newjerseynewsroom.com

BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Michael Collier is an Army veteran who was declared 100 percent disabled after he suffered head and spine injuries during his term of service.

But a Minnesota collection agency allegedly sees him as a burden.

Stars and Stripes reports that law firm Gurstel Chargo had $6,143.88 of Collier’s wife Kim’s savings account frozen in April to collect on a student loan that had been defaulted on by Collier due to his disability. But a judge ruled that the money was exempt from collection because the funds were veteran benefits that Kim Collier-Dingman received due to her husband’s injuries.

A Gurstel paralegal allegedly told Michael Collier afterward that he would need to sue to recover his money.

When Collier told him the money was exempt veteran disability payments, the collector reportedly told him, according to Courthouse News Service, 'F--- you! Pay us your money! You can't afford an attorney. You owe us. I hope your wife divorces your a--. If you would have served our country better you would not be a disabled veteran living off social security while the rest of us honest Americans work our a-- off. Too bad; you should have died.'"

Digital Journal reports that Collier and his wife filed a lawsuit against Gurstel Chargo, accusing the firm of violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The act says debt collectors may not use obscene or profane language, or language intended to abuse or harass.

Gurstel Chargo issued their own statement on the company’s website, saying, "Gurstel Chargo takes the allegations made in the lawsuit very seriously and we have immediately launched an internal investigation. We are extremely disturbed by the allegations stated in the Complaint, as they are contrary to the policies, practices and values of our firm."

We have requested from the attorney that filed the Complaint the phone number of the phone that Mr. Collier was allegedly on, an approximate date on which the call occurred, whether the person who made the alleged wrongful comments was male or female, to help us to get to the truth about what occurred. We have been informed by Mr. Collier's attorney that he is unaware of any of this information. To date, we have discovered no information to substantiate the allegations, but our investigation continues."