Financial Responsibility and Retainer Agreement

Fees for service shall include, but not be limited to charges for consultations, interviews, evaluation appointments, collateral appointments, broken and canceled appointments, testing, test scoring, test interpreting, reviewing printed materials, reviewing documents, preparing and providing reports, affidavits, testimony, and staff and research assistant time. The fee schedule for all services by Dr. Silverman is included on a separate page.

The financially responsible party shall pay the fees for all time and services, whether the time spent in the service is initiated by that party, another attorney, the court, or other persons or agencies relevant to the matter.

There is a minimum retainer of $4,000.00 for each matter. The retainer is to be paid before Dr. Silverman may be identified as having been consulted with or retained in the matter. Appointments with Dr. Silverman will be canceled without notice if this retainer is not paid at least 5 business days before the first consultation or evaluation appointment. The retainer is a credit balance against which fees shall be charged. Of the retainer, the minimum of $1500 is non refundable should the consultation or evaluation be canceled or not completed for any reason at any time by any party or attorney other than Dr. Silverman. Dr. Silverman shall return any unused remaining portion of the retainer to the payer promptly when requested and when notified by the responsible party in writing that Dr. Silverman’s services will no longer be required in the matter. If Dr. Silverman’s fee meets the initial retainer, additional retainers shall be required. Additional retainers and fees shall be paid promptly when requested by Dr. Silverman. Services will be suspended if future retainers or fees are not paid when requested. Testimony, reports, and opinions will not be released until account balances are current.

Payment is due and payable at the time of service. Service charges will accrue at 1.5% per month but not to exceed the amount permissible by law, on any balance not paid within 30 days after the charge was incurred.

The financially responsible party is

in the matter. Health insurance does not cover forensic examinations and the attempt to seek insurance coverage is not a substitute for any of the financial obligations described herein. The acceptance by Dr. Silverman of payments from a third party shall be construed only as payments made by the third party on the behalf of the financially responsible party and not as indication that the third party is the financially responsible party.

Because the scheduled appointment time is held exclusively for one person or task, the advanced notice of cancellation is required. Cancellation charges are as follows: 24 hours in advance for a 1 hour appointment. Full payment is required for same day cancellations. For more than an hour of scheduled time, notice of cancellation is required 72 hours in advance otherwise there will be a full charge for 4 hours of court time or 2 hours of deposition time.

If an amount is due for 60 days, it shall be sent for collection. The responsible party shall pay all reasonable costs of collecting the bill such as a reasonable collection agency fee or reasonable attorney fees and court costs.

Dr. Silverman may immediately and without prior notice terminate his services and contact any time he has reason to believe that any party is not fully complying with the provisions stated herein or with the orders of the court. Since Dr. Silverman is retained by the attorney and his professional liaison with the court is an attorney, Dr. Silverman may at his sole discretion immediately terminate his service of any party related to this matter that is not or ceases to be represented by council. No services will be provided after services are terminated for any reason.