How to get a friend to re-pay money that I lent them based on a vebal agreement?

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How to get a friend to re-pay money that I lent them based on a vebal agreement?

I have a “friend” who filed for disability about a year ago. I felt bad for her and let her stay with me and took care of her. Food, paid all the bills. It was agreed that when or even if she was approved that she would reimburse me for helping her out. It’s been well over a year. She got her money recently, paid a couple things and then took off leaving me hanging with everything and is refusing to make good on our agreement. We put nothing in writing but anyone and everyone we know, knows what I did for her and what she agreed to do. What can I do? For the record we were never romantically involved or intimate. Just friends.

Asked on December 12, 2012 under Bankruptcy Law, Kansas

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 11 years ago | Contributor

You can sue her. An oral or verbal (that is, unwritten agreement) to repay you is legally enforceable, though obviously it can be more difficult to prove than a written agreement. As the plaintiff (person suing), you would have to prove in court, by a preponderance of the evidence (that it is more likely than not) that you made payments for her when there was an agreement to repay you and the amount of the payments. You can use your testimony or the testimony of other people who were aware of the agreement, and also cancelled checks, receipts, credit card statements, etc. to show that you paid. One option is to sue in small claims court, where you can act as your own attorney, saving on legal fees.


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