Health Care
My mate Mally is still paying for the healthcare he recieved in the US. 12 years ago.

He got hit by a pick up truck, was flown to hospital by helicopter and spent 2 weeks in ICU, followed by 3 weeks of rehab before getting sent back to the UK. He wasnt insured. The hospital hounded him for years, and he pays them back monthly, at about £700 a pop.

He has paid back about half of the $198 THOUSAND he owes yet. The hospital bill (before his lawyers intervened) was originally $400K. Apparently if you are uninsured, you play a game. They make up ridiculous numbers and so do you. You do this for a while until they get annoyed and make all sorts of threats.

I've told him to stop paying, see what happens, surely there's no jurisdiction over here but he keeps on paying.

America is shit.
( I have run out of coke is a little sweaty, Tue 16 Mar 2010, 15:41, 11 replies)

Good job we have the NHS
The amount of timesme and my mates have drunkenly broken a finger or any other alcohol related injury, we'd be in a fair bit of debt, too.
Not quite as much as your Mally, though
( RossThePiper Stretch Armstrong is my Father, Tue 16 Mar 2010, 15:56, closed)

I'm pretty sure nothing would happen if he stopped paying.

I don't think civil debts can be enforced over international borders.

I could be wrong, and he would almost certainly either not be allowed back to the US or be chased by an army of legbreakers when he gets there, but I don't think a lot will happen otherwise.

Also, did the pickup driver's insurance not foot the bill?
(Flap Burger hasn't really got a burger made of flaps, Tue 16 Mar 2010, 16:03, closed)

A quick Google brought up
"If there is no such [reciprocal] agreement in place, a creditor can sell a debt to an agency in the relevant country and debt recovery procedures will commence under the law of that land."
(Iggy Pop's Teeth, Wed 17 Mar 2010, 12:38, closed)

I'll never understand
how seemingly the most "developed" country in the world can have a health service that works that way.
( baw__bag contains traces of nuts on, Tue 16 Mar 2010, 17:29, closed)

So true.
As an uninsured American I approve this message.
(TheWonderfulWombat It came to me in a dream., Tue 16 Mar 2010, 18:08, closed)

stop paying
Your friend should definitely stop paying. If he stops paying, the creditor will have to file a lawsuit against him. Once the lawsuit is filed, they have to show that the court has jurisdiction over him, and that he can be properly served with the court papers (process). Even if they can show both and get a judgment against him, they then have to find a way to enforce that judgment. Unless he's in the US in the same jurisdiction or has property in that jurisdiction, the creditor doesn't have many options for enforcing it (e.g., I don't think they can take his property in the UK, or that they can get jurisdiction over his employer to get a wage garnishment, etc. - there's probably some treaty about this).

Does his agreement with the hospital say that he will pay their costs and attorneys' fees? If not, they aren't going to want to spend the money to go through the lawsuit here and then pursue the judgment across the pond. They'll likely just send him harassing mail and maybe make harassing phone calls (e.g., "this will ruin your credit rating...").

If he was hit by a truck, why didn't the driver's car insurance cover it? They'd have a much easier time getting the money from the driver of the truck.

Better yet, send one final check and write on the check that it is payment in full of a disputed debt or that it is an "accord and satisfaction." I think that still works in some states.

Just a few thoughts from an American lawyer. If it were me, I'd stop paying.
( kingoffools, Tue 16 Mar 2010, 18:31, closed)

So what baout the driver of the pickup truck?
or was he doing that radically using legs thingie
therefore clearly a commie who got what he deserved
(Littlesirjohn sprung up his head and so amazed them all., Tue 16 Mar 2010, 21:09, closed)

I know
a lot of skaters who have stitched themselves up after accidents. OUCH. Not that it helps your mate but DIY healthcare works! for a split lip. Otherwise it makes me grateful even more for the NHS.
( Herb Alpert's Taxi Driver I have very beautiful lips, Tue 16 Mar 2010, 22:25, closed)

keep paying
all the court has to do is lodge the decree in a court in the uk and its very much enforceable. they might also get a bit huffy at this expense and tag that on to the bill
(Clashrock is being stalked by his brother on, Wed 17 Mar 2010, 11:29, closed)

keep paying
Pretty sure if you stop paying it means you're a terrorist. He could be rendered by the CIA and raped in an Egyptian prison before turning up in Guantanamo.
( Sextant goes to him is emotionally erect, on this day, Wed 17 Mar 2010, 15:02, closed)

driver of the pickup truck
did a runner, never was found. It was the middle of nowhere, and not Vegas where they have state of the art forensic labs and teams of attractive people who dedicate entire shifts to one case and also go out and arrest people. Forensically.
( I have run out of coke is a little sweaty, Thu 18 Mar 2010, 9:17, closed)