Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/15/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had Attorney S***** ***** do a case for me in 1998 pertaining to OPM. In 2023 the issue came up again. I gave a retainer fee of $3000.00 and paid another $1800.00. Never did hear a denial from merit protection board. Then I received a letter from OPM again demanding money. D**** ********** called me 5 times in one day demanding funds., then I guess he cried on K**** ********** shoulder and she called and e-mail me demanding funds. I have never had any dealings with these people. Yajaira Alvarado and Attorney S***** ***** has always been professional and showed respect to this 74 year old disabled veteran who served 30 years for the government. I has requested all files be sent to me. I have asked Attorney S***** ***** to call me. I also requested Yajaira Alvarado to call me. Just Sad that people are under so much pressure they talked down to me., very rude. Cancel my case without why no denial letter from merit protection board . Price is very high and charges I asked to show all billing documents which D**** and K**** were so rude., making statements I did not say.. S***** ***** did a good job in 1998., but charged me $6800.00 for a case that has no denial or any win. Now I have to pay $61780.00 and $6800.00 to them. Why do veterans ask for help., if we get chewed out from employees of the firm. Just sad.. please sent me a statement where $6800.00 went., and all files pertaining to case. Thank you.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/22/2023

  I received a link to the above notice of the complaint in my email this morning, 05/22/2023. I opened it this afternoon and have been asked to respond to it.

  As the respected veteran and civil servant stated above, attorney B**** previously handled a case on his behalf 25 years ago. Attorney B**** also handled a consultation on his behalf a couple years ago on a separate matter. Attorney B**** was kind enough to reduce his consult fee by more than half. Even though the fee was reduced, the fee was never paid. We do not usually allow claimants to rehire us until their IOU's are paid, but attorney B**** does care about veterans and civil servants deeply. Therefore, he forgave his debt and took his case in 2021. 

  The 2021 retainer agreement was an hourly fee agreement, not a flat fee retainer agreement; signed by both parties. The respected man was provided full accountings of all fees earned, all deposits applied, and all payments applied, including details of the work completed on his case, including dates/times, who did it, how long they spent on what they did, and what each entry cost. I do not handle this duty at the firm, but just now confirmed these were emailed to him at the email address to which he corresponds regularly with our firm.  Additionally, I just now requested a complete accounting summary AND a complete copy of the respected man's case file to be sent to him via mail.  

  To summary, the attorneys reviewed his case and decided it was good timing to close the gentleman's case in order to prevent him from incurring unnecessary fees while awaiting an agency decision. Working with government agencies is often a slow process. The attorney felt keeping it open didn't outweigh accruing a large bill to keep us on retainer while little was happening with his case. After the attorney discussed this with the claimant, the paralegal was instructed to close the case and the billing coordinator was instructed to reach out to the gentleman and to work with him on his balance with direct payment arrangements where he would not accrue any interest. When D**** spoke to the gentlemen, he was met immediately with frustration and demanded to speak to the legal staff, but his case was closed. D**** was told by his paralegal that she isn't allowed to speak with claimants when their case is closed, so he called him back. The gentleman began telling him his case was not supposed to be closed because he and attorney B**** were personal friends of many years and, again, demanded a call back from the paralegal or attorney (of which neither were available). I intervened because I tell D**** was not sure what to do, and I figured I would hopefully be able to help him or figure out how to help him. USUALLY when people are frustrated, there is some sort of miscommunication, we just have to re-trace the steps. But I was met with insults and hostility.

  When I called, the gentleman immediately picked up. I introduced myself and told him attorney B**** wasn't available and said I would try to assist him the best I could. He IMMEDIATELY decided he wouldn't speak to me and demanded to speak with S****. He told me he was S**** B****'s personal friend 20 years. I tried to speak and he talked over me asking me if I thought I was some kind of attorney, told me to have S**** B**** call him and hung up on me.  So, I sent him the email I will attach to this complaint letting him know I thought it was unfortunate the way this happened. 

  I have a huge admiration for my veterans. I also understand what it is like to pay a huge amount of attorneys fees and feel like it went nowhere. Attorney B**** did a TON of documented work on this gentleman's case, and our hope is the work he did will still win his case. I can COMPLETELY understand how frustrating it would feel if I felt like I was paying money and had no idea where it was going, then was told I had to pay more, and the problem wasn't completely resolved. THAT is why I was calling. I wanted to try to find the resolution. And I still want to find resolution, because I don't like any veteran or person who has given their life to our country to feel the way he feels. But, I can only work with him as much as he will allow me to.

  I am happy to review/go over any part of his billing and I am willing to try to assist in any breakdown of communication to make this better. Just please let me know how and what I can do. However, my staff has now been directed by the attorneys (our bosses) to direct his correspondence toward me for resolution.   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/23/2023

  
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I disagree with attorneys. They answered the complaint as a well tight employee group. They need to come off the box as California attorneys talking as an attorney to a judge. D**** and K**** are disrespectful. Period. I know they are probably protected as regular low employment should be. Ok., please sent all documents., files., bills., receipts and any and all responses to Merit Protection Board., and OPM., Office of Personnel Management., anything in my files from 1998 to present., I pay my bills when I see what $7500 dollars was spent on. So far I have not received files., documents., receipts etc., from 1998 to present. Please respond with all everything bills., receipt of bills., how much was item. Etc. This case was not closed on my part., never signed anything to close case. I paid $7500.00 dollars to this firm and case was not done. Got demand letter from Office of Personnel for 61,900,00 dollars yesterday. I send it to this firm., they sent letter to say they closed case. Very rude., disrespectful employees. I am sure Attorney S***** ***** doesn’t even know the whole story., I have ask several times to sent me all receipts documents and file’s explaining where funds are distributed. To date this firm has not explained we’re my $7500.00 dollars went. I beg the system to ensure files are sent to me ASAP so I can hire a responsible attorney to get my $61 thousand dollars back. Sense this firm closed case for what reason. Funds were coming in monthly until they demanded 13,500.00 all in one day. Even a millionaire wouldn’t be able to pay until he got receipts for how much bandages cost. Charge me $350 an hour.,, but no files or receipts. I never seen a firm change so much from 1998 to present. Attorney S***** ***** actually won my case in 1998., that why I came to him., according to Office of personnel I didn’t win., that’s why they want 75 thousand dollars back., that why I brought the case back to him., now your office has been very disappointing and rude and disrespectful toward a senior 74 year old disabled veteran and refuse to sent me documents files and records and receipts to case and where you spend my funds. In the long run., it all comes around.,, thank you. Please just send all documents ASAP.
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  C**** *******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/25/2023

  I was and am willing to work with Mr. S****** regarding finding a remedy to his complaint. My dilemma, however, is understanding what he really seeks to make him happy. I can only do what is in my authority. I cannot get the attorney to respond to him. The legal staff will not speak to him at this time. He was informed he needed to speak with the billing staff. At the time of his previous billing with our firm, we had a
  similar problem. Mr. S****** was informed of our policy as it relates to attorneys not handling billing issues. He was directed to me because the situation was escalating. I am the person who handles client calls when clients become angry because we do not allow our employees to tolerate any sort of escalation from claimants. And I do recognize many of our clients are disabled veterans. I have worked with veterans,
  cancer survivors, as well as disabled workers of all kinds for many years. I make a significant effort to be kind and understanding to all people, not just our clients.

  I cannot go into details and do not wish to disparage Mr. S****** in any way, but I attest that I tried to work with him, but he was not cooperative and, as you can read in the letter, he hung up on me. And, now he is making personal attacks and claims that are not true. His claims of my actions being rude as well as claiming we didn't send information is absolutely false. Although I have no phone recording, I have
  provided the proof that his claims regarding not receiving the emails is false. Not only did he receive all copies of the billings, but he acknowledged each billing as received in a separate email.

  I apologize it took some time for the BBB claim but to get routed to me before I was able to respond, but my staff's response time to him has always been very timely. I have stayed late hours to review his file to make sure we handled his claim correctly. And we did.

  I already had the legal staff put together a copy of his file, which, as he was a client, he was emailed copies as the emails happened. I have now sent him a complete copy of the emails on OS/24/2023. A hard copy will go out in the mail OS/24/2023. I am also enclosing a copy of the retainer showing we were very clear about this being a fee per hour case that would require replenishment. Additionally, I have provided a billing summary and a complete copy of all his billings, which (as stated above) he has also not only received, but acknowledged he received. I will make sure this also gets sent to him via email and regular mail.

  I wish to find solutions sir. I do have some authority to wave some of his fees, but I am limited and can only waive a small portion. I am happy to do so, but he has to work with me or D**** in setting up a payment agreement in order to do so. And he cannot continue to speak poorly to any of my staff. And it is simply not possible to work things out with him if he hangs up on me. So, I am not sure how to accomplish resolution.

  Please note that the attorney he continues to demand to speak with is out of town another week, and I have asked the attorney, as a favor, when he comes back if he will be willing to speak with Mr. S******, but that is the most I can do. I have no control over this. I have already conveyed this message and he has been copied on the ongoing correspondence, but there is no reason for him to speak with him since he has no legal information to provide. The issues are STRICTLY billing related. He may not even be allowed to speak with him for legal reasons for which I am not privy. At this time all I can do is ask. Attorneys do not speak with clients about billing at our firm. That is our policy, and Mr. S****** is well aware of it. He is also aware that the retainer agreement states we can close his case for being non-cooperative. This is not new information for Mr. S******.

  In closing, I ask for anything you can do to provide me concrete actions or instruction that I can do to assist in finding a remedy for Mr. S******. This would be appreciated very much. As he has publicly disparaged our firm, my name, and the name of my other staff, I will let the paperwork show the facts and ask that you please remove his public derogatory comments because they are neither factual nor accurate.

  RespectfuIly,
  K**** **********, Office Manager
  B**** & Goodkin

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/25/2023

  
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: according to reports from customers this response happens often. K**** and D**** sent bills., which are not broken down. Like response to OPM . 10 minutes $250.00., not a single piece of paper explaining what was the response. Attorney and paralegal are not returning calls., cause I still have Office Of Personnel saying the case was not closed. Lawyer wants $13,500.00 more dollars to they say start another case. I paid $7500.00 for case that is still open. K**** closed the case on her own., she and D**** are responsible for all this. They feed the lawyers their side., they closed the case. I need documents or CD disk or file from 1998 to present. K**** responded that they don’t keep files that far back. I asked that Attorney S***** ***** send a statement to me telling me he won the case. This is evidence the court., Merits Protection Board needs to know that an Award granted me retirement of an amount of $ of 885.00 per month., social security was also won. And amount awarded by Judge. As I present this case., I have to show agreement made was settlement. Then I have to explain with 1998 documents that the $75000.00 thousand dollars is not right accounting documents from 1998 to present. I also have to file an EEOC case with 1998 documents and I have to file a case with Office of the inspector general. Also a motion to cover all attorneys fees when we go to US Federal Court. Without all documents from 1998. I have no prove of winning both social security and OPM Retirement. Social Security attorney have no problem with a letter explaining award by Judge in 1998. Very important to file. Thank you. Sad., that a 74 year old retired Army veteran has to be told your case is closed. Because I was paying every month on my case. I think they lost the case and just closed it. I hope the firm is not in trouble. Reading reviews on this firm relatively from reports and complaints., it’s not the first case where consumer has paid $6000.00 dollars and was done the same way. Seems a pattern has been set by this firm.
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  C**** *******