Our 28-year-old client had no income, and had fallen behind on his rent. He believed he was eligible for Social Security disability benefits and was financially struggling while the Social Security Administration processed his claim.
By the time he sought our help, his landlord had filed a lawsuit seeking over $12,000 in unpaid rent and that the client be evicted from his North Philly apartment. Our client had no way to cover those expenses and was very concerned with how a money judgment would affect him and his search for new housing.
Luckily, our attorney quickly learned that the landlord had failed to obtain the proper paperwork, and also discovered a valid defense for most of the outstanding payments. Even better, our client learned right before his court date that the Social Security Administration had approved his disability claim.
We were able to negotiate a settlement that protected our client from a harmful money judgment and gave him the time he needed to find a new apartment. His landlord even agreed to vacate the case if he moved out by a set date.
Our client was happy to have a tense situation resolved so neatly, and thanked our attorney for giving him some much needed peace of mind to plan his future. It just goes to show the “benefit” of a fierce advocate.