Q: How to address billing issues with Pennsylvania American Water during a lawsuit?
I started a lawsuit against Pennsylvania American Water because I was being charged an exorbitant amount for water usage, equivalent to an Olympic-sized pool, for my one-bedroom apartment. My landlord and an independent plumber confirmed there were no leaks or issues with the plumbing. Additionally, the water often smelled bad and had flakes coming out of the faucet. Despite having moved, Pennsylvania American Water is still trying to make me pay a past due bill. How can I address these billing issues and continue with my lawsuit effectively?
A: A Pennsylvania attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for almost a month. This might be too complex a matter for attorneys to offer a quick and direct response to on a public Q & A forum. If you approached an attorney on this, they're going to want to examine the disposition of the lawsuit - has the water utility made a motion to dismiss or other response that requires immediately attention? Apparently, they are still pursuing their collection action. A public utility is not going to go away and leave someone alone because they say the water smelled bad or had flakes in it. That can be common after system maintenance. If there is any kind of empirical data from sampling or testing to support poor water quality, or other nearby residents made similar claims, that might be different. Was the meter examined? You mention moving - did the water utility have a change of address to continue with their responses in the lawsuit? It could be worth considering a consult with a Pennsylvania attorney to review the matter and your lawsuit papers. This could be something beyond quick two-minute instructions. Good luck
1 user found this answer helpful
Justia Ask A Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get free answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask A Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between Justia and you, or between any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions and you, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask A Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
