I just want to warn people if they are searching for Work Comp attorneys to be real careful. I have had four plus years experience with Frank D. Kress of Rubens and Kress. I have never, not one time, had contact with Jason Rubens of Rubens and Kress. He might be just fine.
The first 3-6 months after I signed on with Mr. Kress were just ok. He did not do more or less than a normal attorney would / could do. It has just been the last seven months that have been (an e-mail provable) nightmare with Mr. Kress. Sad to say but had Mr. Kress had displayed some competence in the area of setting up Medical Set Asides (google MSA) I would not potentially, as of right now, January 22, 2015 losing $25,000 due to uncovered medical bills that Mr. Kress said would be covered by an MSA.
When I signed off in agreement with the first part of my Work Comp settlement I was, under the instruction of Mr. Kress forgiving all medical bills past, present and future. Mr. Kress said since I was retired (66 at the time) all bills would "now" be covered under an MSA described above. WRONG!! To my shock, after a $25,000 piece of surgery I found out that MSA's only cover future medical bills: Not present and past at the setting in place of the MSA. Therefore a loss of $25,000. I did get a MSA check from the insurance company for $13,280 but it is worthless as it only good for future med bills and meds. MEDICARE IS VERY STRICT ON THIS. Mr> Kress wasn't even aware of how an MSA works: Through e-mails ( this should tell us something ) , I the client had to instruct him on how the MSA works. So...this is, in my opinion, incompetence. MSA's are common place things with a knowledgeable attorney.
Now, admitting that I have potentially lost $25,000, Mr. Kress says he is going to file a "section 8 A" with the Work Comp Commission to try and recover the $25,000. I, once again, had to get Mr. Kress to understand the language of the final settlement contracts: All past and future bills were forgiven. (Paraphrase. )
I have e-mails that more than cover my assertations here.
Lastly, a normal attorney would be working with his client (still me as he hasn't fired me yet) in mediation with the Medicare system and the process of MSA's. I have through e-mails asked him for help and he will not do this. I have, till I die, to administer this MSA. That $13,280 has to be accounted for to the penny yearly. This is where I need help from Mr. Kress.
I could go but I think you get the flavor of my complaint.
I did, since you asked, file a report with the attorney disciplinary for Illinois. This is a brotherhood (Ifeel) of attorneys covering for each other. Basically, since this is a Work Comp Commission matter, the disciplinary committee sad they had "little jurisdiction there.
Finally, I say all of this to warn you to check attorneys by using review sites like this before you sign on with any body. It is very difficult to fire an attorney once you hire one (as Mr. Kress painfully reminded me.
I have several hundred painful e-mails between Mr. Kress and myself to back up all of my assertions.
Thanks and good fortune to you
Jason
Chicago,#2REBUTTAL Owner of company
Mon, June 05, 2017
Please be sure to see this reviewer's subsequent reviews. He later admitted he made a mistake and gave us a very positive review.
#3Author of original report
Wed, April 15, 2015
Even though a previous negative review cannot be posted, I wish this review could be posted as a first review to cancel out the first negative review. On the firm of Rubens and Kress, I totally recant, with a heavy heart the things that I said. I got a chance yesterday, in Urbana, Illinois, to see Frank Kress in action on my behald in a "trial" setting. Even though I have written bad reviews about him, he still acted in a classy way for my Work Comp case and coordinating my Medicare benefits with Illinois Work Comp. Mr. Kress has mypermission to share my phone number for anyone to call to make sure this is not a phoney review
#4Author of original report
Tue, April 07, 2015
This an update on Frank D. Kress within the firm of Rubens and Kress. This is just Rubens and Kress. I am sure the rest of the firm must be ok.
A lot has happened since I wrote my last review. I thought everything was going to be ok. My wife and I drove round trip to Urbana, IL for an emergency hearing to get a trial date to overturn a previous decision with the Workman's Compensation Commission of Il
I was able to get a trial date (these are very hard to get) for April 14, 2015. Five days ago my attorney at that time, Frank D. Kress decided to quit. He said he was quitting because of a review I posted here and on Yelp.His resignation from my case makes it very likely that I will lose the 16,500 plus that was in limbo.
It is very strange that when I had made Mr. Kress aware of my discovery of a years worth of costly lies he has been perpetrating on my case, right before the trial date. on February 14, he decides to quit. This is concrete proof that I had discovered quite by accident.
What makes this exceptionally difficult is that it is going to be almost impossible to get another attorney to take any of this case here on out . You who are reading this: You will do what you want. The act of choosing an attorney is a very costly venture. Be careful, be real careful.
cretetony
Great Bend,#5Author of original report
Thu, February 12, 2015
Dear Ripoff staff and Ripoff readers: I am the person who wrote original Ripoff report
1.In the original report I said $25,000....it is closer, after hospital discounted, $16,500 2. In the area of Medicare Set Asides, I feel he exhibited lack of competence as I had to tell him how it (MSA) works. HE LAWYER>>ME CLIENT.
I need to apologize to the person I filed a report on: Frank D. Kress. I wrote a review of Mr. Kress not Rubens and Kress of Chicago, IL. I am very sure the staff at Rubens and Kress of Chicago, Il are very proficient in what they do,
We are in the process of "trying" finalize the last portion of my Work Comp case: Payment for past medical bills I paid out of my own pocket.
This became an emotional case, as it's been 10 months since PART ONE settlement on this case and I still (as of today,February 12, 2015) have not been reimbursed by one of the largest insurance companies in the world....about 16, 500.00 These are monies I paid out of my own disability / social security money:
I am beginning to have some serious health issues other than that I settled my Work Comp case for. If something happens to me, the $16,500.00 will go down the tube. I just wanted to get the monies back for my retirement.
I just feel the pressure, actually after four years trying to get this thing settled. I live now in central Kansas and next Thursday, February 18, 2015, my wife and I are going to have to drive around 1,300 miles, round trip, for an emergency hearing before the Work Comp Commission in Urbans, IL.
I guess the pressure of four years of this insurance not paying med bills and prescriptions, several weeks of disability payments cut off and not reimbursed and a number of other issues finally caght up to me and I began sending some really caustic and mean messages. No profanity, non-threatening e-mails...just mean and also caustic on my part. I just had the feeling that after four years of this large insurance company doing whatever they wanted and the feeling my attorney wasn't standing up for me.....mean and caustic e-mails on my part might light a fire (figuratevely speaking of course). I WAS DEAD WRONG AND MIGHT GET SUED FOR THE PERSONAL EMAILS I SENT TO HIM ONLY.....NOT HIS PARTNERSHIP...RUBENS AND KRESS
Tuesday evening, February 10, 2015 , I recieved an email from my attorney with a proposal, after about eight months of med payments, that he was going to make to this large insurance company to settle out. About one fourth of the way through his e-mail, and rightly so, he blasted me. He had every right to do and say the things he did to me. I am so sad, sorry, depressed and repentant for the e-mails, non-profane or life or body threatening that I sent to him. It is not like me to do what I did....There's no excuse.
Several things were said in his e-mail to me that leads me to believe after (whenever that will be) my Work Comp Case is finally settled, my attorney is going to bring suit against me...if this happens we will lose everything. I just hope the Anti-Slapp laws in Illinois will provide some covert......but still those very private, non-profane, non scatalogical , non-threatening should not have been sent by me. I apologize to Frank D. Kress, Jason Rubens and the entire staff past present or future of the firm of Jason and Rubens.
Just a warning...never...never be AS STUPID AS ME as to file a report, of any kind, on an attorney. The have the power to do extra-ordinary activities to litigate you to death. There is a "BROTHERHOOD" AMONGST ATTORNEYS AND JUDGES IF YOU GET MY DRIFT.....THEY WILL PREVAIL AND YOU WILL LOSE.
As I still stand by opinion on all things I said on the original report, I could not get it taken down by Ripoff. In the original report I just wrote what I have experienced.....If Mr. Kress wants to rebut what i have posted, I will very, kindly and gently respond. THANKS AND BE CAREFUL OUT THERE.