PrePaid Legal Service rip-off! Promised representation and took money but did not represent me. Nationwide

The last posting talked about not being able to receive legal aid from a PPL attorney.

It sounds like you had a group plan with your employer for PPL from what you stated. If this is true, then that is why you did not get legal assistance from PPL. Let me explain. If you sign up with PPL through a group plan with your employer, it states in the contract that PPL will not represent employees in any matter that is against its own employer.

Employers are not going to empower their own employee's with an attorney to get themselves sued. This should have been given to you during the presentation and again it seems like an associate failed to mention that.

I'm sorry for the misunderstanding but your post is not a legitimate complaint about the service.

I too, had been a long-time subscriber to PPL. The sales-person would show up at our Dept every so many months to sell new employees on the plan. We were always told that an Attorney would be available to us for many different circumstances that may arise and that the filing of a will was a 'side' benefit of the plan.

I went out on a work-related injury in the latter part of 2000. During that time I was on Short-term Disability with my employer. At the end of 6 months, the Short-term Dis expired and I applied for Long-term Disability Pay. This was denied. It was around this time that I was told by many people that it sounded like I had a Workers Comp case and that I should have been getting paid under the Georgia Workers Comp program. My employer said no. I then 'activated' my PPL and an attorney called me back. I explained ALL the facts to date. The attorney stated that I had No Case whatsoever. After a few days I re-contacted PPL and asked for a different attorney and got one. That attorney also told me that I had No Case. Finally I asked a personal attorney friend of mine who was a good WC Attorney in my area and was referred to him. I spoke briefly on the phone with him and then went to his office. He told me plainly that I should have been on Workers Comp from the first day of injury and that my employer owed me the back-pay from the time of injury. He sent a letter of demand to my employer and they immediately started paying me. After several months my WC Attorney negotiated a settlement with my employer and I was paid a lump sum.

All this with absolutely NO THANKS to PrePaid Legal Services.

My recommendation.... Caveat Emptor .... Let the Buyer Beware....

You will not get what you think you are paying for.

Jeanne,

First of all, I would like to say how sorry I am that you had to suffer through such unacceptable service - and at such a terrible cost.

Jeanne, I am a new PPL associate but I have been a regular member for just about for 3 and a half years. In that time I have paid out Six Hundred and Seventy Two Dollars ($672) in membership fees ($16/mth in Maine).

My benefits to date have included the writing of a current will; the production of six legal letters from two prominent law firms as well as about 10 total hours of telephone consultation on varied issues.

Finally, I also received a twenty-five percent discount on a court filing procedure ("standard" prices were posted in the firm I used). I have had no problems either contacting PPL or their representatives when I need to.

Jeanne, to be fair to everyone (including yourself), it is important that you go through the complaints procedure at PPL and see how the company responds. We know that you believe that your attorney provided poor service - what we don't know is what, if anything, PPL has done about it!

Jeanne, for example, you mention that the attorney's fees total Nine Thousand Dollars ($9000). Were the attorney's costs out of line with comparative services in your state? It's not clear from your original complaint.

I hope that you do keep us informed about the company's response to your complaint. PPL is so much about personal experiences - and I have heard of many good ones and some (a lot fewer), bad ones.

Best Of Luck To you,

From whoever claimed:

"That aside, Pre-Paid Legal is nothing near a benefit. It is actually a double dipping referral service, where consumers pay to be a memeber, and attorneys paid to have referrals. It may have a little merit in its ability to provide consumers a way to get a will or other minor legal matters taken care of at a fair price, as well a provide some generic legal information, it is by no shape or form an actual benefit as it is marketed. It does not cover any type of tort ligitation, criminal representation, any domestic cases, it is of little benefit of traffic cases. In no way can it guarantee that it actually provides any discounts."

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Why are you spreading false information regarding Prepaid Legal Services?

First of all, Attorneys don't pay to get referrals. They are paid to provide a service. In California alone, we pay our AV rated Law Firm between 1 and 2 million dollars per month.

Second of all, to say that the company doesn't provide any type of Criminal representation is also false. In fact, you are in a job related Criminal suit, you ARE protected under our Title 3 Trial protection. Also, if someone comes after you for vehicular manslaughter in a car accident you are also protected under our Title 2 Motor Vehicle Coverage.

You also state that the service is of little benefit for traffic cases? Under our Title 2 Motor Vehicle Coverage, you can have a lawyer represent you in court for your traffic violations. How is this of little benefit?

We CAN guarantee that a discounted rate is provided. The company has a Law Firms standard rate documented. You get a 25% discount off that documented rate.

And to the original poster, please take the advice of my fellow associates and report your situation to Prepaid Legal Services. Crying about it on the internet will not get you very far in actually trying to resolve the problem.

Al, you said that you were told some things by a sales associate that were "probably not approved by their corporate trademake owners." As an associate myself, I feel a responsibility to apologize for any misinformation you have received, and to inform you that in the trainings, new associates are advised not to explain the product verbally, but to show the premade marketing materials, such as a brochure, video or DVD.

Jeanne, Andy is correct, you should call the customer service number to complain if your attorney did not provide the level of service you expected. Pre-Paid Legal has very strict standards for both their primary law firms and all referral attorneys. If your experience was not in line with those standards, it is not only your right, but your responsibility as a customer to call that 800# to speak with the customer service department.

I certainly feel for Jeanne. It isn't right that she spent $9000.00 for representation in a legal matter only to be advised to drop her case, as if her case had no merit. I am sure that attorney had detailed hours of billing for her that detailed what he done. This in it self is not at direct issue with Pre-Paid Legal. Jeanne made assumptions based upon this 'benefit' she was sold. She should have actually benefited by consulting with more than one attorney concerning her matter. Just because her attorney she retained was 'assigned' to her didn't mean she had to use him. She probably overpaid him for his services.

That aside, Pre-Paid Legal is nothing near a benefit. It is actually a double dipping referral service, where consumers pay to be a memeber, and attorneys paid to have referrals. It may have a little merit in its ability to provide consumers a way to get a will or other minor legal matters taken care of at a fair price, as well a provide some generic legal information, it is by no shape or form an actual benefit as it is marketed. It does not cover any type of tort ligitation, criminal representation, any domestic cases, it is of little benefit of traffic cases. In no way can it guarantee that it actually provides any discounts.

It was once pitched to me as a "HMO" for your legal needs (THAT really sold me!! haha), like it was a 'savings account' for your future legal needs and other mumbo jumbo that probably not approved by their corporate trademake owners. Since Pre-Paid Legal is sold by independent contractors that require no type of registration or certification, that in itself makes it very suspect. Sure some people make money with it. Sure the corporate tradmark owners are listed on the Stock Exchange. But in the end it is a big hole to throw hard earned money in.

I am a avid reader of the rip off report, and nothing I have seen of the PPL kool aid drinkers responses have convinced me that the overall merit of PPL is legitimate. You will have a better return on your money by investing the monthly fee in a CD saver account and use that money to retain an attorney if you need one. There are enough legit resourses on the internet to provide lay people with some general info, and setup good questions to ask any prospective attorney.

Because of the nature of marketing PPL, their lack of direct supervision of their indepentent agents, and overall ignorance of the legal system, they have been the target of many complaints to the Bar Associatoin (at least in NC). At some point and time the grey area where they operation will be erased, and only certified legal professionals will be able to market this product, or hopefully, it will wither and dry up. Attorneys have it hard enough with out PPL tarnishing their tained reputation already.

"Grape" Kool Aid anyone?

Sorry to hear about your situation. However you are lumping in the Pre Paid Legal Services Inc, with the poor attorney/lawyer that you had represent you.

Here is the 1-800-440-8857 number that you should call to make a report on your situation.

I will first tell you that I am in fact an independent prepaid legal associate. What that really means and you should understand this, is that although I spend some of my time marketing the Pre Paid Legal Services, I am not an employee of the company. As everyone is an independent associate, that also means that anyone can market Pre Paid Legal Services. Some will be better then others in terms of integrity, education and businsess practices.

Here is a good example. You can buy a cell phone from many different locations. If you have a cell phone from your local store and receive poor customer service, would you blame the cell phone company or the cell phone manufacturer? Seems to me that in your situation you are blaming everyone without taking a moment to get someone to help you.

Just as we have all had a bad experience buying a poor quality service or product at any store, you seem to have the same situation here. The lawyer that you dealt with should be reported just as you would report a bad employee to the local department store manager/owner.

Best method to get results is to complain in a professional business manner. By posting here, you will not get the attention of Pre Paid Legal or the results that you want to achieve. You have my attention as an independent associate because just as the example that I've given about the Cell Phone situation, I would want to do my best to differentiate between myself and the other parties involved in delivering a service to you.

One matter that you may not be aware of is that attorneys are bound by laws of conduct. They can not ask for whatever you want, they have to ask for what is legal. Often in Equal Employment Opportunity situations what a client perceive is their right, unfortunately is not a right.

First let me say that the person that answered my complaint has no idea of how to write or spell. You are certainly right. The attorneys went to school to learn the law. At law school they should have taught the future attorneys to make sure that you can deliver before they accept the money. Being an attorney does not give you the right to accept money and learn about the problem. This attorney went to settlement hearing with me and she just sat there and let the opposing attorney make all the suggestions. Now, I am out $9000 and still need representation in Federal Court. No matter when a person contacts an attorney, that attorney should be smart enough to say, I am not familiar with this field or my case load is too busy. I did not want to pay this attorney's student loan for law school. You keep paying your monthly "membership" fees. Just do not expect the attorneys to be helpful or know what they are doing. I suggest that you stop paying the membership fees now and put the money in a saving account in case you need to pay a real attorney. And remember, if you know what you are doing, it does not take prior notice when someone needs help.

ALOT OF THE TIMES WE AS PEOPLE DONT REALIZE WHAT WE NEED UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE, SOMETIMES WE ALSO
HAVE A BAB HABBIT OF NOT READING THINGS BEFORE WE SIGN THEM OR SHOULD I SAY A HABBIT OF READING WITH NO UNDERSTANDING.

AS FAR AS PRE-PAID LEGAL IN CONCERN IN THE BROCHURE IT CLEARLY STATES WE HANDLE PRE-EXSISTING CASES, TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS
AFTER HAVING MEMBERSHIP 15DAYS, IT ALSO STATES THAT WE RECIVEVE DISCOUNTS OF THE ATTORNEYS IN THE NETWORK.

I READ STATMENTS ON THE BUSINESS AND ITS SEEMS TO ME THAT MAJORITY OF EVERYONE WHO HAD A PROBLEM ONLY SIGN UP WHEN THEY NEEDED LEAGL HELP EXSPECTING TO SEE 100% PERFECT RESULTS. NO THAT NOT HOW MY COMPANY WORKS ITS NO DIFFERENT FROM A MEDICAL PLAN THAT YOU PAY FOR MONTHLY OUT OF YOUR PAYCHECK.

THE DIFFERENCE IS THIS IS A LEGAL PLAN WITH BENIFITS FOR YOU AND YOU FAMILY. JUST READ THE MATERIAL, UNDERSTAND IT AND IF YOU UNDERSTAND, GO TO A MEETING IN YOUR LOCAL AREA.

I AM A MEMBER AS WELL AS ASSOCIATE AND EVERYONE NEEDS AN ATTORNEY IF NOT NOW YOU PROBALLY WILL WITH IN THE NEXT 30DAYS,MONTH OR MAYBE YEAR IT GOOD TO HAVE AT ALL TIMES WHEATHER YOU NEED IT OR NOT AND WHEN YOU DO RECIEVE THE MEMBERSHIP BUILD A REPOR WITH THE ATTORNEYS THERE AND DONT EXPECT FOR THEM TO DO THINGS YOUR WAY ALL THE TIME THAT WHY THEY STUDIED LAW. WHICH ALOT OF US ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IF YOU CANCELED GO TO
WWW.

PREPAIDLEGAL.COM/HUB/TRACYCHATMAN IF YOURE
ARE INTRESETED IN HAVING THAT PEACE OF MIND FOR HARDLY $1.00 A DAY IN ONE MONTH
ASSOCIATE
TRACY CHATMAN