Food Poisoning from Grocery Store...

by JAB
(Virginia)

I ate a meal at a major grocery store chain in May and got food poisoning. I fell in the bathroom and hit my head so I went to the emergency room for tests. I had medical bills sent to the grocery store's insurance company's claims representative. He has all the bills and doctors reports of the incident, but has not settled the bills yet. We are now in October and the bills are past due.

What can I do legally to settle these bills without adverse effects to my credit?

Disclaimer: Information provided in your response is not formal legal advice, it is generic legal information and is based on the very limited information given in your question. You should always get a formal case evaluation from a licensed attorney.

ANSWER for "Food Poisoning from Grocery Store...":

Jab (Virginia):

The best way to keep your creditors from adversely affecting your credit is to contact them. Explain the problems you are facing with your medical bills. Regrettably, you have very little leverage when it comes to creditors. You are at their mercy.

Contact the grocery store and tell them you are frustrated with the pace at which they are processing your claim. Tell them you are now experiencing problems with your creditors and need to have those bills paid as soon as possible. Tell them although you would prefer not to seek legal intervention, but if they continue to drag their feet you may not have any other alternative but to consult with an attorney.

If they still don’t make some arrangements to pay your bills contact a personal injury attorney. You can be sure the intervention of a personal injury attorney will get things moving rather quickly. Additionally, the intervention of a qualified personal injury attorney may result in your receiving a settlement for more than just your medical bills. You may also be entitled to additional amount for out of pocket expense, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Personal Injury Attorneys usually don’t charge any legal fee for the initial office consultation. Seeing one will help you to understand your options.

Since laws change frequently and across jurisdictions you should get a personalized case evaluation from an attorney licensed in your state (if you haven't already). Find an experienced local attorney to give you a FREE personalized case review here.

Best of luck,

Law Guy

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