INDIANAPOLIS (Legal Newsline) - Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller announced the recovery on Thursday of partial or total refunds for close to 300 former patients of Allcare Dental & Dentures.
Many Allcare patients used a no-interest introductory rate healthcare credit card to finance dental procedures and dentures. In 2011, Allcare abruptly closed its locations in Muncie, Mishawaka, Lafayette, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville and Avon. The closure allegedly left Allcare patients with high interest rate payments and without their dentures or completed services.
The 294 consumers who filed complaints with Zoeller's office recently received more than $543,350 from the state's Consumer Protection Assistance Fund. Victims who received the CPAF payments alleged losses of more than $642,600 to Allcare.
Zoeller obtained a consent judgment against Allcare last year, but the company declared bankruptcy and consumer restitution went unpaid.
"Allcare's actions were particularly egregious as customers were left in the dark and many paid thousands of dollars upfront for their dental procedures or dentures," Zoeller said. "Thanks to the state legislature for creating the Consumer Protection Assistance Fund, we were able to tap into it to make distributions to those harmed."
Patients alleged losses of between $69 and $9,125. The state was able to pay the alleged victims the total amount owed up to $3,000, the maximum allowed under the CPAF.
The CPAF is a fund made up of funds awarded to the state via judgments against companies that violate consumer protection laws. Zoeller's office may use the funds to reimburse consumers in matters where judgments are granted but restitution is not.
Ind. dental patients to see refunds from Allcare
