Opinion ID: 1167668
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The Dunn Matter

Text: In January 1984, petitioner was retained by Kathleen Dunn to represent her in an action for personal injuries she suffered in an automobile accident. Petitioner advised Dunn that he intended to contact the insurance company and file a complaint, and that he would take care of all her medical bills through the insurance company. Dunn signed a medical release authorizing her physical therapy service to furnish petitioner with reports of all treatment incurred and directing petitioner to pay all medical bills due and owing. Petitioner duly contacted the insurance company for the party who injured Dunn but thereafter failed to respond to any of the letters from the insurer requesting information necessary to evaluate Dunn's claim. Dunn spoke with petitioner on several occasions thereafter about late notices that she was receiving for unpaid medical bills, and he assured her he would take care of them. A subsequent credit check, however, revealed that one of the medical bills remained unpaid. Subsequent calls to petitioner went unreturned. Over the next several months, Dunn wrote petitioner three separate letters requesting information and assistance in clearing the negative report on her credit history, and reminding petitioner of the statute of limitations on her claim. Petitioner did not respond to any of the letters. Petitioner did not file an action and the statute of limitations expired on Dunn's claim. Thereafter, Dunn retained another attorney who attempted to contact petitioner. His efforts were unsuccessful. Dunn's new attorney commenced an action against petitioner for malpractice and negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Petitioner did not answer the complaint and a judgment was entered against him in the sum of $116,113. At the time of the hearing, with the exception of $93 garnished from petitioner's bank account, petitioner had not made any payments on the judgment. The State Bar Court found that petitioner wilfully failed to perform the services for which he had been retained. By his conduct, the State Bar Court concluded that petitioner wilfully violated rule 6-101(A)(2) and sections 6068 and 6103.