Malvern, PA Bankruptcy Collection for Creditors
In this case, a client came to us seeking assistance with retrieving money that was given to a company that went out of business. The client paid the company $25,000 as a down payment for a future service, but the company went under before the service was performed. After two years of attempting to get the money, the client came to us and we were able to retrieve the full $25,000 from the company.
Norristown, PA Loan Workout Cases
A client came to us after falling behind on their bills and quickly found themselves in debt. They had a $6,500 car loan with monthly payments of $250, with a monthly interest rate of 3.6%. They could no longer afford to pay the loan off, but needed the car so that they could commute to work. We were able to work with the bank to change the loan to monthly payments of $190 and an interest rate of 4.1%. This gave the client a chance to live comfortably with their paychecks and keep their car.
Wyncote, PA diminution of value
This client had a car accident and he was injured. He went to a different law office and after his medical treatment was over, they settled the car accident case. As part of the settlement he signed a general release, but crossed out the part that mentioned claims for property damage, thinking that would allow him to pursue the property damage claim later. He planned to settle the personal injury case and pursue the diminished value case by himself with the help of his brother, who was a car salesman. We did not accept his case. A general release is a final settlement of any and all claims arising from the accident, and is usually enforced even if there is some ambiguity. In this case, the change he made did not allow her to pursue her claim.
WHEN WE PURSUE A PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM, WE PURSUE THE DIMINISHED VALUE CLAIM AT THE SAME TIME TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO OUR CLIENTS.
Yardley, PA business bankruptcy
This client was a self employed business man in Royersford. His business declined after his main supplier went out of business. Before the decline he had 5 trucks, two drivers, and $300,000.00 in debt to other suppliers, credit cards and others. We filed a chapter 13 case, reduced his debt to 2 cents on the dollar, he abandoned 2 of his vehicles and he is continuing in business. At the completion of the case, we expect he will wipe out $294,000.00 in debt and continue in business.
Lancaster, PA diminished value appraisal
Our client was struck while at a stop. He did not want to take time off to get the estimates of repairs so we arranged for our appraiser to go to his house and do the appraisal. The appraiser came back with an estimate and we settled the case for $12,000.00 just based on the appraisal, without a court hearing.
Bucks County, PA property damage
A client had a lawn care company for her lawn for many years. Her lawn became brown and unattractive, so she complained. The company said they had to use different chemicals to get rid of an invasive weed. They used the chemical, but the problem didn't go away. She persistently complained and each time was told that a different treatment was need, and each time she was charged for it. The company denied any wrongdoing but eventually another company came in, put down new sod, and the former lawn care company had to reimburse the homeowner for the cost of repair.
Pottstown, PA car accident property damage
A client had a car accident, and the car had $16,000.00 in damage. The client went to the emergency room, but had no other medical treatment and returned to work without missing any time. The client went to an attorney who told her the case had no merit, because her injuries wouldn't justify the time and cost of a lawsuit. She came to us and we settled the property damage claim for the full amount of the diminished value of the vehicle.
Media Pennsylvania, PA car accident diminished value
A client had a car accident, and she had a limited tort insurance policy. She was advised that the limited tort policy prevented her claim because she did not sustain any personal injuries. We settled her diminished value claim for $14,000.00.
Pennsylvania, PA diminished value appraisal
A driver was referred to our office by an out of state independent adjuster for a diminished value claim that he could not resolve. The driver had a late model car with less than 10,0000 miles. The owner was told that he needed an appraisal for the value to be established. Even though he got the diminished value appraisal, he was then told the care needed to be traded in or sold to establish the value of the damages. We got a value without an appraisal or sale, and the case was settled out of court for $14,000.00.
Pennsylvania, PA Auto Accident property damage
A driver was in a car accident, but didn't get hurt. He had property damage to his car, which never seemed right again after the accident. He checked for a vehicle history on line and found out his car lost a lot of value. He couldn't find an attorney to handle his case because he had no personal injury. He was referred to our office by another attorney. He traded in his damaged vehicle, settled his diminished value claim without an appraisal, and used the money he got from the settlement to pay down the loan on the new car.
Philadelphia, PA bankruptcy case
A client came to us as his business was failing due to the economy. He had a primary residence and a second home. He filed a chapter 13 case to save both of the homes, but when his primary residence was appraised he found out that he had no equity because the price had dropped below the amount of his loans. He changed his primary residence to the vacation home, which had equity and was current, abandoned the first home, and converted his case to a chapter 7. He kept his vacation home, which he now used as his primary residence, and discharged all of his unsecured debt.
Allentown, PA diminished value lawyer
A client came to us who owned an SUV with only 9,000 miles on it when it was struck while stopped at a stop sign. The other driver got a citation. The repairs were over $10,000.00. The owner tried to resolve the matter himself, checked the value of his car on carfax.com, and was told by the at-fault insurance carrier that diminished value cases are not recognized in Pennsylvania. After twenty two months of negotiations, phone calls and work, and only two months before the statue of limitations expired, the owner contacts us. He could not get the insurance company to pay. We filed suit to protect the statute of limitations, and the case settled within three months for the full amount demanded without going to a single court appearance.
Norristown, PA diminution of value attorney
Our client had a new, collectible car, and took it to the dealer for routine maintenance. One of the dealer’s employees took the car for a road test and to pick up a spare part for another car. He was in an accident with a truck owned and operated by a third party, causing our client’s car to be badly damaged. We tried to settle the claim but then sued the dealer, the dealer’s employee the truck owner and truck driver. Our client’s car was totaled, but had a salvage value. We won against all defendants for total damages less the salvage value. The award was entered against all defendants, and therefore all three defendants together, or any one of them, were liable for all of the damages.
Philadelphia, PA personal property damage attorney
Our client made a claim by herself for repairs caused by a car accident, and also demanded “depreciated value due to negligence” from the insurance company. The insurance company denied her claim, saying first, that there is no legal claim for “depreciated value” and that even if her claim were resubmitted as a “diminished value for property damage” claim it would be denied as diminished value claims aren’t recognized in Pennsylvania. We sued and the trial court found in her favor on her claims for repair costs from the collision, but denied her damages for loss of value to her vehicle. This was appealed and overruled, and on appeal it was decided that when a plaintiff recovered the cost of repairs to her damaged vehicle, she was not limited to those costs but also had a claim for residual diminution in value when it could be shown that the repairs were insufficient to restore the vehicle to its pre-collision value.
Abington, PA Car accident lawyer
Our clients were a mother and son involved in a head on car collision. The son was the driver, and he sustained sprains and strains. His mother was a passenger, and she sustained broken ribs and sternum and internal injuries, and later died from her injuries. An erratic driver lost control of his car, crossed over the centerline on the street and struck our clients. Both clients wore seat belts, but their older car did not have airbags. The son-driver couldn’t work for several months, and his wage loss was more than $15,000. The driver who caused all of this had only the minimum liability insurance coverage of $15,000 and no other assets. The son had a truck of his own, and shared his house with his mother who had two vehicles, and all their vehicles had insurance policies. We settled the injury and death claims against all the insurance companies for over $300,000.00.
Philadelphia, PA fall down accident attorney
Our client went to a fundraiser for a local non-profit organization. She arrived by car and was told where to park and how to get into the event. She followed the instructions and bought an admission ticket. At the ticket table a crowd had gathered waiting for their chance to buy a ticket. After she got her ticket, she had to make her way through the crowd to go into the building to the main activities. The walkway was not smooth and had no guardrail and no warning about the step up. The crowd blocked her view of the defect in the walkway. She fell onto the walkway, fracturing her hip. She was removed from the premises by an ambulance and required surgery to repair her hip with a pin. Her medical insurance provider had a subrogation claim against any money she might receive. The case settled for $200,000 and the medical insurance provider agreed to compromise their subrogation claim, and the client got a substantial amount of money, free and clear.
Glenside, PA chapter 7 bankruptcy attorney
Our client was a retired woman who lived with her husband. They owned their house free and clear. The house was valued at $212,000 and had no mortgages against it. Before filing her bankruptcy, the client had $199,000 of debt that she accumulated when she co-signed some loans to help out her grandchildren. For her grandson, she co-signed a loan for a business. The business failed so the grandson moved to Florida and he did not pay the loans. She also helped out her granddaughter by cosigning for some furniture. The granddaughter promised to pay for the furniture, but couldn’t get credit on her own. The granddaughter did not pay for the furniture. Our client had Social Security income of $500 and was working full time, plus overtime, at a local factory in order to pay off the loans that she guaranteed for her grandson and granddaughter. She was paying close to $3,000 a month on these loans, and in addition was unable to pay on her own credit cards because she was paying on these debts of her grandchildren.
After the chapter 7 bankruptcy case, she was able to keep her home, all her possessions, and her income. Her lifestyle didn’t change, except that a lot of debt was wiped out. She was able to keep her home free and clear of any claims because in Pennsylvania there is a “tenants by entirety” homestead exemption. Before the bankruptcy, the client was putting 100% of her earnings, plus her Social Security income, into paying off debts of her grandchildren; however, after the bankruptcy, she was able to have a surplus each month of $750.
King of Prussia, PA chapter 7 lawyer
This client is an unmarried man with no real estate in his name. His mother had a business, as did the son. When the mother became ill, the son tried to take care of her and run her business and his business, all at the same time. Prior to the bankruptcy, he had accumulated $187,457 of unsecured debt, primarily on credit cards, which he used to finance his business. He also had $12,000 in secured debt, which was for his vehicle. He had a collection with a value of $2,000, sports equipment, watches and rings worth $1,800, a vested profit sharing plan with a previous employer with a balance of $16,000, and other household belongings. He had a job before the bankruptcy where his net take home pay for the month was just under $3,000. His business was a part-time business he ran out of his house, and his income from that business was $836 per month. His expenses before bankruptcy exceeded all of his income, and the creditors were starting to call him and start lawsuits to get paid. The bankruptcy allowed him to wipe out the entire $187,457 of unsecured debt, keep his job, keep his small business, and he was able to have a $632 surplus at the end of every month. In addition, he was able to keep his car, keep his sports equipment, watches and rings, vested pension plan and his collection worth about $2,000.
Southampton, PA Bankruptcy lawyer chapter 13
Our client was a married man who refinanced his house a year earlier, and intended to put his second wife on the title deed. However, the title company made a mistake, and forgot to add her name to the deed. At the time, the house was worth $194,000 and had two mortgages on it, and the total of the two mortgages was $144,000. He had two older vehicles, a Porsche and a Lexus, and he had a IRA with a value of $65,000. He also had household belongings worth about $5,500 and other assorted items. His credit card and other unsecured debt totaled $235,000. Prior to the bankruptcy, he was unable to make payments; he was about to fall behind on his mortgage and creditors were beginning to sue him and make claims to get payment. After filing bankruptcy, he was able to keep his house, his 401k, and all his possessions. He had to file a Chapter 13 plan, which required him to make payments every month to the court appointed trustee and in addition keep current on his house payments and other secured debt. Over the course of the five-year plan, he paid his unsecured creditors $34,000, about 15 cents on the dollar. His completed his plan successfully, and his unsecured creditors cannot come after him for the balance.
Alfred M. Abel Law Offices
