Q: Dear doc, I was a student of yours back in 95 at Life. Back then i didn't really have any questions regarding my future with this new degree. But now that i've been out for 6 plus years i have learned the business that was unheard of in school. Recently I have left an office that i was a part of for 4 years. This office was the type of one that big Sid never talked about. MD/DC/PT/ACU/PMR---"rehab" "therapy treatments". I was the chiro there since the beginning. Mostly no fault with a small % of workers comp, little cash and little major meds. I was kinda pushed out at the end of the year by the management (young guy, same age as me 31, used to be friends), the office was not big enough for both of us. Anyway this brings me to two questions you may be able to shed some insight for me. Like i said these patients were in and out, some have been around for some time others leave after they get cut off by IME. At this time there is a new dc there treating in my place, same pt, same acu, same md still there. Due i have any abandoment issue's possible towards me and how due i go about handling it. Second thing is slightly more personal and complicated. The management feels that a % of my accounts receivables belongs to him. Yet i don't. There was nothing in my contract stating parting royalties, and yes i know fee splitting is illegal. The story start with a group of guys with a vision to open up an office. I was the dc who basically did every thing in the beginig in terms of treatment. there was no pt then. i was paid a weekly salary for a year then they allowed me to bill on my own for 4 months until they took over the billing. At that time they wanted 1/3rd in cash from collections for the next year and half. Then they made a contract from estimated numbers of what i should collect the next year (give or take 250k). This was divided into a 2k month payment for rental space, 8k month for "mngmt fees" and another 2k a month for billing services. This basically came out to an assumed 50%. sooo now that i'm out he feels he still is owed $$$$. At this time i am stalling him until i get a spread sheet detailing my a.r. to then figure out some sort of payment to get him off of my back... never did we have any sort of agreement when our business relationship is over. i know aout the fee splitting issue and i also feel that my a.r. are mine and not his. and as long as i paid out my contract then no more should go to him. never learned this at life..... what should i due legally to protect myself in both these situations. i appreciate your opinion. Thank you A: Thanks for the e-mail. Bad business is always bad business. You made a number of plunders. First a signed contract should have been written and a lawyer should have reviewed it for you if you had any doubts. Second .. unless you made lots of money .. you overpaid for their services. Third .. what was your refined definition .. were you an independent contractor (seems this way) an associate or just on staff with a paid salary. Seems you were an independent contractor .. if so were papers drawn and signed .. if not how can they stand on what you owe them etc. Ok .. I wouldn't worry about abandonment since the clinic is still working and the clinic hasn't left their patients. If you feel that your time in the clinic was all in the up and up and you feel cheated you may wish to hire an attorney to have them question the office for your back pay. The mere fact that you have an attorney (or at least pay one to just hear you out and do no more than write a letter of inquiry) may have them settle with you as a means to not open any wounds or damage their nest egg. No doubt you feel wounded and hurt. You will have to make the decision to walk away from or confront it. This all depends on your level of pain and how much you wish to endure as well as the compensation package you feel is coming. Nonetheless .. learn from this and find an ethical base from which to work in the future Have a Great Day Dr. M