zdas04
Mechanical
- Jun 25, 2002
- 10,274
I recently did some work as an expert witness. The lawyer hired a search firm that found me. I signed a contract with the search firm that said in effect I would submit invoices and they would pay them within 60 days of the invoice date. The contract says NOTHING about the law firm paying the search firm or the defendant (in this case) paying the law firm. Just that the search firm would pay me. I have two invoices that have both gone over 90 days old. I (long since) contacted the search firm and was told "we know that your contract does not specify that you have to wait until we get paid, but we don't have the money to pay you so forget it." The snotty, cavalier response set me off, but I decided to wait until the first of December (when one invoice will be 150 days and the other will be 120 days old) before doing anything like visiting my lawyer (which I'd rather avoid paying for).
I've been in business for 12 years and this is the very very first time that I've ever had an invoice pass 90 days unpaid. I know, I have been outrageously lucky (or really good at not working for deadbeats). The norm seems to be some percentage of invoices that never get paid. How do you guys go after deadbeat clients? Combined, these guys are into me for nearly $100k so small claims is out of the question. I have written very strongly worded e-mails to all of the officers of the company. All I can think of remaining is to sue them, but I'm in New Mexico and the contract says that the court of jurisdiction is New York so suing them gets pricey (although the contract does allow prevailing party to collect legal fees, it may be a while before I see any of it and I don't want to be out of pocket any more than I already am).
David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei, Italian Physicist
I've been in business for 12 years and this is the very very first time that I've ever had an invoice pass 90 days unpaid. I know, I have been outrageously lucky (or really good at not working for deadbeats). The norm seems to be some percentage of invoices that never get paid. How do you guys go after deadbeat clients? Combined, these guys are into me for nearly $100k so small claims is out of the question. I have written very strongly worded e-mails to all of the officers of the company. All I can think of remaining is to sue them, but I'm in New Mexico and the contract says that the court of jurisdiction is New York so suing them gets pricey (although the contract does allow prevailing party to collect legal fees, it may be a while before I see any of it and I don't want to be out of pocket any more than I already am).
David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei, Italian Physicist
