I guess my initial question would be how many hours did you work for him? If it wasn't a lot of time, just accept that you aren't getting paid.
If you did put a lot time into it, then I would push more but make sure you understand why you are trying to get the $$. You won't convince him you were valuable or get a recommendation or reference (I have seen others think they can convert a bad client into a good one).
Finally, understand that bad collections are a fact of life. Everyone has it, and regardless of whether you have a contract or not, you are going to have to expect some amount of losers.
If you did put a lot time into it, then I would push more but make sure you understand why you are trying to get the $$. You won't convince him you were valuable or get a recommendation or reference (I have seen others think they can convert a bad client into a good one).
Finally, understand that bad collections are a fact of life. Everyone has it, and regardless of whether you have a contract or not, you are going to have to expect some amount of losers.