IME report : I got boned

[ghost dog]

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As the title indicates, I seem to have gotten screwed in regards to payment for this report by the lawyer. It has now been 3 months.

Have any of you folks experienced this, and if so what have you done about it ?

Small claims court ? Chalked it up to bad luck and moved on ?

This has never happened to me before, and really pisses me off.

Any feedback would be much appreciated.

 

[Tenesma]

IME's are paid by work comp - when it is not a work comp covered IME, and a lawyer is involved, then you ALWAYS ask for payment up front - which in turn the lawyer will collect from the client...

 

[ghost dog]

IME's are paid by work comp - when it is not a work comp covered IME, and a lawyer is involved, then you ALWAYS ask for payment up front - which in turn the lawyer will collect from the client...

I should have it phrased it differently, as this was a med / legal evaluation. I apologize for the confusion. I have not asked for advanced payment from this party, as this individual has never failed to pay previously. Shame on me I suppose.

The situation and question still applies though.

 

[painchas]

All legal of any kind requires advanced payment . Cancel less than 72 hours and you are out refund. My time is as valuable (more?) than those attorneys I work with. Only video depo as these are admissible in court without me having to stop and go there.
Regards

 

[Jitter Bug]

There are multiple threads on this issue. Bottom line, make lawyers pay up front, because they are notorious for stiffing doctors on the bills. Not all of them, but enough of them to give the rest a bad name. You may never get them to pay now. The cost of your time or staff time to force a payment will usually exceed the cash value of the payment you are due.

Eat it, move on, and change your policy regarding legal work. That's my advice.

 

[bedrock]

I should have it phrased it differently, as this was a med / legal evaluation. I apologize for the confusion. I have not asked for advanced payment from this party, as this individual has never failed to pay previously. Shame on me I suppose.

The situation and question still applies though.

If this is a lawyer you've established a working relationship with, I'd contact him personally and inform him of the situation and let him know you can't ever work with him again if they don't pay up.

You may hint that it may be hard for him to find pain docs to work with in your area if he stiffs you.

 

[NOSfan]

Ghost.....if the attorney has been responsible in the past, just given him a call and talk with him directly. This usually will resolve the issue without further angst.

 

[Jcm800]

All legal of any kind requires advanced payment . Cancel less than 72 hours and you are out refund. My time is as valuable (more?) than those attorneys I work with. Only video depo as these are admissible in court without me having to stop and go there.
Regards

up front baby.

 

[Jcm800]

I should have it phrased it differently, as this was a med / legal evaluation. I apologize for the confusion. I have not asked for advanced payment from this party, as this individual has never failed to pay previously. Shame on me I suppose.

The situation and question still applies though.

how can we answer these questions when you have a totally different system in Canadia, doesnt the queen pay for everything, and there is universal everything? Dont the lawyers where those wigs?

Have you seen the movie "Goon"? it was awesome!

 

[Mister Mxyzptlk]

In order of escalating tactics:

1. Friendly phone call
2. Demand letter by certified mail
3. Small claims court

 

[ampaphb]

If this is someone you have done business with in the past, there is every reason to believe he will need you in the future. Rather than burning the bridge, send him another invoice. If he doesn't pay, just wait.

Eventually, when he needs you, to see another client, or to testify regarding this one, just make clear that you will be happy to do so once the prior balance is addressed.

 

[101N]

if this is someone you have done business with in the past, there is every reason to believe he will need you in the future. Rather than burning the bridge, send him another invoice. If he doesn't pay, just wait.

Eventually, when he needs you, to see another client, or to testify regarding this one, just make clear that you will be happy to do so once the prior balance is addressed.

1+

 

[bedrock]

If this is someone you have done business with in the past, there is every reason to believe he will need you in the future. Rather than burning the bridge, send him another invoice. If he doesn't pay, just wait.

Eventually, when he needs you, to see another client, or to testify regarding this one, just make clear that you will be happy to do so once the prior balance is addressed.

Agree with ampaphb on this one. It's the better road to take.

 

[ghost dog]

Agree with ampaphb on this one. It's the better road to take.

Long story short, I managed to speak with a somewhat larger banana up the chain of command ( although not the top banana, as she was on vacation - of course).

Payment promised to be sent on : Monday. We'll see...

Morale of the story:

1. Lawyers really are d-bags.
2. Ghostdog learns that , even if he knows the legal counsel well, he gots to get paid in advance. Stupid rookie mistake.

 

[Substance]

Long story short, I managed to speak with a somewhat larger banana up the chain of command ( although not the top banana, as she was on vacation - of course).

Payment promised to be sent on : Monday. We'll see...

Morale of the story:

1. Lawyers really are d-bags.
2. Ghostdog learns that , even if he knows the legal counsel well, he gots to get paid in advance. Stupid rookie mistake.

Is it worth getting your own lawyer to push those who owe you faster? I do know that in Canadian court law, the loser pays the winner's court costs. I do not know if this applies to small claims court or anything pertaining to what happened in your situation.

If the payment comes Monday as promised, then chalk it up to an anomaly. If it does not and you have to proceed legally, I would let everyone in your professional circle know that this particular lawyer/legal team does not pay their bills.

 

[Doctodd]

If this is someone you have done business with in the past, there is every reason to believe he will need you in the future. Rather than burning the bridge, send him another invoice. If he doesn't pay, just wait.

Eventually, when he needs you, to see another client, or to testify regarding this one, just make clear that you will be happy to do so once the prior balance is addressed.

Add some interest if it's been awhile

 

[NJPAIN]

I have had this happen as well. While getting payment up front is best that is not always possible. On a recent such case in NY State I was stiffed for $1000+. After almost a year of trying to get paid I turned to the attorney who does my collection work. He informed my that in NY State (and I'm sure some other states) if an attorney has a judgement against him that he does not pay he can be disbarred. I have been awarded a judgement against this attorney and now I am filling a claim with the ethics committee of the state bar association. I suspect that he will cough up the money when he finds out. I think that he is too stupid to know that I can have him disbarred. In your case I would suggest you do the same.

 

[Doctodd]

I have had this happen as well. While getting payment up front is best that is not always possible. On a recent such case in NY State I was stiffed for $1000+. After almost a year of trying to get paid I turned to the attorney who does my collection work. He informed my that in NY State (and I'm sure some other states) if an attorney has a judgement against him that he does not pay he can be disbarred. I have been awarded a judgement against this attorney and now I am filling a claim with the ethics committee of the state bar association. I suspect that he will cough up the money when he finds out. I think that he is too stupid to know that I can have him disbarred. In your case I would suggest you do the same.

That's a great tactic. It seems the things that make most attorneys nervous is billing. They are even required to discuss your bill for free, whereas they bill for anything else they spend time on.

Another strategy is to get a picture or fax of the check with the check and routing number easily visible. With today's smartphones this is almost as good as a real check.

 

[Tenesma]

they don't care about being taken to court... they are lawyers and will eat you alive w/ all kinds of legalese...

what they do care about is being reported to the Disciplinary Committee of their State Bar... find out who chairs that committee (usually publically avail info online), and then casually mention that name when you call about your unpaid bill.

 

[ghost dog]

they don't care about being taken to court... they are lawyers and will eat you alive w/ all kinds of legalese...

what they do care about is being reported to the Disciplinary Committee of their State Bar... find out who chairs that committee (usually publically avail info online), and then casually mention that name when you call about your unpaid bill.

Update : I finally got paid.

Update : laywers are a-holes.

Personal injury lawyers are a-holes to the Nth degree.

Ever try getting a lawyer on the phone when you want to speak with them ? Good friggin luck my friend.

But when they want to chat with you ... hey it's a totally different story. Urgent this, and rush that.

I gots paid - thats something anyways. and it only took 4 months of harassment, and practically camping out on their front door for it to happen.

 

[PMR 4 MSK]

Update : I finally got paid.

Update : laywers are a-holes.

Personal injury lawyers are a-holes to the Nth degree.

Ever try getting a lawyer on the phone when you want to speak with them ? Good friggin luck my friend.

But when they want to chat with you ... hey it's a totally different story. Urgent this, and rush that.

I gots paid - thats something anyways. and it only took 4 months of harassment, and practically camping out on their front door for it to happen.

I don't chat with lawyers on the phone unless they send me a check first. Seriously. They bill for their time 100% of the time.

I've had some make an appointment, come in with a check and then I'll talk with them.

 

[ghost dog]

I don't chat with lawyers on the phone unless they send me a check first. Seriously. They bill for their time 100% of the time.

I've had some make an appointment, come in with a check and then I'll talk with them.

On a somewhat related note, I am concerned that this joker may have changed my report.
I will be requesting a copy of my report - once my cheque clears of course.

If the report has been changed, I'm gonna lay some serious smackdown on this shyster. 😡

 

[101N]

On a somewhat related note, I am concerned that this joker may have changed my report.
I will be requesting a copy of my report - once my cheque clears of course.

If the report has been changed, I'm gonna lay some serious smackdown on this shyster. 😡

The thread was posted 7/25/12 and you were paid w/i a month. Ya think that maybe the title is a misnomer?

 

[ghost dog]

The thread was posted 7/25/12 and you were paid w/i a month. Ya think that maybe the title is a misnomer?

No mistake - it took this jerk 4 months to pay me.

The only reason they finally paid me was that I relentlessly emailed and called them ( like 2 - 3 times a week ). Their previous payment history
was quite the opposite. I refused to re-write the med legal report the way the lawyer wanted it ( my ethics are funny that way).
The lawyer insisted on going through an intermediary, as I strongly suspect that this person would be able to deny payment if things did not go the way she wished ( which in fact was the case ). When I finally managed to contact this individual, her message to me was something along the lines of "we have nothing to do with this payment ".

Really ? You're not in charge of disbursements for your client ?

Lying bitch.

No misnomer.

 

[onewithpain]

I recently saw a patient for WC managed by Sedgwick CMS. They refused to pay me for the consult because their accepted dx was cervical strain (resolves in 3 months) and I diagnosed cervical facet syndrome. Then an attorney called to discuss the case and when I found out that he represented Sedgwick I told him that we could discuss after I get paid for the consult. It's not worth the expense of pursuing legally, but Sedgwick will forever be on the "cash on the barrel head" list.

 

[Ducttape]

i have met with a couple of attorneys discussing cervical facet syndrome/facet arthropathy. essentially, what they want is an image or picture that i could direct the jury to for the diagnosis. I told them the diagnostic blocks were 100% effective in relieving their pain, but that was not sufficient.

one of the attorneys was quite pleasant and fairly intelligent. i told him i had no fancy image or picture that i could specifically point at in a big blow up that would blow the jury out of the water...

 

[lobelsteve]

i have met with a couple of attorneys discussing cervical facet syndrome/facet arthropathy. essentially, what they want is an image or picture that i could direct the jury to for the diagnosis. I told them the diagnostic blocks were 100% effective in relieving their pain, but that was not sufficient.

one of the attorneys was quite pleasant and fairly intelligent. i told him i had no fancy image or picture that i could specifically point at in a big blow up that would blow the jury out of the water...

FireScan. DIgital fusion of bone scan and CT-Spect.

But I'm not paying for it.

 

[onewithpain]

Noridian's guidelines state that the diagnosis can't be made with imaging and that facet arthritis is not required to make the diagnosis.

 

[Ducttape]

FireScan. DIgital fusion of bone scan and CT-Spect.

But I'm not paying for it.

exactly

 

[ghost dog]

FireScan. DIgital fusion of bone scan and CT-Spect.

But I'm not paying for it.

Dx nerve blockade is not acceptable ?

Is the fear that the lay people on the jury get lost in the woods with evidence based medicine ?

 

[lobelsteve]

Dx nerve blockade is not acceptable ?

Is the fear that the lay people on the jury get lost in the woods with evidence based medicine ?

Objective evidence is some study or exam finding that does not rely on patient response. DX block relies on self report of relief. Would not get test for facet, but if Atty is buying and needed the data...

 

[Ducttape]

What impresses juries are not, according to the attorney, reports that a procedure helped, but a picture that can be blown up and shown unequivocally that "something is wrong".

Don't forget, what determines who wins a court case is not who is scientifically correct. It is what convinces the jury. Often those aren't the same thing.