Always one of the biggest reasons for filing for bankruptcy, medical debt has of course reached new highs, and that is just expected to keep on going. Prior to COVID, medical debt was already the country’s largest portion of debt for creditors and debt collection agencies. In past years, medical debt continued to be so overwhelming that the term ‘medical bankruptcy’ was coined.
If medical debt is piling up for you right now, consider your options before jumping right into the idea of filing for bankruptcy. Speak with an experienced medical debt attorney from Fitzgerald & Campbell, APLC to examine all your options. You may be surprised to find that resolution of debt is not impossible, even during these difficult times.
You may also be surprised to find out how open creditors are to negotiating right now due to escalating debt that isn’t being paid off at all in so many cases. If that is a possibility, speak with your attorney about the possibility of paying off your debt in one highly discounted sum. While obviously this could be a difficult feat in the face of no income, even if it takes a bit more effort and even a personal loan from a family member or close friend, consider how satisfying it would be to have that debt off your back!
If you have been served with a summons and complaint, time is of the essence. Most likely you have 20 to 30 days to respond to the lawsuit and this is critical. Without an answer to the lawsuit, and without any sort of defense, you could find yourself laden down with a massive default judgment—and quickly so. With the help of an experienced attorney, you can avoid dealing with wage garnishments (up to 25 percent of your disposable income in California), loss of personal property to be sold at public auction, and even loss of control over your checking account.
It is also important to remember that a default judgment can stick around for a long time—twenty years, in fact. While initially a default judgment is granted for ten years, in California it can be extended for another ten.
If you are concerned about debts incurred due to COVID, speak with an attorney as soon as possible, and especially if you are worried about being sued or have already received a summons and complaint.
Speak with an attorney from Fitzgerald & Campbell, APLC as soon as possible to examine your options. Our attorneys have decades of experience in serving clients as they navigate through challenging financial situations, to include student loan issues, bankruptcy, and other debt management processes. We are here to help! Click here to schedule a free 30-minute consultation, call us at (844) 431-3851, or email us at info@debtorprotectors.com.