Statute of limitations

by Lance
(Grants Pass Oregon)

I was told that a medical bill can still be collected on from 10 years ago in oregon because the hospital is a municipal corperation. I had the Oregon health plan and all other bills concerning this injury was covered. I just heard that I owed money for the first time the other day when a collection agency served me papers.ten years after the incident.

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Jun 30, 2015
 Moregon
by: Anonymous

No statue of limitation for any debt including medical if it is city,county,or community owned.I just went through this.

Reply from DebtCollectionAnswers.com:

Thanks for this. If you have more information we'd welcome it.
Feb 17, 2012
 Statute of limitations
by: Debtcollectionanswers

Lance:

No matter what kind of debt you owe, medical debt or some other kind of debt, the creditor or collector can continue trying to collect on it using calls and letters until you pay it. There is no time limit on that.

What there is a time limit on however is how long you can be sued for the money you owe. That time limit is called the statute of limitation (SOL). There are different SOLs for different kinds of debt and each state establishes its own. When the SOL on a debt expires, you cannot be sued for the money you owe and if you are sued, you can use the fact that the SOL has run out to get the lawsuit dismissed. The time period for an SOL begins on the date that you miss your first payment on a debt that you owe.

I am not an attorney, but my sources indicate that medical debt in Oregon has a 6-year SOL. So, if by being "served papers" you mean you were sued for the money you owe and the last payment made on the debt was longer than 6 years ago, the collection agency is not entitled to sue you. Therefore, you can use that fact at the hearing related to the lawsuit to get the lawsuit dismissed.

I recommend however that you confirm the SOL on your debt by getting in touch with a consumer law attorney in your area who helps people resolve their debt collection problems. You may also want the attorney to help you with the lawsuit.

One other thing, when you incur a medical debt (or any other type of debt) it is your responsibility to make sure that it is paid, even if you have insurance.

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