EAST ST. LOUIS – A Union County woman says a hospital’s lawsuit against her over a debt is without merit because she was making payments under a plan both parties had approved.
Diane Robertson filed a lawsuit May 4 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against Professional Account Services Inc., alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act.
According to the complaint, Robertson incurred a debt to Union County Hospital on Nov. 20, 2014, that was subsequently assigned to Professional Account Services for collection. In January 2015, the suit says Robertson reached an agreement with the defendant to make an initial payment of $58.77 that month, followed by monthly payments of $50 until the debt was covered. Despite making payments under the agreement, Robertson claims attorneys representing the hospital filed suit against her over the debt.
The plaintiff seeks statutory damages of $1,000, plus additional damages and litigation costs. She is represented by attorney John D. Alleman of the Alleman Law Firm PC in Carbondale.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois Case number 3:16-cv-00499-MJR-PMF