LAS VEGAS (Legal Newsline) – A Nevada law firm has asked a federal court to intervene in its attempt to collect more than $40,000 in attorney's fees over allegations it is owed the fees as part of a $70,000 personal injury claim it won for a former client.
Lerner & Rowe Injury Attorneys filed a complaint Oct. 18 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada against Arturo Contreras; Arizona Emergency Medicine Specialists PC; Accident Lending Group LLC, doing business as accidentloan.com; Nevada Spine Clinic; Smoke Ranch Surgery Center LLC; and others.
The suit states the plaintiff recovered personal injury proceeds of $70,000 on Contreras' behalf and that it is entitled to 40 percent of the settlement for attorneys' fees, or $28,000, plus costs of more than $45,000.
The plaintiff claims that Contreras owes each of defendants for medical treatment services that "exceeds the amount of settlement funds available."
The plaintiff also claims it "cannot safely determine without hazard to itself, to whom the proceeds of the settlement should be paid, and how the proceeds should be divided."
The plaintiffs seek $28,000 for attorney's fees, and $45,918.63 for its costs, for the court to determine which of the parties are entitled to proceeds from the award and other just relief. It is represented by Justin Randall of Lerner & Rowe Injury Attorneys in Las Vegas.
U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada case number CV- 01843-JAD-VCF