Q: I received a letter from a VA Lawyer that include the debt I owe and his fees. I am required to pay the fees too?
I owe a debt for some dental expenses. I never received the final notice that the debt was going to collections. So I was under the impression that my insurance was working this issue, per a conversation I had.
The letter caught me by surprise, because the debt stated was 50% more then the overall debt. When I contacted the lawyer, he stated it was for his legal fees. I am required to pay the fees or is this suppose to be directed by a judge, as you mentioned in a previous response? I am willing to pay what I owe, but feel the lawyer fees should be paid by the company.
A:
Maybe not.
Did your written agreement with the dentist say anything about attorneys fees? If not, then they may not be able to collect them. Did it say "reasonable" attorneys fees. What's reasonable if so far all that's been done is to write a letter.
Is this lawyer in Virginia? Is this "lawyer" really a lawyer.
You MIGHT have a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. One place to look for lawyers who do FDCPA work is here. https://www.consumeradvocates.org/find-an-attorney
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