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Parent is threatening to sue me...does she have a case?

I am severely estranged from my parent -- she blames me for allegedly "ruining her life", because as a child, I had a serious medical injury that resulted in many years of hospital care, inpatient and outpatient, and a lot of sacrifice on her part, to get me better. My parent blames me, among other things, for "robbing her", of her money, her job, her former house, her friends, etc., etc. She also irrationally blames me for apparently "causing her to lose money", in the housing market, because we were unable to sell our former jointly-owned home, for her desired price range, and had to sell at a loss, because according to her, I "wouldn't let her sell the property", a mere 2 months earlier.

Now, she is threatening to take me to court, to forcibly seize my financial assets, for "ruining her life", and is saying she will bring "hundreds of witnesses", including my former doctors, to say that I am a "non-cooperative <insert desired negative epithet here>", to testify in her defense of how I in her view ruined her life.

Does she have a legal case though? Keep in mind, I have supported her financially, for almost 10 years now (she lost nearly 100% of her financial assets, in the last 2 market downturns). She doesn't pay a penny on anything, other than food and some utilities (I pay mortgage + everything else.) She has literally threatened though, despite my long-standing attempted financial assistance of her, to "take me, to the cleaners".

Can a parent do this, to an adult child? It's not like I am a spouse, where she is automatically entitled to my assets, right?

13 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    It sounds like she needs a mental health provider, she is a sick woman.

    No, none of this will happen.

  • 1 decade ago

    She has no case. One cannot help it if they are injured or become sick as a child. By becoming a parent she took on the responsibility or caring for you and providing you with medical care. You are not uncooperative at all. You pay for mortgage and everything else of hers. It's her own undoing that she lose so much in the market upheavals. I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe try to talk with her about it? (Not saying you haven't tried this.) I an attempt to med a bridge. There may be something else she resents you for. Are you the same age she was when you got injured? It might be some sort of stress breakdown.

  • 1 decade ago

    i'd say definitely not for any financial loss for the care of her own minor child.

    however if she was still paying your bills after you were an adult, and you weren't considered still her dependent (for example, some mentally or physically handicapped adults remain dependents through adulthood), then those bills should have been yours, and she might be able to get those funds back, but for most states that would only be if she has some document or a witness that said it was a loan, or that you would repay it later.

    regarding the house, it's possible for her to sue you. but with your evidence that you have made all the payments into the equity, i'd say she was screwed unless you were under court order to sell the house (division of property or she sued you previously and that was part of the settlement to split the cost, or to pay her off with the funds).

    sorry your mom is giving you a hard time. that's sad.

  • 1 decade ago

    Your mother sounds like a person who is mentally ill, or simply bitter because her life didn't turn out as she wished it did. You are not responsible for the choices that she made. She chose to have you and you certainly didn't choose to suffer as you have. That is the luck of the draw and the responsibility we incur as parents. No one is guaranteed a perfectly healthy child.

    She is an adult who is blackmailing you into feeling responsible for the choices she made. If anything, her decisions while pregnant with you may have in fact resulted in your disabilities. You sound like a very level headed and giving person to have put up with such vindictiveness. You have done more than most people would have ever considered doing for their parent.

    You are not responsible for your mother's financial problems. Morally, it looks like you have accepted that challenge, but legally, you are not required to support her for the remainder of her life. She can not sue you for her financial issues unless you willfully took her assets and invested them as her financial ad visor in a professional capacity.

    If I were you, I would cut my communication with her to the barest minimum and move on to more positive relationships with other people. If she continues to threaten you, I would tell her I was going to have her evaluated by a mental health agency. You have no guilt or responsibility other than that of a child who feels some allegiance to a parent. You have gone above and beyond what was necessary. She can call in the Pope or the Military but she doesn't have a case to demand compensation from you.

    I wish you the best. You have paid your dues, now go and be happy, I wish you well.

  • 5 years ago

    coverage has to grant a criminal specialist and pay for any rewards, so do not panic. human beings attempt this kinda ingredient a lot. i'm a claims adjuster and also you'd be surprised at what number of human beings attempt to declare they couldn't in any respect artwork again after a three mph coincidence with hardly any automobile harm, and they don't have any clinical treatment on the scene or after. do not challenge..it truly is a scare tactic. And if it truly is like you stated, merely relax certain that he will blow all his money on a criminal specialist, and then win no longer something in go back. per chance the authentic fee of that old (which the coverage co also has to pay.)

  • Dina W
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    Wow..

    No, she cannot sue you...

    Maybe you should move out of state and not leave your forwarding address... She might come to her senses then.

    I would bet that you have been over compensating since you have been an adult. When you choose to become a parent, it is not the child's fault if costs occur for a medical condition.

    She sounds like a real witch for blaming you.... maybe you should sue for emotion distress

  • 1 decade ago

    she sounds like a very bitter woman who got stuck taking care of a child she really didn't want, not to be mean, now she thinks that she can sue you and get back the life she once had or wanted, it doesn't work that way....it is a parents job to care for their children without expecting anything in return ...and by the sounds of you are trying your best to care for her now.....what a mother like that fails to realize is that her lack of friends incapable of holding a job and not knowing how to balance things in her is HER FAULT.....find her a really small place that she can afford and quietly walk away.....save all of your records and leave.....it is time for you to take care of you be happy fall in love and make a good life for yourself...all children leave their parents so you will not be doing anything that isn't done everyday

    GOOD LUCK

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    No, she doesn't have a case. It sounds like she is causing you a lot of mental distress. It also sounds like you are now taking care of her because of these threats. There is no law that says you have to take care of your parents financially because they took care of you. I can understand you wanting to do something but you are not obligated to take care of her. She sounds like a terrible person who needs to move on with her life and let you move on with yours.

  • 1 decade ago

    Besides consulting an attorney, take some counseling..in dealing with all of this, as you sound like you need support.

  • ?
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago

    no she has no case, she sounds crazy to me and i think any judge would see that. in fact i think any lawyer that she would try to hire would think she is crazy and i hope they would not take the case.

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