My mother passed away 2 months ago and I am starting to get bills sent to my home for her doctors while she was in the hospital. She had insurance, so some parts of the bills were covered, but not all was covered. She passed away leaving not a penny. No life insurance, no estate, no will, nothing. I can't afford to pay her bills at all, and the doctors office keeps calling saying they will take legal action against me.
2007-06-02 12:30:57 · 25 answers · asked by Jill S 5 in Business & Finance ➔ Personal Finance
You owe nothing. Tell them that if they don't stop YOU will sue them for harrassment.
2007-06-02 12:34:00 · answer #1 · answered by sage 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You need to see a lawyer. Anyone can call you on the phone and say they will sue you if you don't pay a bill. That doesn't mean they aren't just 'blowing smoke'!
The lawyer will ask you if you signed anything saying you were responsible for your mother's bills - this might have been something they gave you to sign when she went in the hospital. The lawyer will charge you for his time and lawyers aren't cheap but at the very least, he will write a letter demanding proof from the doctors that they are reasonable in their expectations that you pay.
Your mother may have had an estate and you don't know it. Everyone has an estate in the sense that they own something. But if you die intestate, there is no way for anyone to make claims to what was left behind.
I'm sorry your mother died. It's doubly hard to be grieving and be harassed.
A talk with a good lawyer will do much to put your mind at ease. Look for recommendations from friends and see a lawyer you is very strong in estate law (they all say they know all kinds of law but they have strengths and weaknesses).
2007-06-02 12:44:36 · answer #2 · answered by kathyw 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry for your loss.
If your mother died without a will, she is considered to have died "intestate" and that means an executor needs to be assigned and the estate goes into probate. This is necessary because all the bills that are still due need to be paid by the estate, or the estate has to be declared insolvent and the bills unpayable.
If you want to do research on your own, do an internet search on "intestate" and "your state" to see specific laws, and next steps.
2007-06-02 12:43:47 · answer #3 · answered by Piggiepants 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You aren't responsible for her bills. You may have been appointed her personal representative of her estate. In that capacity, you may be getting collection letters. Her estate may need to be probated, in which case, the attorney will file notice to creditors. They will publish it in the paper so that the doctors and public will have been given notice. If no action is taken within a certain period of time, I think they are out of luck. Did you sign anything while she was in the hospital? You might need to talk to an attorney.
2007-06-02 12:40:29 · answer #4 · answered by lavenderbluelassie2258 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
GET A LAWYER
you are definitley going to need one, whoever is billing you is going to try and milk away all of your money. If you can get some sort of record going and record all of the bills your mother had been paying and needs to still pay.
I am sure some collectors are aware of her death and if the bills are in her name.
Try claiming that she is deciesed if that doesn't work, you definitley need to hire a lawyer just so you can at least get some sort of fnancial advice. I am so sorry about her bereavment and i wish you the best of luck
♥ always
2007-06-02 12:36:29 · answer #5 · answered by amy-j 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My gut says no, only her husband would, if he were alive. But do this: get out the phone book and call Law Offices to see if they can give you free "simple" advice over the phone.Do it right away before the hosp. and dr's really do get legal help. Make it as simple to answer as you can and they may help you for free over the phone. No paperwork - just arm you with the legal status you can use when the bill people bug you.
2007-06-02 13:19:58 · answer #6 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tell the doctors office, that if they call you again, you will file harrassment charges against them. As far as i know, only a spouse can be held responsible. You might seek advice from your local Legal Aid Society. Good luck, and im sorry to hear about your Mother.
2007-06-02 12:37:37 · answer #7 · answered by ob10830 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Get a lawyer. In most cases, the estate is responsible for the bills. But if the estate is broke, I don't know. Maybe your mother will have to declare bankruptcy even though she is dead.
2007-06-02 12:35:51 · answer #8 · answered by Sharyn 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The bills fall to her estate, if she had no estate no money. I would take legal advice though as if you are named in some way you could have problems.
2007-06-02 12:34:30 · answer #9 · answered by Nicola B 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because of the fact the beneficiary of her property, you need to have paid any lenders first in this order: funeral costs scientific costs all different costs If there have been no factors (as interior the case whilst my mom surpassed directly to the excellent beyond in January 2007) you're no longer obligated to pay. If there have been factors, then confident, you're obligated to make charge. in case you have been conscious of the invoice on the time of final, despite if there wasn't adequate to pay the invoice in finished, a number of it might have been paid. In my mom's case, her finished factors have been the steadiness in her checking account. This money did no longer even conceal her funeral costs, so my brother and that i chop up the version. Her scientific costs did no longer gets a commission because of the fact there became into no longer something to pay it with.
2016-11-25 02:08:27 · answer #10 · answered by kirtsey 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont know... i guess u should ask a lawyer or something. I just know my uncle passed away and his family had to pay his bills... his brother had some money so he did.
2007-06-02 12:34:24 · answer #11 · answered by u_want_me_510 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋