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Quest Diagnostics, accused of "abusive and illegal billing practices," has reached a settlement in principle in a proposed class-action lawsuit. The agreement involves allegations of rejecting payments from customers with payment plans, leading to collections. The plaintiff, Kelly Ager, and Credit Control Services Inc. filed a notice on Thursday detailing the potential resolution.

Quest Diagnostics Settles Billing Practices Suit : A Troubled Payment Journey

In a suit filed last February, Ager, a resident of Polk County, Florida, recounts her struggle to fulfill payments owed to Quest Diagnostics. Despite entering a payment plan to settle her $702.94 debt through nine monthly payments, she faced hurdles when attempting to make timely payments. Ager alleges that she received relentless calls from Meridian Financial Services Inc. after her account was sent to collections.

Quest Diagnostics Settles Billing Practices Suit :The Unfulfilled Promise

Ager's ordeal began when Quest failed to deduct the January 2022 payment, prompting her to log on to the online portal and make the payment manually. The situation persisted, leading to frustrations as the online portal restricted her from making payments and notified her of the account being sent to collections. Despite assurances from Quest about resolving the billing system error, Ager claimed the promised letter explaining the issue never materialized.

Broken Assurances and Unanswered Calls

Repeated calls to Quest's customer service yielded promises of resolution, but Ager contends that the company failed to deliver. Despite being assured by a supervisor that a letter forgiving the remaining balance would be sent, Ager claimed the letter never arrived, and attempts to communicate via voicemails were left unanswered. The persistent calls from debt collectors continued despite assurances from Quest.

Legal Battle and Denials

In response to the complaint, Quest and Credit Control Services denied the allegations, asserting they acted in good faith during interactions with Ager. Attorneys for both parties remained silent in response to inquiries as the lawsuit unfolded.

The Path to Resolution

Quest, Credit Control Services, and Ager have signaled a settlement in principle, requesting a 30-day pause in litigation to finalize the agreement formally. The Middle District of Florida now awaits the execution of the settlement agreement.

This legal saga, filled with twists and turns, highlights the challenges faced by individuals navigating billing disputes, leaving Quest Diagnostics at the center of a gripping legal battle.