Woman says company trying to take her settlement

MOUNDSVILLE - A Marshall County woman awarded a settlement in the case of the death of her husband is suing an agency trying to collect money from it for an insurance company.

Dorothy Ann Ritchea filed the lawsuit May 5 in Marshall Circuit Court against United Government Services and through Wheeling attorney Paul Harris.

Ritchea says she and her late husband James filed a civil lawsuit involving product liability May 21, 2004, against Moore's Lumber and Building Supplies.

She says James was severely and permanently injured and incurred significant medical expenses before a settlement could be reached with Moore's.

While the litigation was pending, "Significant medical expenses were allegedly paid by an entity, which contracted with Defendant to collect sums via subrogation," the complaint says.

Now that Ritchea has collected her settlement, she says United Government Services is attempting to take an unreasonable portion of the settlement in an effort to reimburse the company it was contracted by.

Ritchea seeks a finding that the defendant's subrogation demand is not equitable and that the funds in dispute be permitted to be paid into Court.

Judge Mark Karl has been assigned the case.

Marshall Circuit Court case number 06-C-113