A hospital took all the money out of my mother in laws account even though she has been making payments to them.
2006-07-01 04:14:55 · 13 answers · asked by Brandy G 2 in Business & Finance ➔ Other - Business & Finance
I worked for a large bank for over 5 years, and so I can tell you this:
The hospital probably went to court and obtained a legal judgement to place what is called a levy on your mother in law's account.
Now what she needs to do is call her bank - they will put her in contact with their legal department (if they have one; most larger banks do) and then the legal dept. will provide her with a name, address, and phone # for the hospital's lawyer or accounting department.
Most times, if an agreement is reached for repayment, the accounting department of the hospital (or their lawyer) will lift the levy (hold) on the bank account.
It's important to remember these things:
- The bank cannot fix this - they can only give information on who placed the levy and who to contact
- The police will not be able to do anything, so it's not worth calling them
- If she cannot get the levy (hold) lifted by talking to the right people, she should contact a lawyer ASAP.
- She should get her new repayment agreement, if she can get one, IN WRITING.
I know you said she was making payments, but if she missed a payment, or never got the repayment agreement in writing, then technically what they hospital did was legal. Not fair, necessarily, but legal.
Therefore, it is important to have documentation when she finally gets this cleared up.
2006-07-01 04:28:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unless they have a court order or an authorization signed by her, they can't. I'm guessing that she signed an authorization to take payments directly from her account and there was a clause that if she fell behind at all, or missed a payment due date, they were authorized to pay the balance from the account. She needs to contact the bank and find out how they got authorization. If she gave it to them, she needs to contact the hospital and try to talk them into returning her money and accepting payments again. If there is no court order and no authorization, she needs to contact the bank and have her account changed.
2006-07-06 00:15:12 · answer #2 · answered by Ice 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think that any institution - hospital or otherwise - can summarily withdraw funds from an account that is not theirs without express written permission from the account holder. The bank won't let it happen. So I suspect that there was some sort of signed agreement that was presented to the bank to allow this. I would contact that bank and ask them to show why they released the funds as well and hammering the hospital.
2006-07-01 11:22:22 · answer #3 · answered by aristotlewhy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get a lawyer. She must have had a "Judgment" filed against her. Hospitals are terrible crooks sometimes.
Even though you may be making payments and not even behind they will go to court, in my grandmother's case, and try to become the legal guardian so they could sell her House. My mom and I went to court, fought it and won. The Judge commented about the distasteful court actions of Hospitals.
I think the reason why we won our case is because my mother made a good appearance in front of the judge.
Good Luck.
2006-07-01 11:21:41 · answer #4 · answered by Brandysmom 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hospitals do not steal money from bank accounts.
Their profits arey billions of dollars each year and most are property of the Vatican which is by far the wealthiest nation in the World.
I suggest you to hire a Lawyer and verify all the papers your mother signed before you go to the Police.
2006-07-01 12:10:25 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, if you contract a debt with the hospital (or any business for that matter) and then fail to pay in full, they can go through a collection agency and have liens placed against any bank account in your name--even a joint account with another person. I'm not sure how all the legal procedures work, but I know it can be done legally.
2006-07-01 11:26:34 · answer #6 · answered by The Nerd 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is impossible for that to happen in the United States due to banking laws. I do not believe that you have the story straight, and since you have no authority to contact either the bank and/or the hospital on her behalf, you, personally, will never know the truthful details
2006-07-01 11:52:53 · answer #7 · answered by ps2754 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No it is not legal for anyone to take money out of your account unless you have given them permission. She needs to see a lawyer immediatly. If she cant afford one then she should try one of the lawyers that doesnt get paid unless she does and sue the hospital for her money costs and suffering.
2006-07-01 11:19:23 · answer #8 · answered by naruto 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is legal if they had her permission. Did she read EVERY line of fine print and every document that the fine print she signed referenced? I'll bet you a Venti coffee that she has given them the right to do what they are doing.
I'm not saying that it's right, or that it shouldn't have been done without warning, but it is highly unlikely for them to do this without permission.
How would have they gotten her bank account number? How would have the bank allowed it without signed authorization?
2006-07-01 11:21:05 · answer #9 · answered by Garth 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Definitely not. Unless she has signed an agreement for them to do so, then they have no right. And I would fight it.
2006-07-01 11:16:19 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋