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1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law, Small Claims and Consumer Law for Maryland on
Q: Do I need a public defender for a vet bill dispute in small claims?

A veterinarian's office ran a test on my pet without my knowledge or approval and did not inform me until I called to make an appointment months later. They claimed I owe $80 for the test, despite not discussing or approving it, and they cannot find any record of my approval. I refused to pay,... View More

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Mar 10, 2025

The Public Defender's Office only represents person charged with a criminal offense who cannot fford a lawyer to defend the charges. You are being sued in civil court for an unpaid debt or for breach of contract. Persons appearing in civil court cases are not entitled to receive free legal... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Personal Injury and Consumer Law for Texas on
Q: How to address Spectrum's cable causing injuries and seek compensation?

About a month ago, Spectrum installed a cable for my neighbor that lies above ground across the sidewalk, causing my children and me to trip over it. This has led to a sprained wrist and scrapes. I've contacted Spectrum, and although representatives have visited, they've left without... View More

John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Mar 10, 2025

You can file a personal injury lawsuit seeking recovery of your medical expenses and, if applicable, any lost wages you suffered as a result of your injuries. Keep copies of all of your medical records and bills associated with the sprained wrist and scrapes so you can prove the amount of... View More

3 Answers | Asked in Personal Injury, Consumer Law and Insurance Defense for Florida on
Q: Tripped over cord in friend's house, broke arm, seeking legal advice.

I live in Lakeland, Florida, and I was helping my friend clean their house to prepare it for sale. Unfortunately, I tripped over a cord that wasn't visible and broke my arm severely. I underwent a 6-hour surgery to insert rods, screws, and a metal plate in my elbow. My friend's house is... View More

Stephen Arnold Black
Stephen Arnold Black
answered on Mar 10, 2025

Yes, I think you have a claim. Your claim would be stronger if you took a picture to show that the cord was concealed or hidden from obvious view. However, that would not be indispensable for you to pursue a claim. You should retain an attorney on contingency fee here in central Florida, which... View More

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3 Answers | Asked in Personal Injury, Consumer Law and Insurance Defense for Florida on
Q: Tripped over cord in friend's house, broke arm, seeking legal advice.

I live in Lakeland, Florida, and I was helping my friend clean their house to prepare it for sale. Unfortunately, I tripped over a cord that wasn't visible and broke my arm severely. I underwent a 6-hour surgery to insert rods, screws, and a metal plate in my elbow. My friend's house is... View More

Mitchell Feldman
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Mitchell Feldman
answered on Mar 10, 2025

You do have a claim for negligence. Medicaid will have a lien on the recovery, and generally in any personal injury case, the insurance carrier, medicaid or medicare have liens on the recovery. I think time is of the essence. Generally the homeowners insurance should provide some level of... View More

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3 Answers | Asked in Personal Injury, Consumer Law and Insurance Defense for Florida on
Q: Tripped over cord in friend's house, broke arm, seeking legal advice.

I live in Lakeland, Florida, and I was helping my friend clean their house to prepare it for sale. Unfortunately, I tripped over a cord that wasn't visible and broke my arm severely. I underwent a 6-hour surgery to insert rods, screws, and a metal plate in my elbow. My friend's house is... View More

James Clifton
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James Clifton
answered on Mar 10, 2025

Yes, you have a case. If the cord was in a location where you couldn't reasonably expect it, or it wasn't clearly visible, this could be considered a hazardous condition that your friend was responsible for addressing. You definitely want to work with a premises liability attorney.... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Divorce, Domestic Violence, Landlord - Tenant and Consumer Law for Massachusetts on
Q: Can my husband remove me from home, or can I remove his girlfriend? (MA)

My husband and I have been married for 18 years and live in the same house but on different floors. He resides in the basement, which is an in-law apartment. His girlfriend has been living there without any rental agreement for over two years, even though she has her own apartment through Section... View More

Matthew McKenna
Matthew McKenna
answered on Mar 9, 2025

My answer is only directed towards her taking out a cable bill and other debt in your name. I will let someone else address the other issues raised. You can file a police report and a FTC Fraud Affidavit detailing that these accounts were not taken out by you. From there, you'll want to... View More

3 Answers | Asked in Personal Injury, Civil Litigation and Consumer Law for Texas on
Q: Can I sue Spirit Airlines for emotional distress after a turbulent flight to Dallas?

I was on a Spirit Airlines flight to Dallas, Texas, where we experienced extremely strong winds. The pilot attempted to land twice but couldn't due to worsening winds, causing the plane to shake violently. We diverted to Houston, stayed for a few hours with a new pilot, and made another... View More

Raymond Chow
Raymond Chow
answered on Mar 8, 2025

For negligent infliction of emotional distress (NIED) claims, you typically need to prove that the airline acted carelessly and that this caused significant emotional distress. While emotional distress claims can often be linked to physical injury, this is not always necessary. However, it can be... View More

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3 Answers | Asked in Personal Injury, Civil Litigation and Consumer Law for Texas on
Q: Can I sue Spirit Airlines for emotional distress after a turbulent flight to Dallas?

I was on a Spirit Airlines flight to Dallas, Texas, where we experienced extremely strong winds. The pilot attempted to land twice but couldn't due to worsening winds, causing the plane to shake violently. We diverted to Houston, stayed for a few hours with a new pilot, and made another... View More

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Mar 8, 2025

I believe most law firms would be reluctant to consider such a case. I'm sorry for your stressful experience, but based on the brief facts, I don't see the requisite standard giving rise to an emotional distress claim. Commercial airliners do encounter very localized weather conditions... View More

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3 Answers | Asked in Personal Injury, Civil Litigation and Consumer Law for Texas on
Q: Can I sue Spirit Airlines for emotional distress after a turbulent flight to Dallas?

I was on a Spirit Airlines flight to Dallas, Texas, where we experienced extremely strong winds. The pilot attempted to land twice but couldn't due to worsening winds, causing the plane to shake violently. We diverted to Houston, stayed for a few hours with a new pilot, and made another... View More

John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Mar 10, 2025

No, you can't.

There is a cause of action for intentional infliction of emotional distress but, given the admittedly high winds, I doubt you could convince anyone that the pilot's conduct was "extreme and outrageous" or was "intentional" or...
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4 Answers | Asked in Car Accidents, Consumer Law and Personal Injury for New York on
Q: How does the Graves Amendment affect a rental car accident case in NY?

My son was injured and hospitalized after being hit by a rental car driver in New York. The police report was filed, and he's been in contact with the insurance company. However, due to the Graves Amendment, the insurance company claims he's only entitled to a maximum of $25,000. How does... View More

Michael Bersani
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Michael Bersani pro label Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Mar 7, 2025

The graves amendment essentially works like this: normally, under New York vehicle and traffic law section 388, the owner of the vehicle is vicariously liable for the negligence of the driver of the vehicle. But when long-term commercial lessor owns the vehicle, the graves amendment kicks in to... View More

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4 Answers | Asked in Car Accidents, Consumer Law and Personal Injury for New York on
Q: How does the Graves Amendment affect a rental car accident case in NY?

My son was injured and hospitalized after being hit by a rental car driver in New York. The police report was filed, and he's been in contact with the insurance company. However, due to the Graves Amendment, the insurance company claims he's only entitled to a maximum of $25,000. How does... View More

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Mar 8, 2025

I'm sorry about your son's accident. The Graves Amendment serves to protect rental car companies. It shields them from liability resulting from the negligence of the driver who rented the vehicle. What steps can you take to ensure fair compensation? If you are not already working with a... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law and White Collar Crime for Ohio on
Q: Crypto scam: borrowed funds, account frozen, repayment issue.

I met someone online who guided me to invest in cryptocurrency through a trading app. Initially, I invested $1,300, then the person lent me $10,000 and later another $151,000 through the app to increase my trading amount. In December, the platform froze my account and demanded various fees to... View More

Stanislav Kshevitskii
Stanislav Kshevitskii
answered on Mar 7, 2025

This is a very common fraud scheme. People all over the world, including Russia, suffer from it. If the scammers act quickly and professionally, hide their IP addresses and use other security measures, it is unlikely to find them. Moreover, you have no idea what country they are actually in. Some... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Civil Litigation and Real Estate Law for Pennsylvania on
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.... View More

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Mar 7, 2025

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... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law, White Collar Crime and Consumer Law for Alabama on
Q: Should I refuse to sign due to undisclosed fee requests in Alabama?

I am in the process of purchasing a property and was instructed by my realtor, the seller, and the closing attorney to provide additional money obtained from a title loan company as an unexplained fee, which was not part of the original agreement. They advised me to wire all my funds without... View More

James Blount Griffin
James Blount Griffin
answered on Mar 7, 2025

No one who wants you to sign these docs appears to be loyal to you and you alone. A few questions:

Are you buying a home or an investment property?

Is the seller very eager to get rid of it?

Is there a lender?

Is the closing attorney working for you, the lender,...
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3 Answers | Asked in Car Accidents and Consumer Law for California on
Q: Entitlement to new insurance rates after state limit changes post-accident.

I was in a car accident on May 23, 2024, and suffered knee contusions, strained back muscles, and whiplash. The insurance company is offering me $15,000 as a settlement; however, since then, the state insurance minimums have increased from $15,000 to $30,000. Am I entitled to the new rates or the... View More

William John Light
William John Light
answered on Mar 6, 2025

Any policy issued in 2025 has to comply with the new rates. Since the policy with which you are dealing was issued in 2024, it can be a $15k/$30k policy. A consultation with an attorney may be appropriate to help determine if there are other potential sources of recovery.

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1 Answer | Asked in Car Accidents, Personal Injury and Consumer Law for Georgia on
Q: Is it worth suing an insurer for a lowball offer after a car accident in Georgia?

I was involved in a car accident where I T-boned a truck that made a U-turn in front of me. I was driving at approximately 52 mph. The police report indicates that the other party was at fault. My car was totaled, and I've suffered a lot of soft tissue damage, accumulating $6,400 in medical... View More

Michael W. Horst
Michael W. Horst
answered on Mar 6, 2025

Your question would be best directed towards your attorney since he/she knows the particular facts of your case best. Nevertheless, in an effort to provide you a response, I will answer your question the best I can.

For starters, insurance companies are not the named defendant in a...
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3 Answers | Asked in Civil Litigation, Consumer Law and Personal Injury for Texas on
Q: How can I recover my property valued at $2,500 seen online for sale by a friend?

I left watches, jewelry, and clothes valued at $2,500 at a friend's house. They initially denied knowing about the items, but I later saw them being sold online. I reported them for selling drugs, and they confronted me but claimed they would help retrieve my property if I signed a form, which... View More

Raymond Chow
Raymond Chow
answered on Mar 6, 2025

File a Petition in Justice of the Peace Court. The appropriate venue is the county where you reside or where the incident occurred.

The legal action to bring would be a claim for conversion, which seeks the return of your property or its value, or a replevin (suit for possession) if you...
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1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Contracts, Personal Injury and Banking for Oregon on
Q: What kind of lawyer do I need? Me vs. defendant

engaged in a pattern of deceptive practices, including misrepresentation of terms, mishandling of payments, and wrongful fees that culminated in significant financial harm and distress.

• Claims Against Defendant:

• Breach of Contract: Specific breaches include:

•... View More

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Mar 6, 2025

An Oregon attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for a month. You outline a long list of grievances, but it looks like they share a common thread of being related to individual consumer lending practices. Therefore, your question of what kind of lawyer you need could cover the... View More

3 Answers | Asked in Personal Injury, Consumer Law and Insurance Defense for New York on
Q: Can I claim compensation for a head injury on a NYC tour bus?

I was injured on a tour bus in NYC when I hit my head on a TV screen at the front of a 'hop on hop off' bus. I needed two staples in my head, which we paid for and are trying to claim back through our travel insurance. The incident happened on February 22nd, the day we arrived, and has... View More

Jonathan R. Ratchik
Jonathan R. Ratchik
answered on Mar 6, 2025

Sorry to hear what happened to you. Although you can certainly seek compensation from the bus operator for your injury, there needs to be some fault on the part of the tour bus. The television screen is arguably an open and obvious condition about which the bus company does not need to warn... View More

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3 Answers | Asked in Personal Injury, Consumer Law and Insurance Defense for New York on
Q: Can I claim compensation for a head injury on a NYC tour bus?

I was injured on a tour bus in NYC when I hit my head on a TV screen at the front of a 'hop on hop off' bus. I needed two staples in my head, which we paid for and are trying to claim back through our travel insurance. The incident happened on February 22nd, the day we arrived, and has... View More

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Mar 6, 2025

I'm sorry for your injury. Based on the brief facts, it doesn't sound like you'd be in a strong position to claim compensation. As my colleague correctly points out, there would need to be some basis for the bus operator being at fault. Your travel insurance, or if you have a regular... View More

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