The heirs of Harry Engel are suing J.P. Morgan Chase after Engel suffered a heart attack after foreclosure was initiated. It is suggested in the lawsuit that Chase was responsible.
Foreclosure results in heart attack
Harry Engel, a 79-year-old retired minister in Grand Prairie, Texas, suffered a lethal heart attack in July 2010, according to KHOU, a Houston CBS affiliate. His family members believe his heart attack was caused by foreclosure proceedings started by the Chase bank after the family had lived in their home for 22 years.
The Engel family lived on a fixed income and had heard about a refinancing program that would lower their rate. They talked to a banker at their local Chase branch, who told them in order to qualify for the refinancing program through the Department of the Treasury, ostensibly the Making Home Affordable Program, they had to first miss a payment, which they did.
The bank started to send late charges and updates, and he got a notice of foreclosure. Then, he got a notice of eviction and had the heart attack. Evidently the bank started the program and cancelled their enrollment in it.
Widow upset about this
The Engel family was not alone. In fact, there were several families given instructions to miss a payment to qualify for the program just to end up getting foreclosed on. Chase had not submitted the foreclosure but was in the early phases when Engel had his heart attack. His wife, Wando Jo Engel, is filing a wrongful death suit against Chase, according to the Huffington Post.
Earlier this year, five of the largest mortgage lenders in the country settled with the government for $25 billion due to "robosigning" and other inappropriate practices, according to the Los Angeles Times. Part of it was "servicer-led foreclosure," which was what this is called and was talked about in 2010 in a U.S. Senate Banking Committee, according to the Washington Post.
The Huffington Post explained that a servicer-led foreclosure went wrong this year at B of A too. Pamela Flores in GA was told the same thing from B of A just to have the modification not work out and foreclosure to follow, according to the Huffington Post. The Engel family is not alone.
Causes emotional stress
In 2008, the first cases of "foreclosures suicides" were noticed, according to USA Today. Homeowners who were having difficulties with their loans started calling suicide hotlines regularly, and they led to suicides. The mental stress is too much for a lot of people to take. This year, there was a murder-suicide in Ohio and March due to the foreclosure and there have been two suicides recorded this year.
Foreclosure results in heart attack
Harry Engel, a 79-year-old retired minister in Grand Prairie, Texas, suffered a lethal heart attack in July 2010, according to KHOU, a Houston CBS affiliate. His family members believe his heart attack was caused by foreclosure proceedings started by the Chase bank after the family had lived in their home for 22 years.
The Engel family lived on a fixed income and had heard about a refinancing program that would lower their rate. They talked to a banker at their local Chase branch, who told them in order to qualify for the refinancing program through the Department of the Treasury, ostensibly the Making Home Affordable Program, they had to first miss a payment, which they did.
The bank started to send late charges and updates, and he got a notice of foreclosure. Then, he got a notice of eviction and had the heart attack. Evidently the bank started the program and cancelled their enrollment in it.
Widow upset about this
The Engel family was not alone. In fact, there were several families given instructions to miss a payment to qualify for the program just to end up getting foreclosed on. Chase had not submitted the foreclosure but was in the early phases when Engel had his heart attack. His wife, Wando Jo Engel, is filing a wrongful death suit against Chase, according to the Huffington Post.
Earlier this year, five of the largest mortgage lenders in the country settled with the government for $25 billion due to "robosigning" and other inappropriate practices, according to the Los Angeles Times. Part of it was "servicer-led foreclosure," which was what this is called and was talked about in 2010 in a U.S. Senate Banking Committee, according to the Washington Post.
The Huffington Post explained that a servicer-led foreclosure went wrong this year at B of A too. Pamela Flores in GA was told the same thing from B of A just to have the modification not work out and foreclosure to follow, according to the Huffington Post. The Engel family is not alone.
Causes emotional stress
In 2008, the first cases of "foreclosures suicides" were noticed, according to USA Today. Homeowners who were having difficulties with their loans started calling suicide hotlines regularly, and they led to suicides. The mental stress is too much for a lot of people to take. This year, there was a murder-suicide in Ohio and March due to the foreclosure and there have been two suicides recorded this year.
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