An Idaho collection agency is going under the mainstream media microscope this week, with individuals who feel they have been mis-treated by the company coming forward to share their stories.
The first article in what is being described as a series details how a woman, who agreed to participate in the interview only if she could remain anonymous, was initially sent a bill for $294 for a medical procedure, but may end up owing more than 20 times that much following a judgment and other legal actions.
When the debt went unpaid, the collection agency — Medical Recovery Services — filed a lawsuit, to which the woman did not respond. The agency obtained a default judgment and sought to garnish her wages. But there was an issue with the garnishment notice and the woman’s employer and the agency ended back up in court. The agency then went back and filed an application to be awarded additional fees for having to go back to court and is now seeking $5,583.25.
One of the agency’s attorneys was very matter-of-fact in describing the situation.
“It is kind of her fault because she could have come in and made payments,” the lawyer said. “She could have told the lawyers at [her employer], ‘Don’t fight this, guys, because I don’t want to have to pay.’”
In describing its reasons for looking into the company, the report said the agency “appears to be making a lot of money from attorney fees and debts that have often been satisfied.” However, in this case, the woman said she does not remember receiving the bill and did not respond to the lawsuit that was filed against her. The article does not include why the woman did not respond to the suit, other than to say that not responding is the “case in the majority of debtor claims.”
Other articles in the series will profile “a man sued by MRS over a mistake his doctor made. He fought all the way to the Idaho Supreme Court and won. Then later this week, hear from people who say their legal battles with MRS weren’t so bad.”
