Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Ohio

have just recently received a phone call from a collection agency about a hospital bill from 2004 i can not remember after 7 years am i still responsible i never got a bill from them hospital ownership has changed just recently if i am still responsible can i demand some sort of proof like a bill i kniow the hospital but do not recognize the doctor's name


Asked on 4/08/11, 10:38 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Eric Willison Eric Eastman Willison

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you have 30 days from the receipt of the debt collection attempt to request verification of the debt and disclosure of the original creditor's name. Further, if this phone call was the initial contact with the debt collector, they must follow up with a letter in 5 days giving you certain notices about them and about your rights.

You should send the collector a letter indicating that you want to see verification of the debt and disclosure of the name of the original debt collector together with any other information that they are required to disclosed under the FDCPA. Once you write that letter to them, sign it, photocopy it, and send it to them certified mail, return receipt requested and keep a photo copy of it.

If they don't follow through (and often these guys won't) then you may have a case against them under the FDCPA.

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Answered on 4/08/11, 11:30 am


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