a lawyer has lien on my car what do i do

by Mr. Heber Jones 6 min read

If your lawyer can prove one of those things to the lienholder’s satisfaction, then the lienholder may remove the lien. If not, the lien is going to stay. And if the lien is still there when you settle your case, your lawyer is going to have to pay the lienholders first.

Full Answer

How do you put a lien on a car without a lawyer?

Apr 21, 2018 · 2 attorney answers Posted on Apr 22, 2018 Under NC law, a lienholder has a very limited time to sign over the title after a full payoff...and they can't condition it. Send him a written demand for the title. After that you can sue him in small claims court...or you can hire an attorney. Hopefully the demand will save you the costs.

Can a mechanic put a lien on my car?

Oct 24, 2017 · You can potentially hire yourself a US lawyer in the state where the car is being held, if a lawyer wants to become involved in this situation. If the lien remains on the car, its legal until such time a court removes it. The car can potentially be sold to satisfy the lien.

How do I remove a car lien from my title?

May 19, 2020 · Unfortunately, once a lien is on your case, it is usually there to stay. The only way to get a lien off your case is to prove that it shouldn’t have been put there in the first place -- either because you don’t owe the money or because the insurance payments in question did not relate to the injury for which you are suing. If your lawyer can prove one of those things to the …

Can my old lawyer file a lien against me?

Mar 13, 2016 · Whoever told you that you needed the lien to be released in order to register the vehicle is wrong. You simply need a certificate from the lien holder showing that you are the registered owner. Your bankruptcy will not remove a valid lien from a car. The only way to do that is to pay off the lien holder. Report Abuse.

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How to get rid of a lien on a car?

You owe money to the state for parking tickets (or other fines) As a result, the first step to getting rid of the lien is to determine who has one on your car and why. The process differs according to who placed the lien on your title and why.

Why do you have to pay back a car loan if you don't pay it back?

In some cases, you may not need to pay the loan back because the buyer might assume the debt from the lienholder.

How much does it cost to get a duplicate title?

apply for a duplicate title (Form MV-902) include the lien release (or Form MV-901) include the original title that shows the lean. pay the $20 fee. You can also send the DMV a court order releasing the lien if this is the case. Be sure you always apply with original documents.

Why does it take longer to get a title if you have a private buyer?

The process, however, takes longer because you can't transfer the title to the new owner before removing the lien. If you have a private buyer, then you need to be transparent about the process and work in a way that feels safe for both of you.

Can you sell a car with a lien?

You can't sell a car (privately) with a lien on it because the car isn't yet yours to sell. Here's how to remove it in six (relatively) easy steps. 1. Pay Back the Lender/City/State.

mightymoose Moderator

Either come back to the US to straighten things out, hire someone to handle it for you, or forget about it.

army judge Super Moderator

You can't PROVE ownership, nor can you prove your identity, I doubt you'll ever see or hear anything about the car unless its from law enforcement.

droommaster Law Topic Starter New Member

You can't PROVE ownership, nor can you prove your identity, I doubt you'll ever see or hear anything about the car unless its from law enforcement.

Introduction

Sometimes a creditor who successfully sues you on a debt will place a lien on your vehicle to "secure the judgment." They do this by filing a document with the Maine Secretary of State's office where vehicle registrations are recorded.

What if they refuse to remove the lien?

If the creditor refuses to remove the lien even after you’ve taken all the necessary steps above, it may be time to take more formal legal action.

How do I find the "Blue Book" value of my vehicle?

You can visit the Kelly Blue Book website and follow the link to "My Car's Value." This value lookup service is free to use.

What if I have other questions about filling out the form?

Contact one of our offices or feel free to ask questions using our feedback form. Find "feedback" link at the bottom of this page. We cannot advise you about your legal case via e-mail but we can give you tips on using the website and our website resources.

How to get a lien off a case?

The only way to get a lien off your case is to prove that it shouldn’t have been put there in the first place -- either because you don’t owe the money or because the insurance payments in question did not relate to the injury for which you are suing.

What happens when a lien is settled?

Once the case is settled, your lawyer will have no leverage to get the lienholder to possibly reduce the lien. Another way of putting this is, once the case is settled, a lienholder will have no reason to agree to reduce its lien.

What happens if you go to trial and lose?

If you go to trial and lose, you get no money, and the lienholder also gets nothing.

Where do lien payments come from?

Liens can come from any number of sources. Here are just a few: unpaid federal or state taxes. un paid child support. unpaid medical bills. Medicare or Medicaid payments for injuries suffered in the underlying accident. payments made by a health insurer for injuries suffered in the underlying accident.

Do lienholders get money before you get a cent?

The lienholders are legally entitled to get all of their money before you get a cent, even if there is nothing left for you. (Learn more about personal injury settlements .) That is a pretty harsh result, and it's one reason why good lawyers will start negotiating with lienholders before they settle your case.

Do liens get paid off first?

As a general rule, any liens will get paid off first from any personal injury settlement or verdict. In other words, the lienholders get paid before you do. Let's take a closer look at how liens work in the context of a personal injury claim.

Does Medicare have a lien on my personal injury claim?

If your health insurance company, Medicare, or a Medicaid administrator paid medical bills in connection with your personal injury case, they probably have reimbursement rights, meaning they hold a lien on any injury compensation you end up receiving.

What happens if you pay off a car in full?

If you have paid the car off in full then the lender must release the lien. If the lender fails to do so you may sue the lender for failing to release the lien.

Do you have to be named on a title to register a car in Ohio?

To register the car, you don't need to be named on the title. You need a document that states you have the right to register it. In Ohio, that's called a "Memorandum of Title", I'm sure that every state (and territory) has something similar. Ask the lender of that document.

Can bankruptcy remove a lien on a car?

You simply need a certificate from the lien holder showing that you are the registered owner. Your bankruptcy will not remove a valid lien from a car. The only way to do that is to pay off the lien holder.

Does Wisconsin have a lien release?

Another is to make use of a Wisconsin law which requires a lien holder to release a lien when the under why in debt is paid. If you would benefit by retaining an experienced bankruptcy lawyer to represent you in this last step.

What happens if a law firm is retained?

Once retained, the new law firm will take over. They will promptly notify the former law firm and confirm that firm’s services are terminated. If a lien has indeed been filed by the former law firm, you can rest assured, soon after you sign a Fee Agreement (Contract) with the new law firm, the attorneys will promptly have the lien rescinded. ...

What happens if you don't file a fee agreement?

If you haven’t filed a Fee Agreement, sometimes referred to as a Contract for Legal or Professional Services, then you do not have a legal obligation to the law firm. Your best bet would be to seek the legal services of another law firm. Once retained, the new law firm will take over.

How does a lien work in personal injury?

How Medicare Liens Work in Personal Injury Cases. If you are injured in an accident and Medicare pays for some of your treatment, you will be obligated to reimburse Medicare for these payments if you bring a personal injury claim and get financial compensation for the accident. To enforce this right to reimbursement, ...

What is Medicare lien?

To enforce this right to reimbursement, a “Medicare lien” will attach to judgment or settlement proceeds that are awarded as compensation for the accident. This means that if you get a settlement, you will have to pay back Medicare before anything else gets taken out.

What happened to Maryland malpractice law firm?

A Maryland malpractice law firm recently had to pay $250k for failing to pay off a Medicare lien. The firm had obtained a $1.15 million dollar settlement for one of its clients in a medical malpractice case. This client happened to be a Medicare beneficiary for whom Medicare had made conditional payments. Medicare had been notified of the settlement and demanded repayment of its debts incurred. But the law firm apparently refused or failed to pay the lien off in full, even after an administrative finding had made the debt final.

Does Medicare have a lien on personal injury settlements?

If a Medicare beneficiary receives a personal injury settlement, they will be required to reimburse Medicare for any payments made on their behalf. To enforce this requirement, the law gives Medicare an automatic priority lien against any settlement proceeds in personal injury cases.

When will an attorney receive a recovery letter?

An attorney will not receive a formal recovery demand letter until there is a final settlement, judgment, award, or other payment reported to Medicare. Once this occurs, a final demand letter will be sent out regarding the Medicare lien amount.

Does Medicare enforce a lien?

Medicare Actively Enforces These Liens. If a Medicare lien is not properly handled and paid off, Medicare is permitted to file against the defendant, the plaintiff, or the plaintiff’s counsel. If Medicare is forced to bring suit against a party to collect its lien, in some situations it is entitled to a civil penalty of two times the amount owed.

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Lien Limitations

  • Whether you’ve failed to pay him or not, your attorney is still ethically obligated to avoid prejudicing the interests of your case. This basic rule applies very differently depending on the circumstances, but if the lien might hurt your chances in court, there is a higher likelihood that it …
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Acceptable Reasons to Withdraw

  • Your attorney’s ability to file a lien for his fees and costs may hinge, among other factors, on whether his withdrawal was reasonable. If, for example, he withdrew from your case without giving a reason (or because he decided to become a professional golfer instead), and his withdrawal damaged your case, the court may well support you in your decision not to pay him f…
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Responsibilities After Withdrawal

  • When an attorney is discharged and/or allowed to withdraw from a case, he still maintains the duty to protect his former client’s interests through the transition to new counsel, including providing case file information to the new attorney. Though the option of retaining case files as security for unpaid fees is often available, it is limited by law, as will be discussed in Part 3. An a…
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Introduction

  • Sometimes a creditor who successfully sues you on a debt will place a lien on your vehicle to "secure the judgment." They do this by filing a document with the Maine Secretary of State's office where vehicle registrations are recorded. But if your vehicle is worth $7,500 or less, the creditor must remove the lien if you ask properly. This is also true if your "ownership interest" is $7,500 o…
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What If They Refuse to Remove The Lien?

  • If the creditor refuses to remove the lien even after you’ve taken all the necessary steps above, it may be time to take more formal legal action. A creditor who refuses to remove a lien when legally required to do so is potentially liable for financial damages they have caused you, plus your attorney’s fees. If you need help with pursuing a legal claim, contact a lawyer. Here are some offi…
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How Do I Find The "Blue Book" Value of My Vehicle?

  • You can visit the Kelly Blue Book websiteand follow the link to "My Car's Value." This value lookup service is free to use.
See more on ptla.org

What If I Have Other Questions About Filling Out The form?

  • Contact one of our officesor feel free to ask questions using our feedback form. Find "feedback" link at the bottom of this page. We cannot advise you about your legal case via e-mail but we can give you tips on using the website and our website resources. We also welcome comments about whether this self-help tool worked for you and suggestions to make it better.
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More Information

  • Can a Creditor Put a Lien on My House? Find more resources for people facing debts and debt collection February 2021 PTLA #026
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