U.S. Orthotic Center

Review: Brief Description of Problem First, I did everything possible not to report [redacted] to Revdex.com. He was provided ample time to send a simple refund check of $425 for the whole amount which he owed me for orthotics that were never completed. ([redacted] went on vacation without giving ample warning. And when he returned three weeks later I requested a refund. I had actually paid him $550 for orthodontics, but he deducted the “consultation”. ) [redacted] gave lip-service to a this refund. On July **, [redacted] wrote that [redacted] has “asked me for a personal favor to refund your money.” The implication is that he would not do the correct thing without the doctor asking him. ([redacted] of Hospital for Special Surgery had initially recommended [redacted].) [redacted] then obfuscated the process. First he demanded that I come to his office and give him my credit card information. (I had been advised not to give this individual my credit card information, so I declined.) In addition it was not necessary as I had used a debit card that was linked to my checking account. He then insisted on splitting the refund into two parts, i.e. instead of simply writing one check for $425, he claimed to write two checks, one for $275, and the other for $150. HOWEVER HE NEGLECTED TO MAIL THE CHECK FOR $150. So instead of the entire amount I have only received $275 out of the $425 owed to me on the refund. [redacted] (who recommended him to fulfill the prescription for orthotics emailed [redacted] twice regarding this matter.(Emails enclosed.) It is entirely unprofessional to withhold this payment.Desired Settlement: $150, Still owed

Business

Response:

We saw [redacted] for the 1st time on May [redacted] and provided her services and made custom orthotics, which we have yet to receive from her for credit.I had knee surgery the week after on May [redacted] and was back at my office seeing patients in pmn the following week on May **, when she had her scheduled follow-up appointment for, which my calendar shows as she called us and cancelled on us that same morning because of a personal problem she had_ We have a 24 hour cancellation policy or the patient has to pay for the appointment which we waived for her. There was no vacation at that time and our policy which she was well aware of is we get the client back in two weeks after their initial visit to do their orthotic fitting (which is why she had that appointment scheduled.) Being that I was back from surgery I was booked till the week after, which is when she rescheduled her appointment for. Every time [redacted] called us for an appointment do adjust or modify her orthotics, she demanded certain times. see patients throughout the day and my assistant told her the times that were available. Ifshe had been more flexible with her schedule and came in when times were open she would not have had this problem. We had over 5 different times available.

In this letter she states that her orthotics were not completed but yet she had them already.

In an email on July [redacted],she states she dropped of her orthotics fot a refund on [redacted] with the doorman in the lobby. Why did we get an email 3 weeks later that she said she supposedly left the orthoties with someone? We asked all the doormen. l had them searching everywhere for

them but uo one remembers someone dropping them off or seeing any package with my name on it_ Why she did not come to our office instead to return the product herself instead of leaving them with people inthe lobby is another story and then telling us three weeks later. She doesn't have any proof or signature that she left them with the lobby attendant in the building. Our building has no concierge service and the doorman generally don't except or hold packages.

We normally do not refund money back unless we get the product we made returned to us. Which is fair, being that whenever you want to return an item you have to return it back to the store or place to receive a refund. We did however refund her money because her doctor asked us too. Now she is claiming I'm dishonest and doesn't want to give me her credit card number over the phone yet she had agreed in an email to provide us her credit card for the partial refund, she states,

The arthotics were left with the lobby attendant at your desk by my assistant an June, [redacted] at 4:40 PM Surely he gave them to you. The envelope was clearly marked with your suite number and name_ My assistant came up to your office first but you were already dosed -- although it was within business hours.

(Incidentally, I read an article stating that orthotics cost about $16.00 for the actual materials_)

I cannot come to your office because of the heat. Have been advise to keep out of the heat by my internist Iwould be happy to read the credit card number to you on the phone. Since you have already been paid, I wonder how come you simply can't write a check to me for the

refund. This should be resolved as soon as possible.

I believe she only wants a refund because she thinks she can get orthotics cheap from another provider since she thinks (see below email) thinks orthotic materials only cost $16.00. We would've been happy to refund her money back and close this chapter

already. If she simply gave us her credit card number.

[redacted] paid us $550 (which included her initial office visit/consultation and her custom made orthotics which she had received) in two separate forms of payment, one payment was half the amount, $275 in the form of a check, check # [redacted], and the balance she paid using her credit card on May [redacted] when she came back to our office to pick up her custom orthotics and do her fitting.

Now again, when returning an item back you receive your refund in the form that you initial paid, and we wanted to refund her the amount she paid via check (the way she paid initially) and the other amount by processing her credit card for a refund because

we get charged processing fees just like any other merchant does. It is only fair that we get the processing fee refunded back to us as well.

Her doctor asked us to refund her money back, which we did by writing two different checks, one was check [redacted] sent on July [redacted] for the amount of $130 which shows in our records as not deposited and the other check for $275, check [redacted] sent out August [redacted] which shows deposited on August ** . Now we have to cancel this check which is going to cost about $37 to cancel it.

[redacted] has cost me a lot of time, money, aggravation and emotional stress. The orthotic which she has not returned could be used as a sample pair that I typically send to potential doctors. That's $425, plus now I have to cancel a check which I believe she has ....

That's another $37. So I'm now $462 out of pocket at a loss.

I believe [redacted] is playing games and going out of her way to give me a problem and cost me more money and time. She was going to give me her credit card number over the phone now she says she doesn't trust me. I believe [redacted] is untruthfully and dishonest. Since she is going out of her way to be mean, vindictive and nasty, I will refund the remainder only if she comes to our office with her credit card and the orthotics. Then we will be glad to refund her money back to her account via credit card (the way she paid us.)

I would love to put this matter to rest, so l would even write her out a check minus the canceled check fee and forget about the orthotic that she still has (and is probably using). Just so I don't ever hear or see her name.

Mind you I have been in business for 33 years and this is the :first time this has happened to me. If [redacted] was more accommodating this would not ever been an issue.

There are some people that just should not be allowed to buy anything that is custom or may require adjustments or repeated visits.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

Great. I no longer have that credit count bank account. I closed it months ago. The deduction of $30 is a farce, but if that is what it takes, fine. Please mail the check to my address. [redacted]

(One of the points, was that I refused to give [redacted] my credit card number on advisement of Counsel. He never mailed the check for $150 but it's good to have this done, even if he is simply keeping $30.00.)

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

To Whom It May Concern:

[redacted] seems to have a memory problem. We first saw her on May *, 2013 and casted her for foot orthotics.

On May ** she had an appointment to pick-up the orthotics. She rescheduled for May ** the following week, for personal reasons. That was two weeks after my knee replacement surgery (which was on May **, 2013, see attached A) [redacted] keeps insisting I was on vacation, another lie; I had a knee replacement surgery and although the doctor wanted me to take 5 weeks off, I only took 5 days off and worked a limited schedule. On June [redacted], [redacted] came in for an adjustment and again for another adjustment on June In her letter [redacted] states that she came in on June [redacted]_ that's a Sunday and we don't work weekends so I have no idea what she is talking about. At that point her doctor called and asked me do him a personal favor and refund her money. I agreed to do as she as soon as she returned her orthotics. Till this day she still has not returned her orthotic!!!

According to [redacted] she dropped them off with the building front desk. The office building has no concierge service and she does not have a name or signature showing who she dropped the orthotic off with nor did anyone sign for them. I tried further to check and ask all the door men in the building, the manager and security guards. No one remembers [redacted] or seeing anything that was dropped off for us.

Furthermore, every time [redacted] called she demanded to be seen at specific times, which unfortunately were times I was booked with other patients. I had my office try to move some patients to accommodate her but she was not being very flexible.

I think [redacted] is way out of line for reporting me to you and to the Revdex.com with her lies. How can she even be considered as a valid case when I never received the orthotics back?! As a courtesy to the referring doctor, I still refunded her money although I persoruilly do not know of getting a refund without returning the item in question. She claims she never received one of the refund checks which I believe is another lie.

When [redacted] returns the orthotics I will be happy to refund the balance for the check that she said she never received.

Sincerely,