ComplaintsforDDT Law Group, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  06/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On or around 5/1/24, I re-initiated a business relationship with Driver Defense Team. I needed to retain a lawyer for a legal matter. I was offered an installment plan of 1000 dollars per month, to be paid on the first of each month; a total of 3000 dollars for services. I can't recall if I was informed that the payments would be auto drafted every month, but was later told I had in fact agreed to this. I made the initial 1000 dollar payment on appx. 5/1/24; however by 6/1, I realized I could no longer afford the cost. They attempted to auto draft the second payment from my account, and it failed. I immediately followed up to confirm I was unable to pay. A representative offered a new plan of 200 dollars per week, and I did not confirm, but assured I would follow up to discuss further. I never did. Approximately two weeks later, I saw yet another attempt to withdraw 1075 dollars from my account. There was no conversation whatsoever that indicated I was suddenly able to resume paying the 1000 dollar monthly payment. At this point, it is obvious that I no longer wish to receive services from this business, as I have actively avoided their phone calls for at least the past two weeks. All attempts to collect further payments should cease immediately.

• Initial Complaint

  06/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  They got the payment from us for the services and now refuse to support us and violating all of the duties to us

  Business response

  06/09/2022

  Our law firm represents people who receive traffic tickets or are charged with criminal offenses.

  
  

  In July 2021, we were hired by someone named ***********************. He was the driver for a trucking company. As the driver of the truck, he was stopped by police and issued a citation for driving a truck that was over the allowed weight.

  
  

  In order to retrieve the truck back, the fine of $18,070 had to be posted.

  
  

  I believe the trucking company gave the money to their driver, ***********************, to be posted. This occurred on April 8th. The bond slip (attached) shows that *********************** is the one who posted the bond.

  
  

  This occurred prior to our representation which began on April 19, 2021. On that date, the trucking company hired us to represent their driver, ***********************, in court.

  
  

  While the trucking company paid for the representation, our client is the driver, ***********************.

  
  

  In court, we fulfilled our obligation by getting the fine reduced in court. As a result, the court issued a refund of approximately $7,000. Per court rules, the refund was issued to the person who posted the bond, which was ***********************.

  
  

  Unfortunately, it appears that he quit working at the trucking company and never provided the funds to the trucking company. Understandable, the trucking company is very upset and they want their money.

  
  

  Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do about that. Additionally, we tried to speak with the trucking company owner (see attached email) to explain the situation.

  
  

  We cannot disclose all of the details because we have an obligation to our client, ***********************. As you are probably aware, a lawyer's duty is to their client regardless of who pays the attorney fee.

  
  

  This appears to be an unsatisfactory answer to the trucking company. However, their frustration should be directed at their former employee, not us. They would be better served contacting the police to address the missing funds.

  Customer response

  06/09/2022

   
  Complaint: 17304506
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the law firm was hired and paid by *************. They knew that ************* paid the fine and looking to get it contested in the court to be able to get the money back since fine was unreasonable. The law firm said they will be able to help and took the money from AFC. Now they try to play games due to failing duties to us and working on the matter that totally contradicts the reason they were hired for! With their involvement we had lost the original money since the check was sent and cashed by person that did not pay it, law firm never let us know that this would happened and did nothing to assure that process ne done right. But instead they increased the **** for their services telling us that they will do their best to meet our expectations. So with getting this law firm help we had suffered even more monetary losses then we were before getting them involved
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

  Business response

  06/13/2022

  In order to successfully solve this dispute, we need to understand some basic facts:

   

  An employee of *************, ***********************, was ticketed for driving a truck that was overweight.

  *********************** was an employee of ************* at the time he was ticketed.

  Under the law, *********************** is solely responsible for the ticket and all fines.

  However, ************* gave **************** the money to pay his fine. 

  The fine amount was approximately $18,000

  *********************** is the person who submitted the money to the authorities and was named on the bond slip.

  ************* then hired our law firm to represent **************** in court.

  ************* did pay our law firm to represent ****************. 

  ************* (and ***********************) desired our firm to get the fine reduced.

  If the fines were reduced, that amount would be refunded.

  The refund is distributed to the person who posted the money originally. This is the court's procedure on all cases.

  Our law firm attended court twice on behalf of ****************.

  On that second court date, our law firm successfully got the fine reduced by over $7,000.

  From court, we called *********************** as well as an assistant manager named ***** at *************. They both agreed that the refunded amount of over $7,000 would be acceptable.

  While ************* was not our client, we called them as a courtesy because we were aware of their desire to reduce the fine and that they had provided the money to ****************.

  As a result of reducing the fine by appox $7000, the court was required to return that amount.

  As is standard procedure for the court in all cases, they refunded the money to the person who originally posted the money.

  Therefore, the court refunded the money to ***********************.

  I have no doubt that ************* expected their employee, ***********************, to returns the funds.

  However, it appears that **************** did not do that. 

  ************* is claiming that *********************** stole their money.

  ************* now claims that they lost more money by hiring our law firm.

  This would not have been the case is **************** had fulfilled his apparent obligation to ************* by returning the money that was loaned to him 

  If he did not do that, the proper remedy when someone steals $7,000 is to call the police and file a report.

  However, ************* believes that we had a duty to them because they paid *************************** attorney fees.

  The law is very clear in this situation. A lawyers obligation is to his client and not to the person or company that paid for the legal representation. This is well established rule. Please see ******** Rule of Professional Conduct 1.7. Also read comment 13 of the rule. I have linked that here: https://ilcourtsaudio.blob.core.windows.net/antilles-resources/resources/e3223b75-d2b3-42c5-8cbc-c268c32dd8a6/RULE%201.7.pdf

   

  While I sympathize with *************'s loss, their frustration is directed at the wrong party. 

  Customer response

  06/15/2022

   
  Complaint: 17304506
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I am attaching the email  correspondence that proves that before we hired the firm we explained that they need to protect interests of AFC, firm knew that AFC paid the fine and looking to get the money back. Firm did not advise us with any issues that *** arise with the docs being issued in the drivers name.

  Also firm said it is the retainer amount that they invoiced us but they never provided the final on the billing to show how this retainer was utilized and if there is any money left, while on the phone they told us that most likely there will be money left. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

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