What legal steps do I need to take if a customer has an outstanding bill that has gone unpaid for 3 years?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

What legal steps do I need to take if a customer has an outstanding bill that has gone unpaid for 3 years?

Asked on August 5, 2011 New Hampshire

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 12 years ago | Contributor

Contact a lawyer IMMEDIATELY--you may be running out of time (or even be out of time already). The time you have to take legal action is called the statute of limiations or SOL. The SOL varies by the reason you would sue. From what you write, the cause of action could arise from an open account, from a contract (e.g. for services), or from a contract for the sale of goods. The SOL for those causes of action are only three years or four years, depending on exactly which of these causes is involved. Therefore, if the customer has not paid for 3 years, the cause of action--or the reason to sue--could have arisen 3 years ago, and you may be out, or running out, of time to take action. Once the SOL has run out, you have no legal right to payment. Therefore, contact an attorney and let him or her file a lawsuit as soon as possible--assuming you still can--to preserve your right to take action.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption