Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/20/2024

  Type:Service or Repair 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 hired ***** Wendler, attorney for my divorce and child custody case which was filed on 06/08/2022. He filed to drop my case on 10/30/2024 with the courts. I paid him in full for the remaining bills for the divorce and child custody case. He used the money that I paid him for some bills on a prior worker's comp case that was just finalized. He didn't asked my permission to do this. Now I am having problems getting a new attorney. He really didn't do anything for me. He didn't follow up on things and didn't keep me informed. Several attorneys that I spoke to said they couldn't believe he left me in a big mess. Plus, I had a new worker's comp case. He also dropped it after 2 weeks. He didn't do anything on this case. I will never use him again or refer anyone to him. I feel I should get my divorce money back asap.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/28/2024

  ******* ******** claim is completely baseless.  I asked him via text to permit me to reveal my communications with him to allow me to respond but he refuses to answer.  Most of my communications with him are protected by the attorney client and work product privileges meaning I cannot reveal those discussions without my former client's permission.  Because he refuses to respond to my request seeking permission to reveal our communications, I cannot legally or ethically fully respond. That said, I can tell you that outside of my client relationship with him, he took money from me and was supposed to fix my riding mower.  I paid for new parts for him to rebuild the engine.  He took the money and after many months of delay, he finally brought the mower back claiming he rebuilt it.  When I tried to mow with it, it had very little power such that the blades would not cut the grass due to lack of power.  Another mechanic friend looked at it and discovered that ******* ****** did not rebuild the mower.  Instead, he purchased a used replacement engine that had virtually no compression.  He lied to me about rebuilding the mower.  Similarly, I hired him to erect a fence because he claimed to be experienced in that work.  After one day on the job he was fired because he did nothing except sit on a bucket and watch others work.

  His claim that I owe him anything is wrong.  He failed to mention that the money he claims I took was money he owed to the doctor *** treated him for his work comp claim injury.  He promised to pay that doctor in writing but reneged.  The funds I paid the doctor were funds allocated to my office for our work.  I gave that money to the doctor so he would not be left unpaid. That, in turn, left my office unpaid.  His report to you about me or my office is a slap in the face.  He stiffed us and now complains to you about it without telling the truth or the ***le story.  He owes me and my business money.
  

  I have no idea what he means by I left his divorce case in bad shape, I failed to communicate or whatever else he claims.  His claim that "several" other lawyers have made comments is typical for him.  He does not tell us how, what, why or ***.  ******* ****** owes me and my firm money.  If and when he ever authorizes me to reveal our communications and info from his legal file, I can respond further in detail.  I must insist that he authorize this in writing so that he can never deny it.  Please ask him to supply that authorization.  With such authorization, we can supply documents in addition to information.
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/03/2025

  Complaint: ********
  
  I have reviewed the business' response and am rejecting it because first my claims are not baseless as he says.  I always answered his communications.  A while back a close friend of mine lost his child after a swimming accident.  I helped get him out of the pool and performed CPR. This was a very difficult time for me since I am very close to the whole family.  I needed space for a month or so to mourn the lost of a dear friend.  I had a friend tell my attorney I needed space for a while.  This is why he dropped me and my cases, because I wasn't talke to anyone.

  I am ataching the breakdown and distribution of worker comp award dated 6/13/24.  As you can see that workers comp didn't pay Doctor ******** bills as they were required too.  They should pay the full amont.  If the lein was reduced to $11000 and I paid $3127 was wasn't the $7783 reduced.  I always thought half of $11000 was $5500.  The $11000 should have been taken out of my check before anything else if worker's comp included it in the check.  This should have been paid before the attorney took out his fees and expenses out ofc the check.  I truely believe his fees would have been less.  If you review his fiqures it looks like the doctor's bills were not taken off the top before other bills.  His numbers just don't seem to add up as well.  
  

  Also the hourly billing on the credit card cases, he told me he would write of the $5000.  It looks like he used my divorce retainer of $5000 for the credit card cases.  He should also explain about the dirty pictures that was sent to his office.  It was not my wive like he was saying.  This was why he said he would write off the $5000 but it looks like he used his divorce retainer to pay this.

  I was referring peopld to him but not anymore
  ****** 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/03/2025

  I was referring people to him but not anymore.  He said he would pay me a referral fee once he got the client he never paid me.  

  I dont know why he is bringing up stuff that isn't related to my legal cases.  What he said about the work that I did for him is not true.  I worked with 2 other people on the fence.  No one sat around on the job.  His wife kept coming out and bossing us around and tell us what to do.  My one friend and I worked for the same company for over 2 years.  We knew what we were doing.  Also, everything about the lawn mower is untrue.  I told him that I has a used engine that he could use till I got his enging done.  He was okay with this.  Once I got his engine done I told him I couldn't guarantee it the work,  I was never paid for my time either.  

  I am still not divorce and I am not even any closer to seeing my child.  I will not disclose any attorney's I spoken too.  They thought after all this time I should be closer to a finalizeed divorce and settling things about my child.  I will not authorize him to release any of my filels.  He couldn't have texted me to sign an authorization form since he is blocked on my phone.  I lost all faith in him and I don't trust him anymore.  

  ******* ******

  Business Response

  Date: 01/07/2025

  See attached response and attached screen shot.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/13/2025

  Complaint: ********
  
  I have reviewed the business' response and am rejecting it because:   ***** ******* is not very professional.  Anyone in business should never call a client or previous client a liar, like he has been doing. I feel other people should know not to use him in the future.

  He keeps bringing up the lawn mower and the fence.  These items have nothing to do with my legal cases and the money he took from me.  I noticed he didn't respond to the subject of the dirty pictures.  He was going to write-off $5000 because of this.  He ended up taking the money from my worker's comp check.

  I blocked him from the phone on Oct 28th after the court case, when he told the court he was dropping me as my attorney,  If he sent the text on Dec 27th, I didn't get it.  It would show the text was delivered even if it didn't go through.  

  As for the doctor's bill, it should have been paid by worker's comp.  Since the bill wasnt paid ***** Wendler should have fought for me more than he did.  The bill should have been deducted from the check before anything else was.  This includes his bills and expenses.  I really believe that  his fees would have been less.  I would think this is illegal the way he did it.  He wouldn't have needed my $5000 from my divorce if it was done correctly.

  I really want this complaint to go on his BBB file, so people can see he is not a very professional attorney and he takes money that should have done to the client.
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ******