NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A tornado survivor says a bad attorney cost his family $300,000, and now he can't find a local lawyer willing to help him get it back.
Lamont Bell's home in Hermitage was severely damaged by an EF-2 tornado in 2020.
During his rebuild, he got into a dispute with a contractor over when payments were due and hired attorney Robert Turner to handle the case.
"Everything is coming back together; we're able to breathe a little bit, but financially, $300,000 is a lot of money to come out of your pocket to pay for something that never should've gotten this far," Bell said.
According to a contract Bell shared with me, Turner charged $500 an hour. Bell says he paid Turner and other attorneys at the firm for about four years.
Then, in January of 2024, a chancellor dismissed Bell's case against the contractor altogether, citing his attorney had missed repeated court dates and deadlines.
"You think he has your best interest. They bill you. You pay your bills. And you get to court and bam, no evidence has been turned in... it's just a nightmare," Bell said.
Bell says the $300,000 in legal fees represents roughly 30 years of savings.
"Pretty much my life savings for the last 30 years. I'm actually two months away from retiring from my job after being on it for 30 years, so where I thought that I was solid in retirement, now all of that is questionable," Bell said.
Bell contacted the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility, which suspended Turner's license last November, citing the conduct in Bell's case.
The Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility accepts complaints online from clients who believe an attorney has acted improperly.
In an email, the board's chief disciplinary counsel said it refers people to local bar associations when disputes over fees arise.
Unfortunately, when Bell checked the Nashville Bar Association's directory, no one would take his case. Bell believes attorneys are reluctant to take it because the local legal community is tight-knit.
"And it's not fair in my opinion. I've been told by two separate attorneys, I need to go out of the state," Bell said.
Bell is still searching for a local attorney willing to take his case.
"What I need is a local attorney in Davidson County to step up and help me try to recoup some of my life back," Bell said.
If you can help the Bell family, email me at hannah.mcdonald@newschannel5.com.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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