QUESTION
What can I legally do if dad is refusing to give information regarding settlement money and refusing to deposit paper checks?
Asked on Jul 17th, 2016 on Personal Injury - California
More details to this question:
I am 18 years old (legal adult) and my parents recently got divorced. I will be receiving 2 settlements from recent car accidents. He has recently taken over $6,500.00 from one of my settlements prior, claiming that he worked to negotiate the settlement to that amount from insurance companies. The insurance companies and attorneys call my estranged father (who I no longer live with) and he has been negotiating with them on my behalf without my consent. He is refusing to give me the number of who to speak with regarding this matter as well. I recently saw that he has a paper check under my name equal to $4,000.00 but he claims he cannot deposit the check into my account yet because he is negotiating attorney’s fees. I do not want him negotiating any further, as I do not trust that that is true. Is there a way I can call the insurance to affirm that attorneys want to take some of that settlement? He is also withholding information from me regarding a second settlement from a car accident I was involved in equaling about $15,000. He has been speaking with the insurance companies on my behalf there as well (without my consent). What can I do regarding this issue? Is there a way I can contact insurance companies broadly and go from there? I am willing to take legal action.
2 ANSWERS
Since your are legally an adult, he can not do anything without your approval. If there are attorneys involved that he hired [he can not charge an attorney's fee for his own work], contact them and relate what is going on and get the insurance contact numbers from them. If he is the only one involved, point out to him that his taking money from you is illegal and can get him arrested. He should not be able to cash any checks because they would be in your name. Demand all the money back; if he has spent some of it, inform the insurance company and ask how they could give him any money and they legally should pay you those funds and go after him for reimbursement.
Answered on Aug 19th, 2016 at 7:21 PM
Edwin K. Niles
You should taker charge immediately. Contact the insurance companies, and they will track down the adjuster handling your cases.
Answered on Aug 18th, 2016 at 6:15 PM