Local

Man claims BofA gave him heart attack, files lawsuit

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A man is suing Bank of America claiming the bank gave him a heart attack. He said their mistake caused him stress and he collapsed in a local branch and had to be rushed to the hospital.

"They absolutely wouldn't listen to him," said attorney Paul Goodson who represents 61-year-old John Stecher.

Stecher went to the branch office on Carmel Road in November 2011 to pay his mortgage but Goodson said the bank lost the payment.

In this lawsuit, Goodson claims his client started getting phone calls from bank employees saying his "credit history would be negatively impacted" and he "was in jeopardy of foreclosure" alleging it caused his client to start feeling ill from what he calls extreme stress.

He said Stecher went to the bank and while pleading with the bank manager to find his payment, he became distressed while feeling shortness of breath.

Stecher had a heart attack and is now suing the bank.

Goodson wants a jury to decide on damages.

Before this incident he was in good health and the doctors at Carolinas Medical Center said this was stress-induced, Goodson said.

Bank of America had no comment on the pending lawsuit, which only said they are seeking damages over $10,000.


Goodson wouldn't say how much he thinks the bank owes his client but also said it's about more than money.

"Any amount to get their attention to pay more attention to their customers and their own mistakes," Goodson said.
A few days after the heart attack, the bank admitted it made a mistake and the mortgage payment had been made on time, Goodson said.

And after all of this, his client is still with Bank of America and said the discovery phase of the lawsuit has just started with depositions and gathering evidence.
No trial date has been set.

Sign up for breaking news alerts, click here.