Jack
We’ll call him Jack, though that’s not his real name. He’s a friend of a friend.
He’s 63 years ol, but looks older. Gray hair, gray beard, weathered face.still dresses like the “hippie” he was in his youth — jeans, boots, a t shirt from a classic rock band, a bandanna tied around his head. You can just imagine him sharing a smoke with Jerry Garcia.
He’s twice divorced, with grown kids from his first marriage , so he’s basically on his own. He supports himself with his Social Security benefits and a low-paying job sweeping up and running errands.
A few years ago he suffered a stroke, which as left him with significant cognitive impairment.
Last year Jack ran into a bit of legal trouble. He was summoned to jury duty, and one of his friends told him "You don't have to go, I'll take care of it." She didn't "take care of it." He got several additional notices from the Commissioner of Jurors, which he gave to his friend, who did nothing. Then he got a notice threatening him with arrest, and he was scared.
So I went to court with him, and explained to the clerk that Jack should be exempt from jury duty because of his post-stroke impairments.
One note from his doctor, and Jack no longer has to worry about being summoned for jury duty.
I still want to kill his "friend", she could have saved him a lot of grief if she'd sent the doctor's note when Jack brought her the first jury summons.
Last week, Jack told me he had another problem, he needed my help again. His Social Security checks are direct deposited into his bank account. Last week he went to the bank to withdrw the money, and found out his bank account was frozen.
Apparently he owes thousands of dollars to the neurologist who treated him when he had the stroke. the neurologist has a judgement against him, and filed a lien against the bank account.
As an attorney, I'm curious to know how that happened, since Jack never got any legal papers from the doctor's lawyers. But nevertheless, the lien was filed, and Jack can't get his Social Security money out of the bank.
First order of business is for Jack to go to Social Security and cancel direct deposit — that’s something you can’t do on line (I know, I tried.). And then I'm sending him to a free legal clinic to see if they can help him get out from under the judgment.
What is wrong with this country anyhow? The amount Jack owes the doctor is at least 2-3 times what Jack earns in a year, maybe more. And Jack tells me he had medical insurance... It's just crazy.
And there's more.
Jack smokes. He's been smoking cigarettes since his teens. He went to the doctor a few weeks ago about a persistent cough....he had a biopsy, and the results are not good. He was recently hospitalized...
I am so worried for him.
He’s 63 years ol, but looks older. Gray hair, gray beard, weathered face.still dresses like the “hippie” he was in his youth — jeans, boots, a t shirt from a classic rock band, a bandanna tied around his head. You can just imagine him sharing a smoke with Jerry Garcia.
He’s twice divorced, with grown kids from his first marriage , so he’s basically on his own. He supports himself with his Social Security benefits and a low-paying job sweeping up and running errands.
A few years ago he suffered a stroke, which as left him with significant cognitive impairment.
Last year Jack ran into a bit of legal trouble. He was summoned to jury duty, and one of his friends told him "You don't have to go, I'll take care of it." She didn't "take care of it." He got several additional notices from the Commissioner of Jurors, which he gave to his friend, who did nothing. Then he got a notice threatening him with arrest, and he was scared.
So I went to court with him, and explained to the clerk that Jack should be exempt from jury duty because of his post-stroke impairments.
One note from his doctor, and Jack no longer has to worry about being summoned for jury duty.
I still want to kill his "friend", she could have saved him a lot of grief if she'd sent the doctor's note when Jack brought her the first jury summons.
Last week, Jack told me he had another problem, he needed my help again. His Social Security checks are direct deposited into his bank account. Last week he went to the bank to withdrw the money, and found out his bank account was frozen.
Apparently he owes thousands of dollars to the neurologist who treated him when he had the stroke. the neurologist has a judgement against him, and filed a lien against the bank account.
As an attorney, I'm curious to know how that happened, since Jack never got any legal papers from the doctor's lawyers. But nevertheless, the lien was filed, and Jack can't get his Social Security money out of the bank.
First order of business is for Jack to go to Social Security and cancel direct deposit — that’s something you can’t do on line (I know, I tried.). And then I'm sending him to a free legal clinic to see if they can help him get out from under the judgment.
What is wrong with this country anyhow? The amount Jack owes the doctor is at least 2-3 times what Jack earns in a year, maybe more. And Jack tells me he had medical insurance... It's just crazy.
And there's more.
Jack smokes. He's been smoking cigarettes since his teens. He went to the doctor a few weeks ago about a persistent cough....he had a biopsy, and the results are not good. He was recently hospitalized...
I am so worried for him.
There are so many "Jacks" in our town as well. Harmless and lost.
ReplyDeleteGreat that you were able to help him out. You're a good friend to have. Insane that there's a judgement against him that he never heard about. You'd think they should inform him.
ReplyDelete