Legal Question in Personal Injury in California
I was injured at a nationwide known store by a shopping cart that fell on me from the second story. They paid me a small settlememt and now I am receiving statements from the hospital where I was treated for my injuries. I told them to contact that nationwide store's claims dept and they said that they were told that I was given a settlement which I should pay them with. Was I treated unfairly and should I get an attorney for this?
2 Answers from Attorneys
Unfortunately, if you signed a settlement agreement in which you waived your rights, you are the person responsible for your medical bills. Hopefully, you consulted with an attorney before signing any agreement.
You made a huge mistake settling with the store without knowing what your medical bills were, much less making sure they were covered by the settlement. Chances are slim that you can get out of the settlement if you signed a release, but you can try. You will absolutely need a lawyer to even attempt that. Your only other option is to pay the medical bills out of the settlement you received, since I can assure you that was what the store intended when they settled with you and unless you can get out of the settlement, that is what the law says.