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Article: Many Utah residents' bankruptcy filings linked to medical bills, survey finds.
- Article from:
- The Salt Lake Tribune (Salt Lake City, UT)
- Article date:
- January 10, 2005
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 The Salt Lake Tribune. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Linda Fantin
Jan. 10--Tammi Northam bought gas at the Flying J, buckled her seat belt, and, four miles north of Snowville, blacked out behind the wheel of her car.
The Toyota Corolla flipped four times, injuring Northam's spine and leaving her paralyzed. Doctors at Ogden's McKay-Dee Hospital saved her life and her legs, and in time she learned to walk again.
The medical bills are what crippled her.
At the time of the May 1996 accident, Northam was recently divorced, between jobs and without medical insurance. When the Ogden woman filed for bankruptcy eight years later, all but $10,000 of the original $100,000 in doctor bills ...