday we had a department meeting, and in that meeting the director said among other regular matters that personal internet usage during work had to stop, and that she had no problems with taking away internet privileges altogether. It felt like while she was talking about this she was looking mostly at me, but I wasn't named.

The next day she called me into her office, told me that she had pulled my internet usage and that she felt it had been very excessive. She told me that she was going to have to 'write me up', and that she would be pulling my ability to get on the internet.

I didn't fight this because I just figured it was a misunderstanding and not necessarily that big of a deal. Especially now that I couldn't get on the internet, there shouldn't be a problem.

Well today she called me into her office, said that she had had a meeting with the director of the IT department, and that they had decided that a 'write-up' wasn't strong enough and that they would have to let me go.

I honestly couldn't believe it. I didn't feel as though anything that I had done was egregious enough to get me fired, especially since I had never been 'written-up' or talked to about it personally prior to last Thursday.

**So what I want to know is if there are any grounds for wrongful termination here or if because I live in an at-will state, there really is no legal recourse. I know my company had a write-up process, but I don't know the extent of it. I do know that they detailed things like excessive lateness and they had a process for defining lateness, warnings, write-ups, and then termination for that. And I know there was a disciplinary process for other types of behaviors, but I don't know if there was a internet usage policy or what it consists of.**

Answer:
 Sorry to hear that. File for unemployment while you look for a new job.Answer #2: They gave you a warning. They didn't even have to do that. They could have looked aat your logs and fired you on the spot.

Start hunting.Answer #3: Not legal advice, but in the working world, perception is reality. No one can see your code compiling or crunching data, but they can see you apparently doing nothing while surfing the web. Answer #4: I'm not reading all of that, but I'll absolutely guarantee that this doesn't involve even a little bit of wrongful termination.

Am I right, guys?Answer #5: You're honestly better off finding another company anyway - anyone that anal on something that seriously has very little effect on the company sounds like a nightmare to work for.Answer #6: Perfectly legal.

That said, it's also a stupid policy. If LinkedIn can let you have nerf gun fights and Google can give you a fooseball table, then they can certainly let their engineers browse Reddit while your code is compiling. Honestly, the fact that they mark you for being late is weird for a tech company.

Demand is high for software devs right now. Best to find a place where HR doesn't have a giant stick up their ass.


Title: Landlord is evicting tenant for having dog in a no animal lease. Tenant made dog a service dog to fight back, is that legal?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 How did the tenant "make" the dog a service dog? Are you sure you're not thinking of an emotional support animal, which is significantly different?Answer #2: No, it won't fly.  I've successfully fought tenants who have done exactly this and won.

The tenant needs to be actually disabled and unable to perform normal activities of daily living and the dog must provide a specific medical function to alleviate the disability.


Title: My cam girl past is haunting me. What can I do? [USA]

Question:
When I was 17, I stupidly decided it would be a good idea to do multiple cam shows on Chaturbate. I photoshopped my date of birth, so I appeared 18 (my real 18th birthday was only a few months away). I know. I technically distributed CP. Not good.

&#x200B;

What's haunting me now is the 10,000 search results of myself that pop up when I search the Chaturbate name I used.

&#x200B;

Is there anything that can be done to have these removed? DMCA takedowns would take hundreds of hours. I don't want to be haunted by mistakes I made as a child. What can I do to resolve this?

Answer:
 You can try to use search engine optimization to bury those results.

But they'll never go away.Answer #2: A large majority of those cam shows get recorded by viewers and uploaded to a pleather of additional sites. You can contact the hosting domains where you find the videos and they may or may not comply with your request, but you’ll never get them off the internet completely.


Title: What can I legally do to stop a mother from smoking while pregnant?

Question:
She's 5 months pregnant and when ever I see her, she is smoking weed. She also has a kid that she smokes around with and she's only 2. The dad also does the same things, so what can I do so that she doesn't do it anymore? I've told her to stop but she doesn't care.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 Nothing.

You can contact Child Protective Services if you're concerned about drug use around the child/her being pregnant, but there's nothing you can do to stop or prevent any behavior in anyone else.


Title: Can my mother move from Nebraska to Missouri with an infant if the father isn't on the birth certificate?

Question: My mom recently gave birth to a baby fathered by her abusive boyfriend. They live together and have for a year or so, I believe. She's afraid for the well being of herself, my younger sister, and the newborn. According to her, he isn't on the birth certificate so he has no custodial rights. The baby is two months old. Would it constitute kidnapping or anything of the sort for her to leave without informing him beforehand? What rights does he have?

Answer:
 It doesn't matter if the father is on the birth certificate or not. As long as there is not a court order in place, either parent can take the child anywhere they want, including a move out-of-state.

That being said, it would be within the father's rights to petition the courts for visitation and partial/shared custody. It would not be unheard of (obviously depending on the details) for the courts to require the mother to move back to be closer. If your mother is planning on doing this, she might want to consult with a family attorney first and get her ducks in a row before moving.Answer #2: He has “no” rights until he files to get paternity determined and for custody.  The right he has is to file for such, and the current state would be the state with jurisdiction unless she moves and is in the new state for more than 6 months before he files.  Upon filing the court will order testing and likely order the child back to the state while it makes its determination.  If she has  been physically abused she should look into getting a protective order.


Title: (SLC,UT) We were just informed 6 days into our 1 year lease that our condo has been put up for sale

Question: We signed our 1 year rental lease for a condo in Salt Lake City on 03/29/14. Our lease began on 04/26/14 and we were just informed today 05/02/14 that the owner has put the property up for sale. In our lease it states that we must allow prospective tenants or purchasers to enter the premises at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice. Had we known that the property would be put up for sale almost immediately upon us moving in, we would have likely looked elsewhere for a place to live. In my research, I've found online ad postings for the sale of the property with the post date of 04/15/14 but we were not informed that it was put up for sale until today. What rights do we have regarding the lack of this information being told to us until we moved in? When should the current owner have informed us of this? How long of a notice should we receive that someone would like to tour the property? Could this be grounds for us to break our lease and move out so we don't have to deal with being "tour guides" and rearranging our schedules around the property being shown?

Answer:
 >What rights do we have regarding the lack of this information being told to us until we moved in?

None.

>When should the current owner have informed us of this?

At least 24 hours before a showing.

> How long of a notice should we receive that someone would like to tour the property?

Usually 24 hours is considered reasonable notice.

>Could this be grounds for us to break our lease and move out

No.

>so we don't have to deal with being "tour guides" and rearranging our schedules around the property being shown?

You don't have to.  The LL should have a key, when he gives reasonable notice you are neither required to be there, nor prevented from being there.  So long as you don't break the rules of your lease you can ignore the intrusion if you so wish. Put on the game, cook dinner, 'tour guiding' (unless established by your lease) is not a duty impressed upon you.


Title: SWIM's friend was raided, Devices Siezed; What's Likelihood that they'll be monitoring the suspects close friends?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > Glossary: SWIM > "Someone Who Isn't Me".

This provides you absolutely no legal protection or cover at all.

It's you.  Everyone reading this knows it's you.  You know it's you.  Say it's you.

Yes, if there is evidence that you are involved you can be investigated and charged if the evidence supports that.


Title: Not Allowed Back to Work Until I See a Doctor (Mental Health Discrimination?)

Question: Recently I had (the start of) a panic attack at work which resulted in disciplinary action weeks after the fact. Days after the warning was issued I was called into the HR department at my work where I was told that I wasn't allowed to return to work until I saw a doctor and received clearance to work. I was asked questions like "are you medicated?" and "have your medications changed recently" by an HR rep which I was uncomfortable being asked. HR asked for a letter from my psych detailing my illnesses and how they don't preclude me from working full time. This isn't an FMLA issue, I've been taking PTO since they told me I couldn't come back. Is this normal? Is this legal? Is there anything I can do to protect myself in the future or possibly rectify this situation?

Answer:
 Yes they can request a letter from your doctor stating you are fit for work. It doesn't need any other details. Most doctors won't put any other details anyway. Answer #2: > Is this normal? Is this legal?

Yes to both, with the caveat that they can't ask for detailed info about your diagnosis.  They can only request evidence/confirmation that you are fit to perform all the required duties of your job .

General questions like "are you taking medication" are fine, though asking which specific medications is not.

> Is there anything I can do to protect myself in the future or possibly rectify this situation?

Get a copy of your job description, take it to your doctor, and get him to sign off on something stating he's reviewed it and certifies you're cleared to work.  Don't include any information about your specific diagnosis.  If they ask for that, politely refuse to disclose it.


Title: I'm a PA resident, currently a student in NC, whose mother just got institutionalized in NJ. What should I do about filial responsibility?

Question:
Hey, all.

About a month ago, my mother, who was on a bit of a manic streak, checked herself into a New Jersey hospital because, according to her, something felt "off." This past Tuesday, the state of New Jersey deemed her mentally incompetent, and ordered her transferred to a state psychiatric hospital. Her doctors do not think her prognosis is good (something about she should have been on a maintenance dose of medicine since a surgery 6-7 years ago that she was never put on), and think it's reasonably possible that she'll end up there for the rest of her life (she's currently in her mid 50s).

At the moment, my dad's insurance is paying for her stay, but the allotted 30 days/year for psychiatric hospitalization is running out soon. She'll be eligible for Medicare coverage immediately thereafter, which will last for 60 days, at which point it transitions to a copay, which my family won't be able to afford.

My question concerns the applicability of the following PA Act 2005-43, listed below:

http://www.palrb.us/pamphletlaws/20002099/2005/0/act/0043.pdf

Basically, if she can't pay, and she can't given that she only has SSI income, my dad and I are held responsible. My dad is currently trying to find a lawyer in NJ that can help. I believe his current path is medical divorce, which would give her a low enough threshold to qualify for Medicaid, but I worry for myself after that. Per PA state law, I would be held 100% liable for those debts after Medicaid runs out. I'm currently a student in North Carolina that's making a government living stipend that covers basic needs, student loan bills, and gives me a little bit every month to put into savings so my partner and I can prepare for the future.

I'm worried that this law will wipe my future (a case I found, Savoy v. Savoy, forced a son to pay for her mother's medical bills despite himself going in the red every month independent of that). I'm also worried about my resulting mental health. My mother never abused me, but her issues have sent me into countless hours of therapy, and I struggled for a large portion of the past 6-7 years of my life to overcome it. Now that I thought I was out, it's being forced back onto me. I don't think I can take the state forcing me back into this situation. I need to get out for my own sake, independent of money.

I know this is complicated, but what can I/should I be doing to mitigate losses, or perhaps get rid of my responsibility completely. I thank you all in advance for your time, and any advice that you can give.

Answer: Have your Dad talk about it with the lawyer. PA doesn't apply, it would be the state Medicaid that is paying for her care (so NJ one assumes). Which means that the NJ lawyer your dad is using can also talk about how to protect you.


Title: [GA] Can my roommate prevent me from inviting a guest or make me pay additional rent for inviting a guest?

Question:
A friend of mine is planning to visit my apartment for his/her fall break (about 4 nights). Previously, this same friend has visited me for the weekend on two other occasions. However, my roommate (both our names are on the lease) is now threatening to call the police to keep my friend from entering if they visit, or to not pay his full half of the rent in exchange for having my friend visit.

Can my roommate evict my friend without my consent?

Can my roommate charge me an extra portion of the rent or refuse to pay part of his portion of the rent if I have my friend over?

Does the fact that this same friend has visited me before affect anything?

Thanks in advance for the help all.

Answer: No, he cannot.


Title: CA - Want DA to drop domestic abuse charges against gf

Question:
Gf hit me and went to jail, now she's being prosecuted but I want them to drop the charges. DA said they would carry this case to finish anyway.

~~1) What can I do to avoid testifying against her?~~

~~2) What can I do to get the charges reduced or dropped?~~

~~3) Let's say I am called to testify, how do I not get myself charged and still save her? Can I just answer "I don't remember" to every question they ask me? Should I just downplay all of my statements in the police report?~~

4) Can I plead the fifth if I am asked if I assaulted her back in any way, or started the assault?

Will/can they charge me if I indicate she was acting in self-defense?

Should I avoid implicating my hand in the violence?

Edit: Thanks all for the advice. It sounds like I need to stick to the truth to avoid getting charges on myself, and hope her lawyer can help her reduce the sentence.

I may also think twice in the future about calling the police in such cases.

Answer:
 >1) What can I do to avoid testifying against her?

Nothing.

>2) What can I do to get the charges reduced or dropped?

You can ask.  Other than that, nothing.

>The arraignment has already happened and I testified that I wanted the charges dropped.

There's no testimony at arraignments.

>How do I recant

You don't, not without risking charges yourself.

>save my gf the legal way?

Get her a good lawyer.
Answer #2: >  I want advice on how to get what I want only.

Give up and spend your time and effort on something else, because it's probably not going to happen. Answer #3: You don't get to decide. It's not your decision. You could choose not to testify, or answer any questions, but there may be repercussions.
This is the case with any charges, but it is doubly true for DV cases. Your story is very common. A lot of people who are in your shoes regret that the other person may get in trouble. However, there is never justification in attacking someone, no matter how lightly. It's just not necessary. Answer #4: 1. Nothing. You can be called as a witness; if you are ordered to testify, you can refuse, but you risk contempt of court charges by doing so. The court has the power to fine or imprison you to compel testimony.

2. Nothing. Your girlfriend committed a crime. The state is now charging her.

You could talk to the prosecutor and tell them you're no longer willing to cooperate and would like to see the charges dropped, but the prosecutor is under no obligation whatsoever to take your wishes into account.


Title: (New York) Doctor billing me for a $10,000 procedure barely covered by insurance without any forewarning. Please help!

Question:
I've recently been seeing an orthopedist who administered a series of injections to relieve muscle spasms and tension.

I selected the doctor because they took my insurance (Blue Cross/Blue Shield):
(From their website) "We accept most health plans including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Oxford, UnitedHealthcare, Medicare, Workers Compensation & International Patient Health Insurance Plans.  The number of plans we accept are too numerous to list and we are always updating this list, so it is best to call our office or e-mail us through our Contact Us page."

On the initial visit I was asked for my insurance information and no mention was made of a copay on that or any subsequent visit. At the initial consult the doctor laid out a plan that included the injections in question (I don't recall the contents of the injections but will find out soon), further Botox injections if those were not effective, Physical Therapy, and medication.  I mentioned at the time I had no idea what the injections in question were, but that I had Botox injections done previously for an unrelated issue (i.e. I was familiar with their cost - a few hundred dollars at most). In addition, I asked for an alternative physical therapist to the one they recommended because I knew they did not take insurance and was too costly (again making it clear cost was a consideration).
Now I look at my bill at they are charging me $10,000 for the injections with insurance only covering about $500. I never asked specifically if insurance would be covering 100% of the procedures, but I thought by them taking my insurance information that A) Insurance would cover most of the cost and B) if there were significant Co-pays I would be alerted to BEFORE agreeing to proceed.

Please let me know if I can do anything - I am freaking out right now.

Thank you so much for any advice

Answer: It's up to you to verify coverage with your insurance company. You failed to do that, so you're likely on the hook here. Answer #2: Talk to the doctor, while you are probably on the hook, some doctors or hospitals will charge procedures differently for insured versus uninsured or may have other options to mitigate the bill.


Title: Should I pay my Washington D.C. speeding ticket?

Question:
Gunna try to make this short and sweet.

My dad and I co-signed on my car, but he's main signer on the title, so he gets any mail regarding the car.

He just got a letter last week (beginning of December 2018) from collection agency stating that there is an unpaid speeding ticket going back to June 11, 2018 in the amount of $240! It was from a Washington D.C. speed camera in a construction zone...apparently I was going 11-15 miles over the speed limit.

I never received anything from the D.C. police or DMV regarding this infraction. It's possible that my dad got the letter(s) and threw it out months ago, but I can't prove it. As it has been more than 90 days since the ticket was issued, the D.C. police website says I can't fight it.

My dad lives in Maryland, I live in Virginia. The collection agency states that the amount will not go up if unpaid, but they will continue trying to collect. They can't answer anything on behalf of D.C. police, understandably.

I've tried to reach out to D.C. police and DMV for more info, but they are not responsive. I feel like I'm getting screwed some how...

Can I fight this? Should I pay? What happens if I don't pay? Since neither my dad or I are residents of D.C. will this affect our driving records? Cores this have a major impact on my dad's credit?

Any advice would be great...

Answer: If you get a speeding ticket you either fight it or pay it. Ignoring it is a bad choice.


Title: recently fired for destruction of property

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Focus on finding a new job. You were fired legitimately.


Title: My company hasn't picked up my equipment yet.

Question:
Mods, I genuinely tried to make sure I was abiding by all the posting rules before posting.

This is a bit of a weird situation. I worked for an office located several states away. I reside in Utah. They sent me the equipment to do my work. Once I was terminated, they said that they would send me a box to ship back the equipment. It's been 2 months, and they have not sent me a box. I tried contacting them, but they don't respond. I know they are still in business. At what point can I *legally* assume it's been abandoned? I've tried looking around on forums and Google, but all the threads are about the opposite problem of an employee leaving things at an employer's office.

I don't want to hold onto the equipment anymore, but I'll be damned if I'm going to spend a lot of money to send it back.

Answer:
 Generally you can't consider it abandoned without formal notice. Send them a letter via certified mail with return receipt, and send the same text to your former boss via email.

In the letter, explain you were told they would send a postage paid box for the return of their equipment and have, to date, failed to do so. Tell them if you have not received that postage paid box by a deadline (at least 30 days after you mail the physical letter), you will consider all items abandoned and dispose of them so your convenience.


Title: I was rear ended last night, my cars just about totaled, I'm headed to the hospital now. I was hit at between 55-65 mph and the EMS said it was crazy that I was okay, what do I do? This happened last night in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Question: Last night coming home from work I was sitting at a stoplight and then I looked in my rearview mirror and saw a jeep approaching way too fast, I tried to get out of the way but ended up getting slammed from the back between 55-65mph, and the next thing I knew my car was on the side of the road and I couldn't even make sense of the situation. I literally could have died, and it's truly freaking me the fuck out. As far as car repair the other driver was inarguably at fault and a policeman arrested them that night. So their insurance will handle my car as far as I'm aware. So my main question for you guys is what do I do legally? Should I sue? This is incredibly surreal to me and I'd really appreciate any and all advice. Thanks Reddit.

Answer: Hire a personal injury attorney. Answer #2: Have you seen a doctor?   You should at least get yourself checked out -- you might have a concussion or some other non-obvious injuries.


Title: I(21m) have been talking to a 17f and a parent is upset.

Question:
We met online anonymously a few months back. We were friends, she was mature and almost 18 so I thought no big deal. Mutual attraction, flirting, then we catch feelings. I figure as long as I keep things civil until she's 18 in a month, it'll be fine.

She wanted to see me early so I gave in and drove from Illinois to Michigan to see her. We stayed in a hotel and cuddled for a night, then I went home.

Today she sends me some sexual messages and I say no I'm at work. She waits til I get off and tries again, and I play along this time. Nothing obscene, just lightly sexual.

Get no response for a while, then check my phone later and apparently I got a voicemail from her. I listen to it, it's her mom.

Her mom says "I read your messages, you're pressuring her and you crossed state lines to see her. Don't contact her again or I'll call the police."

I text her and say that I'm sorry and I won't contact her again.

So I've never done anything sexual with this girl, never asked for anything sexual, or sent any sexual pictures to her. She's sent me three random underwear pictures, never nude. She's 18 in two weeks.

So first, if she goes to the police what am I looking at in possible charges?

Second, I care about this girl. If I contact her after she is 18, can I still face legal action? I'd be okay with talking to the mom to work things out after the threat of prison isn't looming in front of me.

I know this is a sensitive subject but I don't see a problem with a college freshman and a college senior talking like this. Thank you for any help, even if you disagree.

Answer:
 Until she turns 18, her mother absolutely can tell you not to see her or go near her. If mom goes to the police, refuse to speak with them unless you have a lawyer present. You've got two weeks to wait. Don't do anything until then.

Understand that Mom can make life difficult for her daughter if she still lives at home. If the girl is going to college or plans on moving out, it's less of an issue.

Try to look at it from mom's perspective: an older guy hangs out with her daughter, daughter and he spend the night in a hotel. That rings alarm bells for a hookup. You say all you did was cuddle and keep your girl's flirtations at bay. Nothing confirms that for her mom.


Title: Sexual Harassment at Work?

Question:
(Columbus, Ohio) About 2 weeks ago, a co-worker asked if I was gay, I answered no. They pestered me and asked again to which I had to forcefully respond "NO".

Told HR about what happened. Nothing has happened to date.

I'm male, the harasser is female and so is the HR investigator. If this was reversed, I wouldn't be surprised if the investigation was speedy and I end up being canned. Why is it so much different now that gender roles has been reversed?

Additionally, I've been "audited" a bit more frequently at work since informing HR. I get the sense some "backstage" maneuvering is going on to get me fired.

What can I do legally to stop this treatment from HR? Should I hire a lawyer?

Answer:
 I don't believe this constitutes sexual harassment

http://www.blr.com/HR-Employment/Discrimination/Sexual-Harassment-in-Ohio#

Sexual harassment in the workplace generally occurs when one's employment is implicitly or explicitly at risk if they don't comply with their superior's sexual advances, or when advances (from superiors or peers) have the "purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment." Can you make the argument that the question/s have created an offensive working environment? I don't see how you could. IMO, you should've looked up the definition of sexual harassment in the work place in your state BEFORE going to HR. Of course they're going to put your performance under scrutiny if you're filing bogus sexual harassment complaints about your peers. You probably should've just laughed it off, or asked the same question back to her.


Title: What can I do to protect myself?

Question:
[removed]
Topic:
Immigration

Answer: Change your flight to leave earlier?


Title: Selling house to husband

Question: I’m new so apologies if this is not the right sub. I’m selling my house to my soon to be ex husband. The divorce is amicable for the most part and we are in agreement that he wants to stay in the house and it is easier for me to sell to him anyway. I was a first time buyer and I don’t know anyone that’s been in this situation, so I really don’t know where to start with this process. Do I need a lawyer? What specialty? Or should we start with him applying for loans? Really I know nothing (Jon snow) so please any help is appreciated.

Answer: Consulting a real estate lawyer is always a pretty good idea when you're buying or selling a house with extenuating circumstances. Last time I bought a house, we retained one for about $1000, which was a flat fee .


Title: How to get psych hospital to give information on adult sibling that is receiving inpatient treatment?

Question: We're in the state of Texas. I have a sibling who is an adult but my mother has a power of attorney over him. He is autistic. The sibling was taken to a regular hospital by the police for a psych evaluation after becoming aggressive at home. The evaluation was never done at said hospital and he was transferred to a locked unit psychiatric facility. Parents went to visit him and he appears to be heavily medicated and unless he signs a consent which he won't (maybe at the encouragement of the personnel since apparently this is a hospital with terrible staff) no information on medication or date of discharge can be given to us. What can we do in this situation? We don't want him to be discharged to the street or a homeless shelter without our knowledge.

Answer:
 Medical privacy laws forbid the hospital from giving information without the express permission of the patient unless someone has guardianship. She cam make medical decisions on his behalf if approached with medical POA, but she is unfortunately unable to approach the staff and ask.

Hospitals have social workers, patient advocates and ombudsmen; spending on the size of the facility this can often be the same person. Reach out to the patient advocacy office and explain the situation. They can visit your sibling with the appropriate paperwork required for the staff to communicate with you and your mother.

It's unlikely at this point your sibling is in an involuntary hold, so once you've established an open line of communication between staff and family, you should be able to work with them on transitioning your sibling back home. Best of luck to you.


Title: [CA] Incessant dog barking in adjacent complex; we've called everyone imaginable to make it stop and it hasn't

Question:
My boyfriend and I recently moved to a new apartment complex. One of the very attractive things about it was that their pet policy is cats only - as someone who is infuriated by the sound of dogs barking, this was a must for me.

Our first night in the apartment was unfortunate. We could hear a dog barking nonstop, all through the night. We figured out it was the mobile park homes behind our apartment complex. Since we're at the end of the building, there's only a line of trees separating our window from the mobile homes.

There are two dogs that are the most offensive. (We've named them "Yip" and "Yup" for phonetic recognition of their barking.) All hours of the day and night, either one or the other (or both) of them is barking. It goes on for hours without stop. There is no letting up with these things. We suspect their owners must not be home to stop them because I can't imagine living with that thing and letting it do that all day and not intervening at *all*.

We have done everything we can think of. We've called our apartment complex (who have had several complaints) and they've reached out to the mobile homes about it. We've called the mobile homes ourselves, and they always say they'll "look into it." The issue is that they need to know the *exact* tenant who is responsible for the dogs, and I guess they're having trouble pinpointing it. We put in an official request with animal control, but they need the exact unit number so they can issue an official warning. Once that happens, then we have to wait two weeks; if the problem persists, we call again to have them issue a second warning. Then we have to wait another two weeks. This goes on and on with no resolution in sight.

I'm at my wits' end. It's three o'clock in the morning and there are ***three*** different dogs over there snapping at each other. Three in the morning. But the worst part is that it's not even shocking to me anymore. I'm like yep, there's air in my lungs, so the dogs must be barking.

Is there anything else we can do? It seems like all the laws are in place to protect the damn dog owners. They're entitled to all these warnings without having to do a damn thing about it, and at no point is anybody actually taking any kind of action. Best case scenario, I either want these dogs taken away from these people (because I honestly suspect animal abuse because how else do you explain a dog barking this much) or I want these people evicted. We call almost every day, and it's just not going anywhere, either with the mobile homes' management or with animal control. Is there anything at all we can do?

Answer:
 Walk over there and find the unit number.Answer #2: >Is there anything else we can do?

find out who owns the dogs, it seems that both animal control and the mobile home park need that info.

Untill they know who is responsible for the dogs they can't do a thing since I am not able to hold you liable for the damage to my place by a cat simply because you live nearby and have a cat.

So again, try and find out which dogs are the problem and to which mobile homes owners they belong.


Title: CA- Earned PTO not being paid at end of employment.

Question:
I work at a auto parts and service chain, I am a part time worker 30-35 hours a week. I understand there is no requirement to give vacation time to part time, seasonal, or temporary employees.

Under ADP I have checked and there is a vested balance of about 40 hours and about 16 hours earned to date of PTO.

I had put in my two weeks with a letter trying to leave in good terms. I had asked my manager if my PTO gets paid to me, I told him I was not going to request PTO days off in my last two weeks. I will continue as scheduled, not trying to screw him over in one less employee when we are already short.

Today he had told me because I am part time I do not get paid my PTO. Looking at [this](http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/FAQ_Vacation.htm) government page for CA it says PTO is considered a form of wages and unused PTO is due to the employee even if they are leaving their place of employment.

edit: Manager told me I do not earn PTO since I am part time. Called HR and they told me part time workers do not earn PTO. They looked into my account and told me there is an error because it shows I have PTO when I shouldn't? I took a [picture](http://i.imgur.com/WaE08JY.jpg) of PTO I am basing my post on.

tldr;  ~40 hours vested PTO, ~16 hours PTO to date, told I will not be paid my PTO on leaving company because part time worker.

Answer:
 You are correct, PTO has to be paid out. You being part-time doesn't affect that determination. I'd contact them again, and if they refuse again contact your local employment agency to file a report. Answer #2: Your boss is wrong, and sounds like a dirtbag.  PTO is wages, you're correct, and you're entitled to any earned PTO upon termination.  Sounds like 40 hours 'vested' might be PTO not accrued yet?

If that's the case, you're entitled to those 16 hours of PTO that have accrued.

File a wage complaint with the DLSE if you don't get the PTO.  But chances are you'll still get it as ADP will stop employers from screwing themselves over sometimes.


Title: California Weed Laws

Question:
Hello!

I'm from Europe and going on a vacation to California with a couple of friends in a few days. We're gonna drive down from San Fransisco to San Diego, and we all felt like it would be a good idea to try some weed from the US, as what we get in Europe is bottom tier. However, it's kind of unclear to me how strict weed laws in Cali are, and I'm wondering what sort of punishment we would face if we were caught buying and/or smoking. Is it like a $20 ticket or would could we face jail time? Are we likely to get caught? Is it hard to get?

Thanks in advance! :)

Answer: Recreational marijuana use is not legal in california. You will need a medical marijuana "card" from a doctor. I am unsure if foreigners can get them.   Washington and Colorado have recreational use legalized. but it remains illegal on a federal level.


Title: Company I made an online order from lied on the invoice, showing an amount less than what I paid for so they could avoid more tax. Is this legal?

Question:
I recently paid $201.99 for an item I ordered online. When the item was received, the invoice stated that the total invoice amount was $93.23. When I asked the company why this was, they stated "The invoice you received is the Customs Clearance price, if we write it too high, they will charge more taxes."

This seems kind of off to me, but I don't have much legal knowledge. I was hoping someone here would know.

Im from Canada if that is relevant.

Thanks!
Topic:
Tax Law

Answer:
 If the company is oversea, they saved you import taxes, if the company are within the borders of Canada they saved you nothing but saved them self from taxes. That is my best guess. Answer #2: Yes, this is absolutely illegal. The mislabeling of importation documents constitutes fraud, and you are still liable for the remainder of the taxes due regardless of whether the company lied on their forms or not.

You have three choices:
1. Ignore it
2. Go to the CBSA website and look up how to voluntarily pay those extra taxes, which would be exactly what CBSA would recommend you do, as you would no longer be a party to defrauding the federal government.

or

3. Call the Border Watchline at 1-888-502-9060 and report the company for fraud based off of their misrepresentation of the value of the item. I highly recommend you do this, regardless of whether you decide to pay those extra import taxes or not.


Title: Got subpoenaed. What do I do?

Question:
This is my first post on this subreddit so I apologize for the writing.

So I have to go to court to testify about an incident that happened a few months ago in a couple of days and I do not feel comfortable going but they called me and told me that if I do not attend, they have a warrant under my arrest. I recently turned 18. So my question is, will they actually come to my door and arrest me if I don't attend the court meeting?

Answer:
 If you have received an actual subpeona, then yes, you do have to show up.  If you don't, that's contempt of court.  While fines are more common, jail time is on the table.

If the law says you need to show up, you show up.


Title: A dad is trying to force visits after 2 years of silence

Question:
So, hi: not a parent, I am the child. I'd prefer not to share my age, but suffice it to say I'm not 18, and thus can't legally refuse visits.

Around two years ago, I cut off all contact with my father after he dragged me across the floor and attempted to smash my laptop (No, I do not have documentation or anything else that could otherwise prove it actually happened). It's worth noting the laptop was not paid for by him.

After cutting off contact, he made no move to restart visitations until recently, where he began sending me emails. I responded to maybe three or four, and now he is saying that I have to start responding to his emails or he's going to start coming over and forcing me to go places with him.

My life has gotten a hundred times better since I stopped interacting with him. I don't want any contact with him at all.

What can I do to continue with *not* having him in my life?

Answer:
 Location is important, what state are you in?Answer #2: Does your father have any legal custody or visitation rights? If not, you're free to ignore his emails. Coming over and forcing you to go somewhere is kidnapping. If he does, or you think he's about to, call the police.

If he does have legal partial custody or visitation rights and just hasn't exercised them recently, tell your legal guardian about the past abuse and your fear of continuing abuse, and they might be able to get those rights removed.Answer #3: Didn't see anyone mention this yet, but save the emails you've received from him as evidence. It would almost certainly be relevant in court, which is where this will need to be settled.

Question for the room though, where does the law stand on children refusing to comply with visitation orders? If OP refuses to answer the door when dad shows up, or just straight up runs away from him, what can the dad do? As I understand it, the agreement binds the parents, not the child.


Title: New tenant moved in next to me, every time they leave his dog barks non stop for hours. What can be done?

Question:
Other than complaining to the management office what can actually be done? I know the tenant across the hallway has complained already as well, I’m sure there are others that may have too.

This dog kept me up last night and is becoming a nuisance. I work from home sometimes and this dog will literally bark for hours on end and won’t stop. I can’t take it anymore.

I live in Chicago, IL.

Answer: Call the police non-emergency line and report a noise violation.