Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Pennsylvania

My father passed away last year in a nursing home. He left no estate as all of his assets went to pay for his care. The nursing home has now filed a lawsuit against my sister and I for 13,000 that they say is the unpaid balance. We have no way to verify this is even the amount owed as the home never sent an itemized bill. I never signed anything stating I was willing to take responsibility for this debt. We are in PA, Can the home just sue us for a random amount of money that they claim my deceased father owed them and can we be held responsible for paying it? We are in no position to take on anyone else's debt.


Asked on 8/06/13, 7:29 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Rachel Hunter

You indicate that your father was in a nursing home. Did he get Medicaid? Did he live in PA prior to his death? If so, then you and your sister may be responsible for his debt regardless of whether you signed anything or not. If a lawsuit has been filed, you can get copies of the bills in a process called discovery. However, you need to get a lawyer NOW as the time to answer the complaint is only 20 days from the date of service in PA. If you do not answer the complaint properly, then a judgment will be entered against you and your sister if she also was sued.

Its not a matter of you voluntarily taking on this debt. You have been sued. You need to act.

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Answered on 8/06/13, 8:02 pm


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