Opinion ID: 2392723
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Matter A

Text: In Matter A, a client complained that Respondent failed to pay medical providers out of the settlement proceeds of a personal injury case, resulting in a tax lien being placed on the client and negatively impacting the client's credit rating. In Respondent's Answer, she contended that she delayed in paying the surgeon and chiropractor because of uncertainty as to whether Medicaid had paid the doctors and placed a statutory lien on the settlement proceeds, or whether Respondent was to pay the doctors directly. Respondent maintained that as soon as she resolved the Medicaid lien question she paid the medical providers. Respondent paid the medical providers more than a year after she received the settlement proceeds on behalf of the client in Matter A. Respondent did not deposit the amounts necessary to pay medical providers into the trust account, and finally paid the providers out of her office account.